Bajaj Auto has been in the limelight lately because of the launch of the new range of Pulsars which brought in rave reviews and big bucks for the Pune based Motorcycle manufacturer, but it looks like the attention drawn by the new range of Pulsars, overshadowed the launch of another motorcycle launched by Bajaj.
Bajaj Auto re-launched the CT 100 mass market commuter motorcycle in India a sometime ago. The CT 100 was one of the first motorcycles to come out of the Bajaj Auto Stable way back in time when Bajaj was trying to make the shift from being a scooter manufacturer to a motorcycle manufacturer. It was one of the motorcycles which started the High Fuel efficiency race in the Indian market with a claimed fuel efficiency of more than 100 kilometres to the litre.
Bajaj later discontinued the manufacturing of the CT 100 when they replaced it with the Platina, but now Bajaj has brought back the CT 100 in order to compete with rivals from the Hero MotoCorp stable and TVS stable. Bajaj re-launched the CT 100 in India this march with hopes to regain a stronghold over the 100cc commuter motorcycle segment.
The Bajaj CT 100 looks exactly like a commuter motorcycle should – it is a bare bones and zero fuss design language and that just about it. Nothing much has changed in the aesthetics of the old CT 100 and the new CT 100. But the designers at Bajaj have added alloy wheels as an option on the premium variant of the CT 100. Other than this, one can find some excellent graphics on the CT 100 which seem to have been borrowed from the Platina, and the CT 100 also gets a complete decal overhaul.
The new Bajaj CT 100 also retains the same original equipment as the erstwhile CT 100, including the twin-pod; analogue instrument cluster consisting of a speedometer, odometer and the basic indication lights for the turn indicators and headlamp on etc. even a basic requirement like the fuel gauge has been left out by Bajaj.
The Bajaj CT 100 makes do with a conventional telescopic fork up front and spring-in-spring hydraulic shocks at the rear and all this is mounted on the same old tubular lower cradle frame setup. The braking duties are handled by drum brakes on both the wheels. The CT 100 is designed to be a proper commuter motorcycle and cannot handle curves at all, but what it can handle is, bumper to bumper traffic situations. The riding position is a very upright one with lots of freedom to move the conventional bar handle.
The Bajaj CT 100 is powered by the age old air-cooled, single-cylinder, 99.2cc ExhausTEC engine with a maximum power output of 8.2 PS and a maximum torque figure of 8 NM. This is the same engine which earlier powered the CT 100 before its production was stopped and has ever since powered the Platina 100. This is not the engine you would want to go to if you love redlining, but it is the one you should definitely go to if you want to extract every bit from that litre of petrol. The CT 100 gives a mileage of 75-80 KMPL in real world conditions.
Bajaj has made it big here too, because they have launched the base variant of the CT 100 at INR 35,034(ex-showroom, delhi) which makes it the cheapest production motorcycle offered by a motorcycle giant in the industry. For a premium of Rs. 3000 one can get the premium variant of the CT 100 with a few additions like Alloy Wheels, Alloy Grab rails and a different set of mirrors.
This is a really good deal if you ask me. So if you are in the market looking for a fuel efficient, entry level commuter, the CT 100 is the one for you.
Bike Courtesy: SUPREME MOTORS, JEPPU, MANGALORE
Ahmed Siddiq: +91 – 9845761864
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Also see: The first lot of Bajaj CT100 motorcycle’s in Mangalore
GALLERY: New Bajaj CT 100
