Thanks Mayank! There is a mark for minimum level and even today in sunlight I was not able to see oil level. I can see a red color circular object in the center of the window. I am worried since I think there is little or no oil in the reservoir. During service, if the oil level is below normal, is there a way to top it? Or does it need to undergo the full bleed and replace cycle.

This is my first bike with disc brakes and hence I am a little worried.

EDIT: I think I found the answer here: http://www.xbhp.com/talkies/do-yours...ng-rtr180.html
My reservoir looks exactly like the one in the picture after new oil is filled. Just that the bubble is missing, hence giving a clear see-through effect.

Hello folks this Shantanu from Mumbai. I am a proud owner of this amazing new machine from Bajaj.
Got the bike delivered on 22nd March 2013.

Here are a couple of pics of my bike

Now onto a short ownership review, i.e just 200km short ownership.
Much has been posted about technical details so I wont paste the same again.

This bike is a no-nonsense commuter with things like straight posture, wide seat, lack of rear disk brake and thin tyres. But looking at it for long it gives you a distinct feel and sensation of sporty charisma flowing through the design. But Sportiness doesn't end there. Now I will explain things that make this bike truly sporty is truly exciting in comparison of any other drab 125 cc bikes.

1. The Visual Treat ===========
Move around the bike. There's something there attracting you. That huge, behemoth looking tank with absolutely wicked chiseling and very tribal and powerfully stroked graphic art, Or that looong wheelbase? This bike is certainly very long if you look at it from the sides. What about that big head with very cool looking headlamp with two pilot lamps looking like sharp eyes staring down at the competition with a winner's gaze? Not to mention very cool looking Y shaped rim design that is totally a class apart from any motorcycle in Indian market. Stepped tail lamp and a refreshing looking grab rail, hmmm. Ohhh, that Nitrox Monoshock that is painted red. Unorthodox looking instrument cluster with a Large and sporty looking speedo.
This is just what I saw, list can go on and on for you. Entire bike is sexy, just one biggest flaw, that heap of random looking plastic slapped onto it's rear. It was the biggest thing that initially threw me away from this bike. But I can live with it. However it can come handy in rainy season, it will save monoshock and underbody from receiving a heavy dose of dirt and mud.
Instrument console lacks tachometer and it is really bad. 125 ST has a high revving engine. If you wanted toy get into sports mode a tachometer could have been indispensable to squeeze max amount of power at every gear shift. Also in commuter mode, it could have been interesting watching that needle go up and down, but heck. Also a kill-switch is missing. This is example of sheer cost cutting.

2. The Sound ===========
Bring engine to life and listen to exhaust note...sounds ok, nothing great going on there, actually sounds a bit louder while idling. Now twist the throttle just a little, hmmm sounds different than discovers. Now make it roar, twist it hard, but gently...Woooah!!! What the hell is that sound!! Are you sure that's a 125CC bike and not a 150 or even 180 cc ones? These are the exact thoughts that ran through my mind when I first played with the throttle. And I am sure everyone will be enticed with "sporty" exhaust note.
It is absolute joy is to listen to exhaust note of this bike. I used to wear headphones underneath my helmet. Now I have stopped doing that, the sound of this Discover is music to me! Engine sound is totally wicked and stands apart from any other bike of it's segment, heck, from any other bike in any segment. It's not super thumpy, it's not puny, it's JUST GREAT and it lets other bikers let you know that this is no usual 125cc weakling cause that sound literally drips the power that is within the engine.

3. The Power ===========
Enough about sound, you can fit a different silencer and get even unique powerful sound. But this sound is of a beast that sits inside those corrugated fins. A 4 valve 125cc engine that generates 13 bhp of awesomeness. Yes 13 bhp is no big deal, bikes today generate upto 25 bhps. But....this one is only 125cc. Go check it out, no other bike of 125 cc comes even close to 11 bhp. Even some 150cc bikes generate not more than 13.5. This means only one thing...go crazy with throttle.
This bike gathers speed at a blazing pace. The more you rev the engine, better it seems to perform. I have rode this bike only about 187 km till now. Haven't messed with the initial comfort that one has to give a new bike. But out of sheer impatience, I have twisted the throttle hard and I was surprised. I touched 70 in hardly any time. Sound in that speed was absolutely tremendous, you have to hear it to believe it, it's that good . It will make you forget that you are riding a 125cc bike. It is because of 4 valves there, that let more air and fuel to burn and produce great amount of power from less CC cylinder.
Even in very drab commuter mode, power is ample, it is on demand. Need to overtake that irritating car before another in the rightmost lane comes too close? No problemo, you can blaze past thanks to crisp throttle response. Acceleration is great. Gear ratios are great, I have pulled from 20kph on 5th gear to 50kph, heard no chain slack, drag, any crackle from engine. Just that gears are very short. I have to shift at following speeds to avoid vibrations that creep in.
1st: 10 kph
2nd: 20 kph
3rd: 30 kph
4th: 40-45kph
5th: 45+ kph
I am within 200 kms now, maybe after 1st service I can pull to more speeds per gear. I am presently getting mileage of about 50-52 kmpl. It's the very first approximation

4. The Comfort: ===========
Being a commuter bike assures you comfort. Ride is very plush with a premium feel to it. Seat is very large almost like a sofa. However it could have been softer. Pulsar 150's seat is so soft you might get orgasm after just sitting on it . Pillion seat is elevated, that contributes to a sporty look, but it is inconvenient for older people to sit there. It becomes almost like climbing a horse to them. Rider's seat is a different story. Cushioning is adequate and that elevation gives a good support to your lower back if you sit a little behind. That's a touring mode. Sit back and relax, hit 5th gear on empty stretch of road, pull you feet farthest on footrest. Your thighs and knees will be engulfed in that wickedly huge knee recess of the tank. At that point you are hugging the entire motorcycle with your body. This posture is so relaxing that it is almost therapeutic .
Monoshock does a great job in handling and bump dampening also gives a different kind of stability in high speeds. Monoshock is very big plus in this bike. And it is adjustible, so more value to it. It is set to 1 step lower than the hardest setting. I Gave it some time to loosen, but it is still a bit too hard for a potholed roads as in Mumbai. I am gonna set it two steps down.
Front is crowned with petal disc brake. Apart from looking good, I dont know what special thing is this "petal" design? It is smallest disc brake you can see on any motorcycle. That is really bad. But braking is adequate. It lacks that sharp bite that you would expect from a disc brake. But hey, that can be good. In start-stop traffic if you pull brake lever too hard you could do a stoppie on some bike like P150. This one is good, pull it with one finger, braking is gentle. Pull it hard with 2 fingers, you get that stoppie generating bite. But you have to get adjusted to it, because still it's a bit of a weak disc brake. But at-least it can save you from getting into trouble by yourself! Rear drum brake is standard issue, but it was even weaker, gotta get it tightened.
Shock absorbers are great on this bike that make ride quality a premium one. And this one being a commuter you can demand it, but this thing delivers more that what you desire !!
Tyres are another huge negative point of this bike. Very skinny, chinese or korean brand tyres. Even skinnier and you would see a goddamned bicycle instead. Monoshock is there waiting for you to plunge the bike in corner but tyres scare the hell out of you while trying to take sharp corners. And forget about sharp cornering and hard braking on slippery surfaces. I am gonna get the tyres changed at least the rear one. And then remove that damn extra tyre hugger.

If you are reading this line, you have just proved that you have great patience and endurance. Thanks for reading hope you enjoyed it.

Now some questions:

1. Gears are very short. I have to shift to a higher gear in just 10 kmph + speed. I.e my 5th gear falls in 40-45 kph because if I stretch beyond that, engine starts vibrating like mad. Will this go away after 1-2 servicing?

2. Huge vibrations creep in on higher revs. So much that view in the mirrors get blurry. After sufficiently high revs they go away. However in commuter kind of riding I experience huge vibrations after 45 kph. Will this issue go away after 1st servicing?

3. Can I fix a wider tyre at the rear? What will be the effect of it on handling, mileage, performance?

4. If I can fix a wider tyre, then which one can be the best? Please explain the size, brand etc.

5. I can almost never find the neutral from the 1st gear. I have to shift to 2nd then fall to neutral. Is this normal?

^^
Yes, gears are very short, but that can be advantageous too in a commuter bike. You can start of in 3rd gear or cruise at 40kmph in 5th gear.

Rear tyre: 100/90 x 17 is a direct fit on the stock rim.

Gear shifting is a matter of time. It is getting better everday. My bike has now covered about 350kms and it is not as bad as it was on day 1.

As per manual, you should not exceed 44kmph till 1000kms and 55 kmph till 2000kms.

Change in fuel worked out nicely.I have travelled 120KMS today and not even faced any problem with my bike no engine haulting problem and i got a fuel efficiency of 60KMPL(Highway) at last i hve got the milleage of 60KMPL.Any way thanks for ur sugesstions... :-)

First attempt at the great Indian FAQ: Kitna deti hain?

I checked for the first time with reserve-to-reserve method by filling fuel worth Rs. 300.
Bike travelled 267.4 kms in 3.99L which gives 67kmpl.

This distance was 50% city and rest highway and strictly used as per user manual. 2 minutes of warmup each time and max. speed of 44 in 5th gear.

Have filled in another 4.04L today (yeah the prices dropped, so I got 50ml more in 300 rupees). Will take my bike for service once this finishes and then check again with full tank-to-full tank method which is more accurate.

What is the engine oil put in during first service? User manual states 20W50 on page 21. Service chart at Bajaj site Bajaj recommends 20W40

IMHO, 20W50 should be right choice since this is also used in other high revving engines. Maybe the heating issues reported by some users could be due to wrong oil put in at SS since the earlier model Discovers used 20W40

if user manual mentions 20W50 then stick to it...dont use 20W40. it wont cause very much damage but why take chance? make sure u are present at the svc during ur service and see to it they pour 20W50 oil. questions isnt about high reving machines use 20W50. most hero and honda bikes use 10W30 and 20W40. even if they are high revving. its abt the manufacturer making the engine and it knows what grade to use for better performance

hey i bought my st in black decal blue colour is anyone here owning the same colour has tried stickering to the bike if please then post the pics

First service completed today at 640kms.
Total cost of service - Rs. 430 including 1ltr 20W50 DTSI oil + filter + VAT
Full service completed in front of me in 20 mins

Guys what is the FE that you are getting on this bike? My friend has got this bike recently and is disappointed with the FE. He says that he is getting only 45km/l and I was shocked. I told him that there should be something wrong with the bike or the Petrol bunk that he fills in but he says that even his friends who got the bike are getting only 40~45, worse they are getting only 40. Is this true? He rides mostly in cities but not much in traffic either, the roads are usually less crowded. Does this have something to do with his riding style or his bike has some problems? Also he said that when he mentioned about the poor mileage at the service center, they are saying that this bike will only give so much and that it is a failure model? I'm a bit concerned because it was I who recommended it to him, maybe I gave him the wrong choice? Btw, his bike has done nearly 2k kms. First service completed obviously and second service is due soon.

^^
Is this the mileage he gets from day 1? If yes, why was it not checked during 1st service.
Mileage depends on a lot of things, mainly carb tuning, quality of fuel, tyre pressure, spark plug conditions and the rider.
I have filled in 12.08ltrs over 3 refills and it has carried me a distance of 754.1 kms. Thats an average of 62+

Try changing the petrol bunk and see if the quantity being provided is correct.

I am also getting 40~45 KMPL... I am at 6k kms on ODO. But under these conditions:
1. I always ride at high RPMs. Gear shift at higher range.
2. Always maximum speed. 105KMPH
3. Tires reduces pressures within 2days. Saving money to change to MRFs.
4. Lastly me weigh 93 KGs (poor bike )

Petrol - SHELL UNLEADED always.

Need ADVICE in changing tires.
Front - MRF Zapper FS 2.75-17
Rear - MRF Meteor or MRF Zapper C 100\90-17

Actually he got around 50~55 before first service and now it seems to have dropped to 40~45. After the mileage dropped he went to the ASC and complained about it, for which they said they will look into it in the 2nd service. I don't know whether he is calculating properly or not. I will ask him to do another check from reserve to reserve method. Btw, what is the fuel capacity of this bike? And how much does it have for reserve?
I don't know much about his riding style as I haven't ridden along with him yet. But from what I've noticed, whenever he shifts gears, the bike kinda lunges forward(maybe his clutch release isn't smooth ), does this have anything to do with FE? And I'm sure he doesn't ride at max speed all the time, as he rides mostly in the city.