Bajaj Discover 100 M Review

Every Indian two-wheeler manufacturer wishes to have maximum share in the mass market commuter segment, the reason being – sales volumes. This is where the companies’ overall market share in the country is decided, making everyone take this segment very seriously. Leading this lot are the Hero MotoCorp’s Splendor and Passion brands but many other manufacturers like Bajaj and Honda are trying very hard to break this segment with their latest range of products but have not been very successful.

After following the top-down approach for their Discover launches, Bajaj has launched the Discover 100 M (M stands for mileage) in the Indian market.  Now Bajaj is known for offering products in every possible segment and up till now there was gap between the Discover 100 and the Discover 100T– so now with the new Discover 100M Bajaj plans to target the customers looking at motorcycles like the Dream Neo, Dream Yuga, Splendor Pro and the Passion Pro, in their typical style – with more features, more power and better styling.

At first glance, the Discover 100 M looks no different from the Discover 100 T. It shares the same DNA of the Discover family.  But there are certain utilitarian changes made to the 100M that makes it more affordable and practical. You will probably not even notice them at the first glance, but the aluminium foot pegs are gone and they have been replaced by standard rubber on metal pegs, the grab rail is basic and it is evident that the paintjob is done with cost restraints in place. The side panels get body colour treatment on the 100M and Bajaj has decided not to include the bar-end weights that are standard on the 100 T. The 100 M gets a regular seat which offers more utility as against the sportier one of the 100T. But the changes do not make the product any inferior to its competitors, as Bajaj has managed to put together a very nice package.   

The muscular tank is the best feature of the motorcycle. The bikini fairing along with the twin pilot headlamps, spider-web alloys, aluminum cast side steps and a decent decal job makes it a very trendy 100cc commuter. The 100 M gets full chain cover case, aluminium rear foot pegs and a simple grab rail. The non-Led tail lamp and the turn indicators look very nice and the electric start comes as a standard fitment. The instrument console looks very basic that has an analog speedometer, fuel indicator and the quality of the switch gear is nothing to talk about.

The overall looks of the motorcycle are quite appealing, especially when pitted against the bikes in this segment. We only wish Bajaj had made a little more effort to distinguish it from rest of the Discover line-up. 

 

The Discover 100 M is powered by a single cylinder four value air-cooled 102cc DTS-i engine that also powers the Discover 100 T. However, the engine of the Discover 100M has been reworked to deliver reduced power output of 9.30PS at 8,000rpm compared to 10.2PS at 9,000rpm of the 100T and a peak torque of 9.02Nm at 6,000rpm. The engine pulls progressively at lower rpms without any problem due to flatter torque curve and is more refined and smooth. Bajaj has been working on refining their engines which can be clearly seen in the Discover 100 T and now the 100 M. The engine is mated to a four-speed gearbox that shifts smoothly in an all-up pattern. Bajaj claims an ARAI fuel efficiency of 84 kmpl for the Discover 100 M but the best way to know is to put it to the real world fuel efficiency test which we will be doing in the coming few weeks. The motorcycle makers claimed the top speed is 95kmph but the vibrations seep in post 70kph; it is bit of a turnoff but NVH are on par with segment standards. It has a fuel tank capacity of 9.5 litres with 2.9 litres in reserve and like most other Bajaj products, only half of it is usable!  

We did put the Discover 100 M under a solid load test with me and the pillion weighing 180kg. This is where the bike really surprised us for a 100cc; it managed to move easily and did not feel out of breath till 65kph. The performance of the motorcycle is well sorted, the 100 M has more than decent efficiency, refinement levels are acceptable and load carrying capacity is quite brilliant for this segment.

The ergonomics of the Discover 100 M is very good for city riding. The riding position is pretty upright and does not stress your arms. I am 6 ft 2 inches tall and i didnt have any problem riding it. The 100 M is based on a new platform, as in the wheelbase has been reduced to 1,255mm compared to 1,305mm of the other 100cc Discovers. A shorter wheelbase makes the 100 M very agile and easy to ride in traffic. 

I rode the Discover 100 M on the streets of Pune and honestly, I had some fun riding in the city traffic with a kerb weight of just 114kg working to my advantage. The braking is easy and dependable with a 200mm petal disc and 100mm drum brakes at the rear, it gives enough confidence to look at every overtaking opportunity – I know there is not enough power but then brakes give you enough time to back-off when required! There is also a drum brake variant which costs Rs 3,000 less. The ride quality of the 100M is pretty stiff but thanks to the cushioned seats and average speeds, you don’t feel it much. The pillionrider had a great time because of the comfortable seat and much usable grab rail. The tyres of the Discover 100 M are Eurogrip, which are reasonably good at least in the dry conditions.

Is the Bajaj Discover 100 M a value for money? Definitely, yes! With a price tag of Rs 44,754 and Rs 47,699 (ex-showroom Maharashtra) for the drum brake and disc brake variant respectively, it offers lot more than its competitors.  In this price bracket, there are plenty of options like the Hero Splendor Pro, Passion Pro, Honda Dream Yuga and the Dream Neo but none of them offer features like electric start, aluminium side sets as standard. The Discover 100 M also offers more power and torque than its competitors and has claimed fuel efficiency of 84kmpl; so technically it is absolutely sound product. It just boils down to one point – whether you are willing to give this new motorcycle a chance or would you rather stick to bland yet the tried and tested motorcycles.