150- What?
The engine capacity now stands at 144.8 cc- a slightly inappropriate 150 moniker. It is a single cylinder, air-cooled, carburetor- equipped unit with an auto-choke function for those cold starts. Both kick starting and electric starting features are available. Besides, Bajaj’s patented DTS-i (Digital Twin Spark- injection) technology does duty here as well, along with a 4 valves per cylinder setup. Power is a healthy 14.3 bhp@8500rpm, while torque peaks at 1.3 Kgm from as low as 6500rpm- the main USP of the engine, as we’ll find out later. The transmission is a slick-shifting, refined 5-speed job. The all upshifting gearbox is a joy to use and is a far cry from the old, clunky Bajaj boxes. Paired with the light clutch, the bikes are a smooth operator in its natural habitat- the city.
How does it ride?
Bajaj Auto says suitable tweaks have been made to the drive-train to give it a premium commuter character, rather than a performance oriented screamer. We took a short ride to find out.
The performance isn’t a rush to the head, but the power is more linear. The engine isn’t too comfortable revving at its peak speed, but what’s more important here is what the torque does. One blast through the gears gives a fair idea of the riding credentials, which includes peppy bottom-end grunt coupled with some strong mid-range. The performance is a breeze till 90 kph, after which the motor has to make some effort. The lack of a punchy top end is there deliberately to make the most out of the low-end and mid-range to aid urban ride ability. Bajaj have also worked on improving the NVH levels and it shows on the Discover 150. Even in the furthest reaches of its top rev range, the bike threw up minimum vibrations and overall refinement definitely seems to have improved-although the engine did sound a tad gruff at times.
Next page for handling, braking, fuel efficiency, pricing, verdict and specifications list>>