The 100cc commuter segment is the highest volume category in India, yet one of the toughest to crack. The Splendor has been the leader for decades, consistently recording huge sales and playing a key role in maintaining Hero’s top spot in the market. Despite attempts by manufacturers such as Honda and Bajaj to challenge the Splendor’s dominance in this category, their success has been relatively modest. Now, let's see how they fare against this sales hero (pun intended) on paper.
Hero Splendor vs rivals: engine and output
| Engine and output | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Hero Splendor+ | Honda Shine 100 | Bajaj Platina 100 | |
| Engine | Single cylinder, air-cooled, 97.2cc | Single cylinder, air cooled, 98.98cc | Single cylinder, air cooled, 102cc |
| Power | 8.02hp at 8,000rpm | 7.38hp at 7,500rpm | 7.9hp at 7,500rpm |
| Power to weight ratio | 71.60hp/tonne | 74.54hp/tonne | 67.52hp/tonne |
| Torque | 8.05Nm at 6,000rpm | 8.05Nm at 5,000rpm | 8.3Nm at 5,500rpm |
| Gearbox | 4-speed | 4-speed | 4-speed |
Here, the Bajaj Platina 100 features a slightly larger displacement, while the Hero Splendor has the smallest engine yet manages to lead in power output. Meanwhile, the Honda Shine 100, despite sitting between the two in terms of displacement, turns out to be the least powerful. In terms of torque, all three are pretty closely stacked– with the Platina gaining a slight edge.
Hero Splendor vs rivals: weight and dimensions
| Weight and dimensions | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Hero Splendor+ | Honda Shine 100 | Bajaj Platina 100 | |
| Seat height | 785mm | 786mm | 807mm |
| Wheelbase | 1,236mm | 1,245mm | 1,255mm |
| Ground clearance | 165mm | 168mm | 200mm |
| Fuel capacity | 9.8 litres | 9 litres | 11 litres |
| Kerb weight | 112kg | 99kg | 117kg |
True to its name, the Honda Shine 100 stands out in terms of kerb weight, undercutting the other two by at least 13kg. Meanwhile, the Bajaj Platina 100 is the heaviest of the lot but also has a larger fuel tank. Additionally, the Platina has a slightly higher seat height, though not enough to affect accessibility.
Hero Splendor vs rivals: brakes and suspension
| Brakes and suspension | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Hero Splendor+ | Honda Shine 100 | Bajaj Platina 100 | |
| Brakes (F/R) | 130mm drum/ 130mm drum | 130mm drum/ 110mm drum | 130mm drum/ 110mm drum |
| Suspension (F/R) | Telescopic fork/ twin shock absorbers | Telescopic fork/ twin shock absorbers | Telescopic fork/ twin shock absorbers |
| Tyres (F/R) | 80/100-18 / 80/100-18 | 2.75 -17 / 3.00 - 17 | 2.75 -17 / 3.00 - 17 |
All three motorcycles come equipped with drum brakes at both ends and have combined brakes. Another key difference lies in the tyre setup—the Hero is the only one to get tubeless tyres while the Bajaj and the Honda make do with tubed tyres.
Hero Splendor vs rivals: price
| Price | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Hero Splendor+ | Honda Shine 100 | Bajaj Platina 100 | |
| Price (ex-showroom, Delhi) | Rs 77,176 | Rs 68,767 | Rs 68,890 |
Both the Shine and Platina are offered in a single variant. Whereas the Splendor is available in multiple variants. In terms of pricing, the Hero Splendor+ starts at Rs 77,000 and goes up to Rs 84,000 for the recently launched Splendor+ Xtec 2.0, making it the most expensive of the lot. The extra Rs 7,000 over the Splendor+ for the Xtec 2.0 gives you segment first features such as LED headlight, digital instrument cluster with Bluetooth connectivity and a matte paint option.
Meanwhile, the Honda Shine 100 and Bajaj Platina, both priced under Rs 69,000, manage to undercut the Splendor+ by Rs 8,000.
While the Splendor is the most expensive of the lot, Hero offers another 100cc (HF 100) with the same engine at a much lower price point.
Also see: Hero Honda bike sales gap narrows
