Bajaj Freedom CNG bike - Is it safe?

-Bajaj releases crash test footage

-Bajaj Freedom CNG bike subjected to heavy crashes

-CNG tank unscathed

The Bajaj Freedom CNG bike has become the new talk of the town and for good reason. It is the world’s first CNG or Compressed Natural Gas powered motorcycle. The promise it holds is of a cleaner and greener means of transportation and one that doesn’t hurt the wallet.

While the bike could be a game changer in the commuter motorcycle space, the question on everyone’s mind is whether it is safe to ride? After all, the thought of sitting on top of a gas cylinder can be quite unnerving for some, especially if you’ve got an imagination for the worse that can happen. Bajaj has assured that the Freedom CNG bike is safe by releasing a video of the motorcycle being subjected to a variety of crash tests.

These crash tests were designed to replicate possible real life scenarios where the integrity of the trellis frame structure that surrounds the CNG tank and that of the tank itself is tested. The two tests that tested the bike to the limit were the truck running over the bike and the frontal impact crash test.

In the first test, a 10-tonne truck is seen driving over the bike. The rear wheels of the multi-axle truck are seen going over the area on the bike where the CNG tank is located. In the aftermath of this gruesome accident, the bike is shown to have suffered irreparable damage to the bodywork. However the CNG tank is intact and the pressure valve indicator is in the ‘safe’ zone.

The second test replicated a scenario where a 1.5-tonne vehicle, usually the weight of a mid-sized car or SUV hits the CNG bike head on. It showed the fork and part of the front end of the bike bending inwards due to the severity of the impact. The CNG tank, however, is intact which shows the strength of the steel trellis frame that acts as a cage around the tank and in turns prevents an untoward incident.

This release of the crash tests should alleviate some of the concerns that potential buyers may have when it comes to putting their money down on the Bajaj Freedom CNG motorcycle.