Honda Shine 100 Review: Better Than Hero Splendor?

Honda’s most-affordable motorcycle in India is the new Honda Shine 100. It’s also Honda’s first 100 cc motorcycle, and has been designed and developed with lofty ambitions, to take the fight to the reigning king of the 100 cc commuter motorcycle segment, the Hero Splendor. 

Those ambitions aren’t unachievable; Honda already has its Activa leading the sales charts over many years in the scooter segment, and on a few occasions, the Activa also became India’s highest-selling two-wheeler. The Shine 100 however, has a tough task, to make HMSI India’s number one two-wheeler brand in sales.

Also Read: Honda Shine 100 Launched; Priced At Rs. 64,900

The new Honda Shine 100 looks similar to its 125 cc sibling, with the same decals and graphics and a similar silhoette.

The Honda Shine name though has been around for some time, and the new Shine is the 100 cc version of its popular 125 cc sibling. The bigger 125 cc Honda Shine has been in the market since 2006 and it is not only India’s highest-selling 125 cc motorcycle but also Honda’s highest-selling motorcycle globally. With it, Honda has built quite a strong brand in the Shine, and the 125 cc Shine is instantly recognisable on the street, something budget conscious and fuel economy-minded consumers identify with. So, it was only but natural, that the new Honda Shine 100 has an almost identical appearance to its bigger sibling, at least, at first glance.

Also Read: All You Need To Know About Honda Shine 100

Up close, the Shine 100 looks like a slightly slimmer version of its 125 cc sibling.

Design & Features

On the street, the new Shine 100 could easily be mistaken for the 125 cc Shine. That’s because, the body graphics, decals, the stance, and the overall proportions are more or less, similar. Up close though, the Shine 100 looks like a slimmer version of the Shine 125. 

The Shine 100 has a nice and long seat, suitable for a comfortable perch, for both rider and pillion.

The seat is long and wide, typical of what customers in this segment expect, to offer a comfortable perch for the family, and to carry some load, as and when needed. With its 786 mm seat height, it’s accessible and easy for anyone to reach the ground, and with 677 mm length, the seat is wide enough for rider and pillion to be seated comfortably.

Also Read: Honda Shine 100 Vs Rivals - Price Comparison

The twin-pod instrument console is basic and gives a clear view of the necessary information to the rider. The right pod has the fuel gauge holding a prominent place.

The headlight is bulb type, and there are no fancy daytime running lights (DRLs), a result perhaps, of trying to keep costs in check. The switches are simple and basic but look well-built. There’s an electric starter button, but an engine kill switch has been left out. It’s available in a single variant, which gets both self and kick-start. 

Braking is handled by drum type braking system, with standard combi-braking system (CBS). An optional front disc would have offered customers the choice of better stopping power.

The five-spoke alloys are shod with tube-type tyres, and braking is handled by a 130 mm drum up front and a 110 mm drum at the rear. There’s combined braking system (CBS), but sadly, a front disc brake isn’t offered, even as an option. Overall, the new Honda Shine 100 is a nice-looking motorcycle.

Also Read: Honda Shine 100 Vs Rivals - Specifications Comparison

The riding is position is neutral and upright, exactly what customers in this segment seek. The ergonomics are designed for comfort, and the seat is a nice place to be in, with the rider sitting on the bike, rather than in it.

Performance & Dynamics

The riding position of the Shine 100 is upright and neutral, exactly what a typical commuter motorcycle should be. The rider sits on the bike, and the seat is a comfortable place to be in, with the handlebar and controls in easy reach, and the gear lever designed for heel upshifting. 

The performance from the 99 cc engine is quite likeable. The engine is smooth, the gearshifts slick and precise, and the ride quality quite nice.

On the move, the Shine 100 immediately comes across as a nicely put together bike. The small engine has smooth performance, and the four-speed gearbox with an all-up shift, is slick and precise. In numbers, the 98.98 cc single-cylinder engine puts out 7.28 bhp at 7,500 rpm and 8.05 Nm at 5,000 rpm. 

The 99 cc, single-cylinder engine offers refined performance, something which underscores the Shine 100's engineering.

The strong point is the engine’s refinement, and the ride quality is also pretty good. Although the twin shocks don’t offer any preload adjustability, we tested the Shine 100 over some broken patches and overall ride quality is quite plush and comfortable. In all, the new Honda Shine 100 should make a strong impression to prospective customers in the entry-level commuter motorcycle segment with its performance and dynamics. 

The Honda Shine 100 makes a strong impression in its segment. More clarity on fuel consumption figures can certainly help the target consumer, something which will contribute significantly to the bike's commercial success. 

Price & Rivals

The Honda Shine 100 is priced from Rs. 64,900 (Ex-showroom), which is competitive and puts it squarely between two 100 cc Hero motorcycles, the HF Deluxe and the Splendor Plus. A more affordable base variant of the Shine 100 with just a kick-start would have likely made it even more attractive to price-sensitive buyers in this segment. 

The inclusion of a front disc brake, even as an option would have made the Honda Shine 100 feel more premium, and given the option to customers who seek better stopping power.

And a top-end variant with an optional disc brake would perhaps have made the Shine 100 feel more premium than its rivals and offered better stopping power. Pricing though is still competitive, slotting it below the Hero Splendor Plus, but slightly above the Hero HF Deluxe, its main rivals, along with the Bajaj Platina 100.

The Honda Shine 100 is priced right, and overall there's nothing to complain about the bike's performance, engine refinement or ride quality. It certainly is one of the best bikes in its segment.

Verdict

The king of India’s 100 cc commuter motorcycle is still the Hero Splendor, India’s largest-selling motorcycle. Now, the Splendor started its roots with the Hero Honda CD 100 in 1984, the original “Fill it, Shut it, Forget it” bike that took the Indian motorcycle market by storm. The CD 100 was based on Honda’s 100 cc four-stroke platform which has since been carried forward over the decades and evolved into what is now the Hero Splendor. Now, Honda and Hero parted ways more than a decade ago, in 2011. It’s somewhat surprising that it’s taken Honda more than 10 years to come up with a brand new 100 cc motorcycle.

Honda has not published any fuel economy figures, but claims the Shine 100 will have best-in-segment fuel consumption figures.

The question is, will the new Shine 100 be able to overthrow the Splendor and take top spot in the 100 cc segment? What matters most, is how much fuel economy the Shine 100 will return? We still don’t have an answer to that. Honda has not been clear about any claimed figures, maintaining that it will have best-in-segment fuel economy figures and during our first ride, we haven’t been able to test fuel economy figures, with limited time on hand. 

Eventually, what will contribute to the Shine 100's fate will also be its fuel consumption figures. 

But this is what will matter most, eventually – how much will the Shine 100 run on a litre of petrol? That crucial information aside, word of mouth recommendation will play a strong role in the Honda Shine 100’s market performance, something which will be crucial in the world’s largest motorcycle market.

The Honda Shine 100 looks good, rides well, light on its feet, and is a comfortable commuter motorcycle; all good qualities to make it one of the best 100 cc motorcycles on sale right now.

(Photography: Pawan Dagia)

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