Bajaj Discover 100T Review: A Versatile Commuter

The pros: Sporty design, three pod instrument cluster,  easy to ride and maneuver, refined engine, light clutch.

The cons: Should have disc brake at the front. 

The crux: Overall,  if you are looking for great power, tempting fuel economy and an affordable product in the 100-110cc commuter segment, the 100T is the right choice for you..

Rating

Indian two-wheeler market is world’s largest, which is further rising continuously and all the auto majors from across the world are eyeing India with their high performance bikes as Indians are taking keen interest in these performance bikes. However, still more than 70 percent share of the market is being held by the 100-110cc commuters segment. So, all the existing two-wheeler companies in India are focusing on the commuter segment.

 

 

A 100cc commuter is the need of every middle class Indian family and everybody looks for a bike, which fulfills the wishes of all the family members. A good commuter has to boast some general qualities like affordability, good fuel economy, better power and performance, style and comfort.

 

After the successful commuters like Platina and Discover 100, the home grown company Bajaj has come up with a revolutionary product in this segment, christened Discover 100T, which is the third generation of the Discover series. The ‘T’ in its name defines Tourer, and the bike also defines the same through performance.

 

 

The bike features a sporty appearance and caters to an advanced new engine, which claims highest power output from a 100cc motor, and makes it the fastest bike in its segment. The bike is claimed to return a great mileage of 87kmpl, which is a temptation for buyers. The advanced technology available with the bike plus its affordability factor is something that only Bajaj could have managed to achieve.

 

100T has been designed in such a way that it would attract any generation or professional due to its distinctive characteristics. We recently got our hands on one to interpret how useful it would be for a user while commuting within the city which is biggest USP.

 

Styling: Bajaj Discover 100T features a very sporty design, which has never been seen before in the 100cc segment. It looks identical to its elder sibling Discover 125T, except the 100T moniker on the rear cowls. The sharp edge angular headlamp comes with two eye-shape pilot lamps and a bikini fairing, which provides a muscular feel to the front, while creating proper illumination on the way. Stylish transparent black visor is made up of durable fibre. Further, a masculine 10-litre fuel tank comes with a pivoted cap which gives a feel of higher segment motorbike.

 

 

Side panels are painted in chrome, which makes the bike look more stylish and its sleek rear cowls looks quite good with a dual stage seat. A clear 3-step LED tail-lamp with sharp turn-indicators looks impressive, while a black muffler with a steel plate cover and chrome finish at the end enhances the sportiness. Front mudguard is sporty and gels with the bike's look, while the rear mudguard looks a little fat. Its distinct 10 spoke alloy wheels also make its appearance special.

 

 

It also caters to an all black theme on wheels, engine, chassis, front suspension, rear suspension, swing-arm, chain cover and the exhaust pipe. Apart from these, the 100T bike is available in four colour options using dual colour graphics.

 

Switch Gear and Ergonomics:  Bajaj Discover 100T comes with the traditional Discover switch gear, which features a high/low beam, pass light, indicator and horn switches on the left, while the head-lamp and self-start switches are placed to the right. Hexagonal angular rear view mirrors are impressive and perfect in size.

 

 

It comes with a three pod instrument cluster, which is identical in all 3rd generation Discover bikes. On the left side, a round dial pod includes speedometer, odometer and trip meter. Upper pod on the left indicates fuel gauge, while lower pod has all the tale tell lights including neutral shift, high beam, turn indicator and battery.

 

 

Seat of the bike is wide and long, which provides good comfort. Its seat design matches the fuel tank scoops and the not so wide handle bar, which gives an upright and comfortable riding posture and also makes you feel attached to the bike, so you can maneuver the bike easily. However, we felt that cushioning could have been a bit better. Rear aluminum grab rail is stylish and provides enough grip for pillion.

 

Engine and Performance: Generally, people check out the mileage of a commuter before owing it for daily purpose, and almost all the 100cc bikes return a great mileage. However, sometimes power is also a major need along with efficiency, in that case the buyer looks for a 125cc bike with a mileage comparable to that of a 100cc bike. Here the new Bajaj Discover 100T gives you a different kind of option to match up your demands, power of the 100cc bike which is comparable to a 125cc bike using some advanced technologies like 4-valve and Bajaj’s DTS-i.

 

 

On board is a 102cc, single cylinder, 4-stroke, air-cooled engine, which churns out a maximum power output of 10bhp at 9000rpm and the value of peak torque output goes to 9.2Nm at just 6500rpm. The low rpm torque mill is quite refined and has been tuned well, which makes the bike perform well in both city traffic as well as clean highways.

 

 

The pick-up of the bike is quite good, the bike achieves 80kmph without much effort, while it takes a little time longer to reach 100kmph mark. The five speed, all up-shift pattern gear-box with a light clutch is far better than the previous 4-speed Discover gear box, which makes gear shifting softer and quicker. However a heel and toe shifting lever makes gear shifting easier in the traffic. And now the most impressive fact is the powerful bike returns a pleasing mileage of 78kmpl.

 

Ride and Handling: Riding a two-wheeler on Indian roads is getting difficult consistently, in some cities, reason being increasing traffic while others have pathetic road conditions. We rode the 100T in all good to bad conditions and tested out the pros and cons of the bike. First, we chose a smooth empty road in the early morning and checked its stability at high speeds and cornering. The aerodynamic design enhances its overall stability.

 

 

To check 100T's maneuverability in city traffic, we tested the bike in the congested streets of Pinkcity Jaipur during peak hours. Where the 123kg weighed bike with its single downtube tubular frame proved that it is easy to handle in traffic and pass through narrow spaces with ease. The bike comes with 2.75 X 17” 41P tube tyre on the front and 3.00 X 17” 50P bidirectional tyre on the rear, which combinedly provide a tight grip on road and makes the bike to take quick and tight turns easier. The 130mm and 110mm drum brakes at the front and the rear respectively performs quite well, however we missed a disc brake at the front.

 

 

There are telescopic forks in the front with 130mm travel, while Nitrox Gas Charged twin shock at the rear with a travel of 110mm. The perfect suspension combination helped us to maneuver our way within the city with much of an adue. Both front and rear suspension works well on every bump and pot holes, and we don’t feel that we are riding a 100cc bike even for a second.

 

Verdict: Bajaj Discover 100T is packaged well with its sporty looks, great power, tempting fuel economy and an affordable ex-showroom price of Rs. 50,500 (Delhi). What sets it apart from the crowd is its versatility, what we mean by this statement is that at core the bike is a worthy commuter but it has ability to do touring. It is a boon in traffic and a fun to ride machine on open roads (If its specific segment is concerned). So, if you are looking for something EXTRA in the 100-110cc commuter segment, the 100T is the right choice for you.