This new motorcycle carries the Discover family design, and has a familiar face thanks to the sharp twin-pilot headlight design with a bikini fairing. The muscular fuel tank comes with a hinged filler cap, and, along with the body panels, in two-tone decals. The sporty design is completed with the well-finished three-slat tail-lamp. Overall the bike feels slightly smaller than the 100T. A Bajaj executive explained that, according to their market research, customers in this sub-segment (below the 100T) want a light and agile bike which would cater to a wider range of buyers of different sizes and age.
To make the 100M more agile and compact, Bajaj have given it a considerably shorter wheelbase of 1,255 mm compared to the 100T’s 1,305 mm. The chassis consists of a single downtube, semi-double-cradle steel frame and rectangular section swing-arm. The bike behaves well on road, is very nimble and easily manoeuvrable. The gas-charged shock-absorbers along with the telescopic front forks soak up most of the undulations without unsettling the bike. Dumping the tubless tyres, the M runs on regular tubed Eurogrip front and rear tyres, which provide adequate grip at low speed.
The instrument console has a simple layout, which is easily legible on the go, while the control switches are well built and work well. For the segment, the 100T has a good standard list of features, which include an electric starter, low-maintenance battery and slightly different ‘spider-web’ alloy wheels, which are finished in black, similar to the engine and the exhaust.
The Discover 100M (drum) is priced at Rs 45,996 and that with a disc brake at Rs 49,000 (ex-showroom, New Delhi), and Bajaj hope that the new model will help the Discover brand become the largest selling model in the commuter segment.
The newly employed ‘M’ suffix stands for mileage, the most important yardstick for most buyers, and Bajaj want to emphasise this attribute of the new bike
Story: Sarmad Kadiri
Photography: Sanjay Raikar
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