Bajaj’s latest 150cc motorcycle to hit the Indian market is the V15. Unlike what the name might suggest, it isn’t some sporty 150 designed to take on the FZs and the Gixxers of the world, but it’s designed to be a strong and distinctive commuter. Apart from its unique styling, it also has the distinction of being made (at least part of the tank) using metal from the illustrious, but now scrapped, warship, the INS Vikrant. We’ve just had a first ride of the bike and you can read the story here:
Before we get our hands on the bike for a road test and compare it with its competition, here is a quick specification comparison to the bikes we think it would be going up against in the premium commuter segment – the Honda Shine SP, the Bajaj Discover 150F and the Honda CB Unicorn 150.
Engine and gearbox
The Shine’s 124.7cc motor makes 10.57bhp and 1.05kgm of torque as compared with the V15, which makes 11.84bhp and 1.32kgm of torque. While V15 has the Shine totally outclassed thanks to its extra displacement, the other two 150cc bikes here score a bit higher. The Discover 150F makes 14.30bhp and 1.30kgm of torque, while the Unicorn manages 13.41bhp and 1.30kgm of torque. Though the V15 might not be king of the hill in terms of figures, Bajaj says that it has more torque lower in the rev range. On the gearbox front, all the bikes here including the V15, each come with a five-speed unit.
| Engine and gearbox | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bajaj V15 | Honda Shine SP | Bajaj Discover 150F | Honda CB Unicorn | |
| Displacement | 149.5cc | 124.7cc | 144.8cc | 149.1cc |
| Power | 11.84bhp | 10.57bhp | 14.30bhp | 13.41bhp |
| Torque | 1.32kgm | 1.05kgm | 1.30kgm | 1.30kgm |
| Gearbox | 5-speed | 5-speed | 5-speed | 5-speed |
Dimensions
Although the length, width and height of a bike may be regarded as immaterial, we’re considering the dimensions that do matter – the saddle height and wheelbase. At 780mm, the V15 offers the shortest saddle height in this lot, while the Shine SP and the Discover 150F come in at 790mm and 795mm respectively. Unfortunately, Honda hasn’t mentioned the saddle height for the CB Unicorn 150. When it comes to wheelbase, the V15 is among the longest here at 1,315mm. Only the Unicorn 160 has a longer wheelbase at 1,324mm, while the Shine SP and Discover 150F are shorter at 1,266mm and 1,305mm respectively.
Ground Clearance
The V15 and the Discover 150F offer ground clearance of 165mm, and the Shine SP isn’t too far behind with 160mm clearance. However, the Unicorn 150 leads the lot with a considerable 179mm between road and metal.
Weight
The lower displacement Shine SP is the lightest at 124kg, whereas the V15, Discover 150F and Unicorn 150 tip the scales at 135.5kg, 132kg and 146kg respectively.
Fuel tank capacity
When it comes to going the distance, the V15 and the Unicorn both boast of a 13-litre fuel tank capacity. At 12 litre, the Shine’s fuel tank is smaller, while the Discover 150F has the smallest tank of the lot with just 10-litre capacity.
Tyres
The Bajaj V15 gets brand new rubber from TVS Eurogrip, which is available in asymmetric front and rear wheel sizes, much like a cruiser – 90/90 x 18 at the front and 120/80 x 16 at the rear. The Discover 150F have similarly 17-inch rims with 80/100 at the front and 110/90 at the back. The Unicorn and Shine are more traditional with 18-inch wheels. However, the Unicorn uses 2.75 section rubber at the front with a 100/90 at the rear. The Shine uses 80/100 sizes at both ends.
Price
The Shine SP is pretty steeply priced for a 125cc motorcycle with an ex-showroom Delhi price (for the non-CBS DLX model) of Rs 62,399. The Unicorn 150 demands a reasonable premium with an asking price of Rs 67,718 ex-showroom, Delhi. The V15 is the most affordable bike in this lot with an ex-showroom Delhi price of Rs 61,999 (including standard accessories), while for three rupees more, you can get the Discover 150F is priced at Rs 62,002 (ex-showroom Delhi).
Priyadarshan Bawikar