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BAJAJ DISCOVER 100T

Building a brand around its products has always been the ethos at Bajaj Auto as can be seen from the legacy of the Pulsar which has carved out a niche for itself in the Indian motorcycle space amassing a sizable number of followers over the last decade and firmly gripping over 40 per cent market share in the 150cc and above class of motorcycles sold in the country.

That said, the gains don’t simply end at the Pulsar marque. The trickle-down effect has benefited other products from Bajaj Auto’s model range as well, especially the Discover series which has eventually consumed the Pulsar genes seeping into its structure from time to time without losing its econo-centric mindset but instead using it for shaping of the Discover brand, a moniker now synonymous with value-for-money notwithstanding what echelon of the Indian motorcycling spectrum it plies in.

And the strongest support to this argument came last year in September when the Discover 100 DTS-Si surpassed the Hero MotoCorp's blue-eyed boy, the Splendor, to bag the honour of world's largest selling motorcycle, with sales totalling to 1.22 lakh against Splendor's 1.21 lakh in that month. However, the Chakan-based bike-maker sees it only as job half done and is now looking forward to build on the Discover brand’s existing eminence to raise the bar higher by the means of empowering the everyday commuter with technology and style. Offer the average Joe something which he should have been handed eons ago.

Bajaj Auto’s launch spree continues and now there is a new Discover on the block, it’s the Discover 100T, a motorcycle based on the Discover 125 ST platform. The Bajaj Discover 100T shares identical aesthetics but there are differences to chassis, suspension and engine and a new nomenclature “T” which stands for touring. We take a quick spin and find out what the most technological advanced 100cc motorcycle promises to the commuter.

Styling – The Discover 100T aesthetics are identical to the Discover 125 ST. The tank, headlight, seat, side panels, wheels are all the same. However it has few changes which will help distinguish the two siblings. The half chain case is replaced by the full chain guard, the Nitrox suspension replaces the monoshock and the conventional long mudguard at the rear instead of the split mudguard is seen on the 125 ST. This ends up giving the Discover 100T a feeling of a much larger motorcycle irrespective of the engine capacity. The 125 ST is already mistaken for a 150cc motorcycle, which itself says a lot.

Ergonomics – The seating position of the Bajaj Discover 100T is upright and not so wide handle bar gives the rider a comfortable riding position. The rear view mirrors give a good view of what is behind to almost any sized rider. Seats have superior cushioning for pillion and the rider. The knee recesses are accommodating and make you feel attached to the motorcycle which evokes confidence while exploring dynamics of this motorcycle.

Instrument Cluster and Switch Gear – The three pod instrument cluster of the Discover 100T is identical to its elder sibling. The speedometer with integrated odometer, trip meter, shift light, high beam, turn indicator, battery indicator are all present and standard on the motorcycle. This definitely adds to the wow factor from the customer point of view to see the same on 100cc bike. As seen on the Discover 125 ST, tachometer is naturally omitted here as well.

Performance and Gearbox – The Discover 100T is powered by a 102cc DTS-i, 4-valve, 4-stroke, air-cooled engine which produces a power output of 10.2 PS at 9000 RPM and torque output of 9.2 Nm at 6500 RPM. The engine is smooth, throttle response is crisp and the motor responds swiftly to the rider’s inputs. Engine revs up smoothly to the redline and NVH levels are fantastic and even better than the Discover 125 ST. This is because engineers worked on NVH levels and by using a conventional air intake system rather than a different setup which is adopted on the 125 ST.

Low end torque is sufficient but where this motor shines is mid and top-end, performance is surreal for a 100cc motorcycle, after 50 km/hr, the bike quickly reaches 80 km/hr after which progress is slow till 100km/hr. The 5-speed gear box is a welcome move, smooth positive shifts with 5-up pattern was a joy to use. Taller gear ratios help to extract the best from this powerplant. Gearbox is a bit clunky, but it is far better than the previous generation of gearbox when matching the shift quality.

Riding Dynamics – The Discover 100T has a new sub-frame, Nitrox suspension at the rear and is 4 kgs lighter. The alloy wheels, tyres and front suspension are the same. The Discover 100T stays planted in the corners and there is good grip from the tyres too. The front fork geometry is tuned for maneuverability rather than sportiness, as this is what this segment requires. Ride quality is good and the motorcycle absorbs even big bumps with utmost ease. Brakes at front and rear are drums but surprisingly they do a good job of shedding speeds well. High speed stability is good and changing directions at high speeds doesn’t upset the motorcycle’s balance.

Miscellaneous – Electric Start, Alloy wheels, drum brakes, DC ignition come as standard on this motorcycle and there is only one variant. Fitment like engine guard, RVMs and sari guard come as standard fitment too. There are vibrations in this motor but they are better controlled compared to the 125 ST. An excellent move by Bajaj Auto by introducing corrugated fins on the Discover 100T for better cooling, just like the 125 ST.

Verdict – Entry level commuter motorcycles don’t offer much different things to the buyer. However Bajaj Auto is all set to change that with the ‘Ultimate 100′. The Discover 100T promises a lot to the customer with the high value for money proposition, given the generous standard equipment it is offered with. The styling of the Discover 100T gives a feeling that it’s two segments above. The 4-valve engine produces class leading power and torque figures and returns more fuel efficiency than any other bike in its segment, making the 100T the pick of the 100cc segment.

Upside: Looks, Mileage, Technology, Value for money

Downside: In town ridability