21 months ago I got taken in by a review on Overdrive magazine’s online edition ( http://www.overdriveindia.com), by reputed (?) reviewer Adil Jal Darukhanawala who reviewed the CT 100 and gave it 4 and a half stars out of five! Excited, I disposed off my LML vespa scooter for Rs. 3, 000/- (which just gave me 25 km/litre) and put in my hard earned savings to buy this (baby) bike for Rs. 38, 000/-. It was just launched then, with no faring and no fancy SNS (Spring in Spring) suspension, slimmer rear tyre and chrome plated grab rail, though the (unbelievable) claim of 101 kmpl was being touted as its USP. The red one looked attractive, and I thought that I would be able to recover its cost in five years through savings in petrol alone! (this premise still stands) I did check out the Hero Honda CD Dawn and the assorted others in the category, but none matched it in looks. I have crossed the 10000 km mark today (and saved considerably in fuel costs) and thought I would share my opinion about this baby.
The bike does have its share of pros, though very few:
Attractive styling (the kind you find in more expensive bikes)
Nice entry level bike for those upgrading from a moped (r there any such ppl anymore?)
Push to cancel indicators, headlight pass switch
Paint retains its sheen if you opt for 3M coating offered by the dealer for an addl Rs. 750/- for 3 coatings (but its worth it)
However, the parameters that let me down are:
Underpowered even compared to other 100 CC bikes
Mileage is just 55-60 kmpl (you get 85 kmpl only if you ride at 40 kmph on empty roads - however if you find an empty road - like the Link Road in Mumbai which I use to commute to my workspace, you feel tempted to speed- I ride at 50-60 kmph)
Too much engine noise
Engine overheats very fast
Drivechain slack happens very often
Very difficult to handle at speeds higher than 70kmph - too much vibration and its a light weight bike after all
Rarely had a one-kick start during cold mornings
Chrome plating is of very poor quality and rusts easily.
Having ridden my dad’s Hero Honda CD 100 a few years ago, I still fondly remember that bike - Cold starts? No problem. Power? Good. Mileage? easily 60 kmpl. But looks were very ordinary.
Thankfully, there has been no major hassle with the bike so far, and I have had just one puncture. If it gives me another 2 years of hassle free performance, I shall consider it paisa vasool.
The trade-off of power for mileage does not hold good since you end up sacrificing power and you dont even get the mileage in return!
My next bike will surely be a Honda / Hero Honda.