Bajaj Pulsar NS125 mileage and running cost

Pulsar NS125's claimed mileage is 46.9 kmpl, and unusually, owners and our own riding land right on it: expect 47–47 kmpl in everyday use. Few bikes get this close to their brochure figure.

Among the 21 commuter bikes we have reviewed it ranks last for mileage, 18 kmpl below the group average of 65 kmpl.

At Delhi's petrol price of ₹94.80 a litre and a real-world 47 kmpl, the Pulsar NS125 costs about ₹2.02 per km in fuel. Ride 30 km a day and that is roughly ₹1,573 a month, or ₹18,879 a year, before servicing.

The 12-litre tank gives a realistic range of about 564 km, so a 30 km commute means a fill-up every 3 weeks.

Spread over five years and 46,800 km, the Pulsar NS125 works out to about ₹4.8 per km all-in, of which 42% is fuel and 48% is the purchase price itself. Resale value is not counted; expect roughly 50–60% of ex-showroom after five years for a well-kept example.

The quickest wins for the Pulsar NS125: keep tyres at the recommended pressure (under-inflation by 5 psi can cost 2–3 kmpl), shift up early, use Eco mode in traffic and avoid idling at long signals.

Short trips hurt most. A cold engine on a 2 km run can return half its normal mileage; if that is your use, expect the low end of the real-world band.

Service on time. A clogged air filter or old spark plug shows up in mileage before it shows up anywhere else.