Wind- The JOSH machine . Review on Bajaj Wind 125

Kawasaki is a well known brand across the world - well known for its heavy duty bikes such as the Ninja and Vulcan. Over the years though Honda has been the market leader in the world motorcycle market- thanks to its dominant position in the commuter segment (100-125cc). Kawasaki deciding that it was high time they did something about it approached Bajaj and 2 years later out came the Wind.

Now the Wind is not your day to day Indian version of a ex-commuter bike (read Victor,Splendor and Passion). The difference is because of the target market- Wind spearheads Kawasaki's thrust into the South East Asian markets such as Thailand,Taiwan,Indonesia etc where the entry level bike is a 125 cc (not 100cc as in India) and where the consumer desires a modicum of performance along with mileage.

The Wind styling involves clear, flowing lines with the right amount of scoops and muscle at the right places. The tank is lean and the fairing adequate- making the bike feel tawny rather than brawny (a la Pulsar). The black plastic cladding covering the battery compartment jells well with the overall design. The tail lamp is a neat oval unit- a clear shift from the rectangular shaped units provided in Bajaj's older models. A beautifully done two tone paint finish, bright headlight,comfortable anti slide seat (not a groin crusher like the Pulsar) and grab rail accentuates the classy feel. The exhaust is a simple cylindrical unit with Kawasaki etched on it as in the Caliber 115. The instrument cluster with its white dial looks, well, different.

The heart of the machine is a 125 cc ultra refined Kawasaki unit giving out 11 BHP of pulsating power. The engine is designed for city riding- with its tremendous low end torque. The TRICS (Throttle Regulated Ignition Control System) incorporated unit powers the Wind from 0-60 in approx 7 secs going up easily to a top speed in excess of 100 kmph.

Gearing is via a 5 speed super-slick gearbox .For the purist's delight- the shift pattern is 1 down, 4 up which makes it easier to drive compared to the Pulsar 150's all down pattern and yes you can ride at 20 kmph in the 5th, no knocking whatsoever. The gearing is short and ideal for city traffic- making cutting and thrusting in heavy traffic, a childs play. Clutch and steering feels great and handling is class leading. MRF Zappers upfront and rear do a great job.But what separates the Wind from all other bikes in India is its braking. Those great looking star shaped discs offer pin point braking setting a new benchmark for other bikes to follow.

Mileage delivered in city traffic is a respectable 60 kmpl keeping in mind that this is a performance oriented bike. On the flip side the same short gearing that is ideal for city riding makes the Wind feel a bit breathless on the highways. Because of this mileage delivered in highways is around 60 kmpl and not significantly higher than the city driving figures as it is the norm in other bikes.

The Wind is a refreshing new product from Bajaj and kudos to them to bring out such a machine in the mileage crazy Indian market.Go for it if you want style, performance and decent mileage- all at an unbelievable price of about 50K on road. OR if you want a mileage machine - wait for Bajaj's 125 cc economuter (current code name K4)- slated to be launched next year.