Being a student, the primary concern for me when it comes to riding a bike is fuel-efficiency, style, safety and comfort in that order. Although the fancy Eliminators and Enticers are trendy as also cool to ride, a college student really cannot afford a steeply priced bike, and in my case, if it’s my first one.
I rode a Hero Honda CD100 for quite some time and the experience was satisfactory but not thrilling at all. The technicalities of this bike are quite well covered in the other reviews of this bike so I shall not touch upon them.
Here are the good and not so good qualities of the bike as opined by this humble member :
1) Starting the bike is not a problem, usually starts with a single kick, even on cold mornings.
2) Gear shifting is extremely user-friendly, thus helpful for any novice.
3) Clutch is smooth and needs no maintenance for at least 6 months.
4) Maximum speed I observed was about 70-75 kmph, on long stretches and a warm engine.
5) Bike has an average mileage of <50 kmpl, and I’m talking of a second-hand, 5 yr old bike here.
6) Rear brake works efficiently but ineffective for quick stops at above 40 kmph.
7) Very safe and sober bike, no sudden jerks or wheelies during careless starts.
8) Design average, black or grey, nothing spectacular but not drab.
9) Sound not a strong point...sounds good when accelerated initially but fades off to a dull noise soon afterwards.
10) Extremely rickety at speeds above 65 kmph, leaving you hitting the throttle less harder.
11) Not very comfy-bumpers and rough roads make you feel like a jack-in-the-box.
12) Pickup average/just below so...need extreme throttling to reach ’’high’’ speeds.
13) Handles well in cities but awkwardly in highways.Also uncomfortable for long journeys.
ALL IN ALL, A GOOD BEGINNER’S BIKE, GOOD FOR ONE WHO TRAVELS INSIDE THE CITY IN TRAFFIC BUT BAD FOR SPEED LOVERS, LONG DISTANCE HIKERS AND PEOPLE WHO WANT THEIR BIKES TO BE A TICKET TO THEIR GIRLFRIENDS.
P.S. : This is my first review on a bike, so any suggestions are welcome.Hope the effort is helpful.