Bikes can be purchased anytime by people from any age group above 18. However, the time when a bike matters the most in an individual’s life is during their college days. At this stage, a two-wheeler is more than just a vehicle—it’s independence coming on two wheels.
The bike manufacturing giants have understood this critical demand for affordable bikes for indian youth. Thus, all major players have entered into this tight competition to provide affordable yet stylish bikes for today’s college youth. These new bikes are striving to blend style and performance affordably. Thus, we bring to you the list of the perfect bikes under the ₹1.5 lakh budget in India currently.
The young generation is both tech-savvy as well full of adrenaline at its core. Thus, most popular bikes present in India at this time tend to strike a balance between sporty looks and smart features like digital consoles, Bluetooth connectivity, and robust suspension setups. If you add a competitive on-road price with all these features, you have found a perfect match for the young riders of India.
The motorcycles that we have brought in our lists are all designed in such a way that they can be low on maintenance and offer a decent resale value if one gets bored with using the same bike. Check out our hand-picked lists of bikes in India in 2025 that are most loved by students and wallet-friendly.
2025’s Most Value-for-Money Bikes for College Riders
This is our curated list for the Top 10 Most Popular Bikes in India for Students at this moment. We judged bike models based on affordability, mileage, tech associated with the bike, and the street appeal among the audience. The main objective was to find bikes that won’t drain your wallet and deliver smooth performance overall.
- TVS Raider 125 – A Perfect combination of modern sporty look with advanced features for use in an urban space.
- Honda SP 125 – Refined engine, one of the best mileage in this segment.
- Bajaj Pulsar 125 – Classical, powerful pulsar engine, Great street presence
- Hero Glamour XTEC – Full of Tech
- Yamaha FZ-S Fi V3 – Powerful 150cc, which comes under budget
- Honda Shine 125 – Proven performance makes it ideal for daily city rides.
- Hero Xtreme 125R – Aggressive design for youth
- Bajaj CT 125X – City as well as rural-ready commuter
- TVS Radeon – Retro look with reliable mileage and new age tech
- Yamaha Saluto 125 – Lightweight and simply efficient.
Review of the Top 10 Most Popular Bikes in India for Students
Now that you’ve seen the list, let’s break down what makes each bike a hit among students. From real-world mileage to smart tech, performance to pocket-friendly pricing—here’s a detailed look at the specs, strengths, and features that define the top-most popular bikes in India for students in 2025.
1. TVS Raider 125 – A feature-packed commuter that blends sporty looks with everyday practicality.
The TVS Raider 125 is one of the most popular bike that has gained a tremendous amount of trust among riders due to its one in all kind of balanced features. It has been the top choice among college students in 2025 due to its no-compromise policy on style and performance. TVS has tried its best to give the bike a sporty look, and indeed, they have succeeded in it by incorporating a split seat design and sharp LED headlamps. Due to this intensely thoughtful design, the Raider feels far more sporty than most of its competitors in this segment.
It comes with a 124.8cc air-cooled engine that churns out 11.4 PS and 11.2 Nm, which helps it deliver strong city performance. Apart from this, the Raider comes with a 5-speed gearbox, which makes it a much smoother ride for daily commuters stuck in traffic in cities. We have tested Raider in real-world conditions by ourselves, and we found out it gives a good mileage of 55-60 kmpl.
Coming to the tech features part, Raider includes a fully digital console with Bluetooth (on the SmartXonnect variant), voice assist, gear position indicator, USB charger, and ride modes. At this price range, it is very rare to find all these new-age features in a bike. If you are looking to purchase this bike, you would have to pay a sum of around ₹1.05 lakh if you are living in metro cities.
Pros:
- Great combination of sporty appeal and city bike, great road presence
- Loaded with smart features
- Powerful performance for 125cc
Cons:
- For variants apart from its base variant, the raider is coming at a slightly premium price.
Why Students Choose It:
It looks great, runs well, and goes easy on the pocket.
2. Honda Shine 125 – Smart, smooth, and commuter-friendly
Honda Shine 125 gives students what they need—looks, comfort, and savings at the fuel pump. Modern styling and a sleek LED headlamp make it a great choice for young riders.
The Honda Shine 125 is powered by a 123.94cc single-cylinder engine, which produces 10.7 PS of power and 10.9 Nm of torque. The new model also comes with a refined eSP (Enhanced Smart Power) technology, which helps in getting smooth performance output and high combustion efficiency. The bike has an ARAI certification for mileage of 65 kmpl, but when we tested in the real world, the figures were closer to 58-60 kmpl.
It comes with a digital meter, quiet engine start, eco guide, and smooth switch controls—great for daily use. On the drawbacks side, we can mention the lack of Bluetooth connectivity, although the digital console provides trip data and maintenance reminders.
2025 On-Road Price: ₹95K–₹1.05L (location dependent)
Pros:
- Excellent refinement and comfort
- High fuel efficiency
- A new modern design and LED lighting
Cons:
- No disc brake on the base variant
- Misses Bluetooth or USB charging
Why It Stands Out:
It’s a smart choice for students who want a premium-looking bike without spending too much.
3. Bajaj Pulsar 125 – Sporty Build with Smooth Riding Experience
The Bajaj Pulsar 125 comes with its legendary Pulsar attitude at a much lower price point. This made it an instant hit among students who crave sporty looks and decent performance. It keeps that familiar Pulsar look with a strong tank, cool split rails, and a semi-digital meter.
The 124.4cc engine gives strong power (11.8 PS) and smooth performance for daily rides. This new model of Pulsar is coming with a strong engine of 124.4 cc. It generates a power of 11.8PS, which ensures its user for smooth performance for daily rides. You also get good mileage of around 50–55 kmpl.
The Pulsar 125 offers practical features such as a semi-digital console, gear position indicator, and clip-on handlebars (in select variants). It may not have Bluetooth or USB support, but its commanding street style stands out.
On-road price (2025): ₹96,000 – ₹1.05 lakh.
Pros:
- Pulsar design and strong brand value
- Good acceleration for a 125cc
- Available in multiple seat and brake variants
Cons:
- Slightly lower mileage than rivals
- Lacks modern tech add-ons
Why It’s a Smart Pick:
This is a value-packed option for students who are looking for performance and street presence without overspending.
4. Hero Glamour XTEC – Tech-Packed Commuter
Hero this year came up with the most premium version of its long year Glamour Series with Hero Glamour XTEC. The new model is coming with new-age tech features like Bluetooth and USB Charging. Hero has also modified the Glamour body design with a more modern look.
Beneath its fuel tank lies a powerful 124.7cc engine with 10.7 PS of power, generating a torque of 10.6 Nm. Apart from this, Hero has also added its i3S technology, which will help students to save more fuel. The result of all these modifications can be clearly seen in its mileage, which is close to 55-58 kmpl in real-world riding conditions.
On the tech front, it offers a digital console, Bluetooth-powered navigation, alerts for calls and messages, and an engine cut-off linked to the side stand. It also has features like USB Charger and LED headlamp, features which are rare to find in this segment.
On-road price (2025): ₹1.05 – ₹1.12 lakh.
Pros:
- Full of class-smart features
- Very Youthful design with LED headlamp
- Smooth quality of ride
Cons:
- The price is a little high for a 125cc engine
- There are other bikes in this segment which offer better power at this price.
Why It’s Popular Among Students:
The Glamour series was one of the first bikes to launch with a sporty design and has a separate fan following. This new model is a blend of modernity and that rare sporty design. One additional reason to choose this bike is the widespread service network of Hero.
5. Yamaha FZ-S Fi V3 – A 150cc Beast on a Student Budget
The FZ-S Fi V3 has earned its place as the most cost-effective 150cc motorcycle in the Indian market this year. The muscular presence of this bike with a refined engine was an instant hit among college students.
It’s 149cc FI engine offers a healthy 12.4 PS of power and 13.3 Nm of torque, ensuring a balanced performance for daily commutes and weekend rides alike. Despite having such a powerful engine, the best part about the bike is not its power, but the smooth, low-end grunt and comfort during a ride. We rode this bike in cities, and the mileage that we came across was around 45-50 kmpl.
It has ABS for safety and a digital meter to keep you informed on the go. Also, Bluetooth is included only in the top models.
On-road price (2025): ₹1.20 – ₹1.30 lakh.
Pros:
- The design is youthful and offers comfort.
- Powerful engine provides good torque and easy maintenance.
- The engines of Yamaha are known to be reliable.
Cons:
- When it comes to the top-end performance, the bike lags behind some other models in this price range.
- There is a mileage issue as it offers less mileage than bikes with a 125cc engine.
Conclusion
The Indian market today is flooded with the affordable bikes segment. The new generation needs a fusion of practical feasibility with passion in a bike. Also, the new-age technology features are proving to be a game-changer in this segment. For every need of yours, be it fuel efficiency or smart tech or a bike with a youthful design, multiple options are available in the market. We have tried to cover all the best value-for-money bikes in this list, based on crucial factors such as mileage, maintenance costs, and new-tech features. Ultimately, whatever bike you choose, your licence to freedom and accessibility to the world is assured with these bikes.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
There is no one-line answer for this question. Comparatively, we can say that the TVS Raider 125 and Honda Shine 125 stand out because of their balanced mix of sporty design, modern features, and exceptional fuel efficiency. Whereas if you are seeking a more powerful engine within budget, then you should go with the Yamaha FZ-S Fi V3. It offers an excellent value in the 150cc segment.
The main factors that you should focus on are:
1. Real-world mileage of the bike
2. Comfortable riding experience
3. Street appeal of the bike
4. Maintenance Cost of the bike
5. New-age technology features (like Bluetooth, USB charging, and digital displays)
6. After-sales service network
Additionally, resale value is a crucial factor.
Definitely, yes. 150cc bikes like Yamaha FZ-S Fi V3 give us a mix of power and practicality. They are suitable for both daily city commutes and occasional long rides. The only problem is that they have lower mileage than their 125cc counterparts.
The answer to this question depends on your specific needs. If your daily travel distance is high, then you should prioritise mileage and core reliability in the bike. Whereas if you want new-age tech and comfort, then you should choose models like the TVS Raider 125 or Hero Glamour XTEC, which offer advanced features.