2013 Bajaj Discover 100M India road test
The Bajaj Discover onslaught continues unabated and the latest is the new 100M which makes its intentions clear — the M stands for mileage. Available in disc and drum front brake variants, Bajaj says the bike will play in the mileage segment one step off the bottom, a segment that, according to the Pune-based manufacturer, accounts for 46 per cent of the Indian motorcycle market.
The Discover 100 and the 100T also play in this segment, but so far market share is 20 per cent and Bajaj wants more. Will the 100M deliver? Let’s find out.
Styling, build and finish
The 100M, despite the lower intended price, is as well made as any of the other Discos, be it in terms of finish levels or in terms of paint quality
Bajaj have chosen to stick with the design of the Discover, but the 100M is smaller than its siblings.
Bajaj have chosen to stick with the design of the Discover, but the 100M is smaller than its siblings. The biggest clue is the tank which is dimensionally smaller than its other eponymous siblings though it is the same shape overall. Similarly, the seat is also shorter in length end to end and so forth.
The overall impact of the motorcycle dissipates a bit because it might be a new bike but it manages to look startlingly like every other Discover. What familiarly breeds in this case is up to you. Strong visual associations can reinforce the values a brand stand for, but it can also cause ennui and disinterest.
What is also the same, and this is a good thing, is that the 100M, despite the lower intended price, is as well made as any of the other Discos, be it in terms of finish levels or in terms of paint quality.
Engine, gearbox and performance
The undersquare 102cc engine
The undersquare 102cc engine is based firmly on the new Discovers but has been retuned for economy, trading in a bit of power in the process. That said, the 9.3PS at 8,000rpm is still better than almost everyone else in the segment. What is really impressive though is the torque. The motorcycle makes 9.02Nm at 6,000rpm, but it’s a much flatter curve, says Bajaj.
In the real world, this bears out because you can ride the motorcycle really quickly and smoothly without using the revs for support or a lot of gearchanges. During our economy run – 68.05kmpl in the city – the Discover felt rapid through traffic, though the revs were being kept tightly in check. The gearbox also is more precise in shifting, though I still don’t like all-up shift pattern.
First feels a bit low in gearing terms but with a light clutch and nice spread of torque, this is an easy, calm motorcycle to commute on. Top speed is 92.4kmph. There is, however, just a hint of vibration in the pegs in some parts of the rev range and the vibration really becomes noticeable once you cross 70-80kmph, but it’s a sensation that exists not an annoyance.
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