We know that styling no longer remains a Bajaj Auto weak link. Sceptics can take another look at the Saffire, Sunny Spice, Spirit and the Caliber. So why hasn't the styling of the M80 Major been altered? Take the case of the original Honda Cub. In spite of selling by the bucketload, her styling has evolved continuously into what we now identify as the Hero Honda Street. And a very handsome evolution at that.

The M80's basic look has probably been left unaltered to avoid alienating the diehard M80 loyalist. The brand loyalty that the M80 commands is truly amazing. Every time I went to tank up the M80 (which was hardly three times but more on that later) it was a kind of an occasion. The pump attendant would announce to all his pals that the M80 4-stroke had arrived and in no time there would be a crowd of the curious asking me all sorts of questions. Though framed in a variety of ways somehow all the questions seemed related to mileage, but what the heck!

The M80 has its own niche and Bajaj Auto has been canny enough not to disregard the loyal M80 customer. Had the styling been altered to something akin to the Street or K4-100, a large slice of its customer base would definitely have evaporated. Look closely though and you will find that the stylists have in fact run their fingers or rather their rulers over the M80 Major. The first thing that the trained eye will observe is the telescopic shocks in place of the link type unit on the earlier M80. No doubt the shocks do a better job than the link type unit, besides improving the look of the bike.

Starting from the front, the mudguard appears to be a straight lift of the one that does duty on the Hero Honda Street. Looks quite smart compared to the rounded version. The headlamp seems disproportionately large in comparison with the handlebar. Very utilitarian rectangular indicators flank the headlamp. The grey plastic splashguard is perhaps the single most important visual link that the M80 Major shares with her ancestors (the M50 and the Pearl Yamaha).

The side profile looks distinctly dated and frankly not much effort has gone into sprucing up the sides. The all-important logo takes centre stage here. The split dual seat is another ancestral link but in tune with the M80s customer profile. The petrol tank is located under the lockable front seat that makes tanking her up a breeze.

Turn to the rear and the tapered conical exhaust provides another visual indication that this is not the M80 of yore. This type of exhaust normally does duty on 4-stroke motorcycles. The rear tail lamp has been redesigned, now incorporating a rectangular unit in place of the ridiculous Christmas tree cluster on previous bikes. The sturdy luggage rack is welcome convenience. The paint finish on the bike is first class, something that we have come to take for granted on all present-day Bajaj bikes. To curb costs, use of chrome has been restricted to a bare minimum. Nothing to complain or argue about here.

Controls on the other hand are minimalist and feel distinctly low-rent. The indicator switches are a real pain to use. The choke however is conveniently positioned below the right grip. The instrument console is another exercise in minimalism and a throwback to the company's scootering heritage. Incorporated are the speedometer, odometer and neutral indicator. No high beam indicator, no turn indicator and it isn't even backlit so forget about checking speed of travel in the dark. As things stand, the neutral indicator could also have been left out; since the bike comes sans battery, the indicator is useless while starting. The bulb which seems to be of the zero watt variety, looks the same on the glow or otherwise. The right hand mirror is too tiny and vibrates like crazy.

There isn't much to say about the build quality of the bike. Which is very good news if you are Mr Bajaj or a prospective M80 buyer. Nothing fell or broke off and thankfully no nuts and bolts were missing. All the visible nuts are of the self-locking variety, so one is assured nothing will fall off in the long run.