I own a Bajaj Discover DTS-i 125CC and have driven entirely in Hyderabad. I have travelled 47832 km in it in the last three years. I purchased it in Sep, 2006. As you see, I use the bike very heavily.
Pros:
Excellent mileage of 55kmph even now in extreme city conditions. It used to be 65 kmph once.
Surprisingly, this bike has a power packed pickup. I beat middle segment bikes as Pulsar 150 cc, Unicorn and CBZ upto 400-500 mts easily.
It has a reliable BHP that is nearly as good as it was when I purchased it. Can pull up 150 kg with ease.
Excellent stability probably due to an extra-long wheelbase makes this a very safe bike even in sandy conditions.
A very smooth ride all the time except for small problems developed very recently.
As of today, it costed me about Rs2.25/km of travel. This includes fuel, cost of bike, servicing and everything I put on bike. That makes this a successful bike in the economy segment.
It seems to be built to last much more longer than 75000 km easily. Reminds me of Hero Honda Splendor.
Very safe when women in sarees sit with you. It is a well balanced bike.
Very low maintanance cost. Bajaj service centers are everywhere now as it was easy to handle it and spare parts are cheap too.
It looked decent with me wherever I go and is never under-rated probably because of it’s open frame.
The bike has a very nice wheel pair providing excellent traction and is very long-lasting.
I have an electric start and is quite efficient. The self-kick style is a little problematic probably because I use it scarcely when my battery goes down.
Cons:
There is a significant recurring problem during gear-shift, especially to first brake. This is corrected regularly but comes back again. I first thought that it is a faulty piece I got but I heard from my friend that he too has the same problem. It is a minor problem during ride as you just have to re-gear when it gets stuck.
It’s braking technique is very much overloaded. I had to change my front brake shoe much more frequently than other bikes.
This is a very safe and secure bike. Further, the bike cannot withstand any speeds above 80 kmph. It starts to grumble slightly from 60+. There is an evident shake in the bike.
Seating is very poor. It’s wheelbase is long and requires better seating position. It hurts your back a little more than other bikes especially during long-rides.
It’s wheels are quite skidding because of it’s quick pickup and a stronger braking system than it’s wheels can hold. It skids regularly even at 30-40 kmph. You’ll just ignore it because of it’s excellent stability and balance. You’ll still continue to ride confidently.
Although the bike is symmetric and all, it is a poor vertical stabilizer as air-drag is heavy all the time. The bike is designed to let all air flow straight onto your face making it another harder factor to drive. To compare, try a Fazer, Bullet and Discover. Surprisingly, this is the same for Splendor and Passion Plus.
There is no room for a tool kit or anything additional. It could have been placed.
After 45K, there was a minor crack in some engine part that took Rs5000 for a full repair at a Bajaj center. Now it is almost smooth but surely felt much better before the problem.
Finally,
This is a sureshot winner in the economy segment and is highly recommendable. The key words are maintenance, economy and decency while the only con word is driver discomfort.