Yamaha Saluto vs Bajaj Platina 110

The Yamaha Saluto is a very perplexing motorcycle. Having established its roots in the more enthusiast-oriented 150cc segment with the FZ-S and the YZF-R15, Yamaha launched the Saluto as a replacement for the ageing SS125 with an eye on the lucrative 125cc commuter segment. On paper, it almost seems like Yamaha has taken a step backwards. The Saluto is more than 2 horsepower down on the motorcycle it replaces and loses out on a lot of features and flair thereby adopting a very civilised and sober design. So what was Yamaha actually thinking when they brought in the Saluto?

While most of us are familiar with the Platina moniker, the term H-Gear is something new. Simply put, H-Gear is short for highway gear or, as Bajaj also likes to call it, the ‘Happy Gear.’ Marketing jargons aside, it implies the addition of an extra fifth gear to aid in smoother cruising on the highway and fetching better mileage.