Keeway SR125 mileage and running cost

SR125's claimed mileage is 47 kmpl, and unusually, owners and our own riding land right on it: expect 44–49 kmpl in everyday use. Few bikes get this close to their brochure figure.

Among the 26 commuter bikes we have reviewed it ranks 24th for mileage, 16 kmpl below the group average of 63 kmpl.

At Delhi's petrol price of ₹94.80 a litre and a real-world 46.5 kmpl, the SR125 costs about ₹2.04 per km in fuel. Ride 30 km a day and that is roughly ₹1,590 a month, or ₹19,082 a year, before servicing.

The 14.5-litre tank gives a realistic range of about 674 km, so a 30 km commute means a fill-up every 3 weeks.

Spread over five years and 46,800 km, the SR125 works out to about ₹5.7 per km all-in, of which 36% is fuel and 55% 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 cheapest wins on the SR125: tyre pressure (5 psi under can cost 2–3 kmpl), shifting up early, and not idling at long signals.

Filling only to the first click and keeping the 14.5-litre tank above a quarter helps in two ways: fuel that sloshes out of a brimmed tank is wasted, and a near-empty tank on a hot day loses more to vapour. Realistic range is about 674 km, so on a 30 km commute you will fill up roughly every 3 weeks.

Service on time. A clogged air filter, a tired spark plug or a dragging brake shows up in mileage before it shows up anywhere else, and each is a cheap fix at the scheduled service.