High demand for Bajaj Freedom 125 CNG, to be sold in 77 towns before August 15

Bajaj Auto has announced that it is rapidly expanding the Freedom 125 CNG motorcycle's availability across India. The world’s first CNG bike will be available in 77 towns across the country before August 15, 2024, notably India’s 77th Independence Day, the company said. The move comes after the brand received an overwhelming response to the Bajaj Freedom 125, which promises immense fuel savings with its bi-fuel setup.

Overwhelming demand for the Bajaj Freedom 125

Bajaj Auto announced that the Freedom 125 will be available in Maharashtra and Gujarat initially at the time of launch in early July. However, the company says it received over 30,000 inquiries and counting within the first week of launch, which prompted Bajaj Auto to accelerate the expansion plans nationwide. The first Freedom 125 CNG bike was delivered in Pune on July 16, 2024.

The Bajaj Freedom 125 promises a range of 330 km (claimed) from its CNG and petrol fuel options

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The Bajaj Freedom 125 promises a range of 330 km (claimed) from its CNG and petrol fuel options

Speaking about the wider availability of the Freedom 125, Sarang Kanade, President Motorcycles - Bajaj Auto said, "The launch of Freedom 125, the world's first CNG motorcycle, has ignited an unprecedented interest across India. We're humbled by this overwhelming response and are committed to making Freedom 125 accessible to as many Indians as possible. To celebrate our nation's 77th Independence Day, we're expanding availability to 77 towns. Bajaj Freedom 125 empowers individuals to shape their future with a safe, clean, and cost-effective transportation solution. Our goal is to harness India's growing CNG infrastructure to bring the benefits of Freedom 125 to every corner of the country."

Bajaj says the Freedom 125 lowers operating costs by up to 50 per cent compared to conventional 125 cc petrol motorcycles. During our ride, we found the CNG bike to offer a combined range of about 300 km on both petrol and CNG, as against the claimed range of 330 km. The number will vary depending on the rider and can exceed with gentler throttle and braking input.

The Freedom 125 CNG gets tight and clever packaging with its exposed trellis frame that acts as a protective cage around the CNG cylinder (HT Auto/Kunal Thale)

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The Freedom 125 CNG gets tight and clever packaging with its exposed trellis frame that acts as a protective cage around the CNG cylinder (HT Auto/Kunal Thale)

The Bajaj Freedom 125 is quite innovative in its packaging. The 125 cc CNG bike gets a horizontally mounted engine with a trellis frame protecting the CNG tank placed under the seat. The bi-fuel nature means the bike can run on both fuel options with a 2 kg CNG tank along with a 2-litre petrol tank as a reserve option. The bike tips the scales at 147.8 kg (kerb), making it slightly heavier than other 125 cc offerings.

Watch: Bajaj Freedom 125 CNG bike review: Can it trigger a revolution in two-wheelers?

On the feature front, the Bajaj Freedom 125 gets an LED headlamp, telescopic front forks, and a monolink suspension at the rear. The bike also gets a digital instrument console with Bluetooth connectivity on the top variant. The seat height at 825 mm is high due to the CNG cylinder placed directly under the seat. The quilt stitching aims to make it more comfortable but the model lacks under-thigh support.

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