The commuter bike segment is now fiercer and the choices are more open than ever.
The commuter bike segment in India will last as long as there will be life on earth. It is a major source of income for companies like Hero, Honda and Bajaj. Another Indian manufacturer that enjoys being in the commuter segment is TVS. The company has just launched its Radeon motorcycle and we pit it against its competitors to see which is the best commuter motorcycle you can buy right now.
Design & Looks – Looks are subjective and we don’t find any of the bikes here to be having an extraordinary design. But the Hero Splendor iSmart does have a more angular front and dual-tone graphics which makes it kind of stand out here. The TVS Radeon has a rounder front and a properly horizontal design. The golden finished engine casing provides a nice touch. It is also offered in a unique maroonish-purple paint. The Bajaj Discover is somehow the most distinct looking motorcycle and it can easily be recognised in a rush. The Honda CD 110 Dream looks fairly basic. All the bikes here come with alloy wheels.
Dimensions – The Bajaj Discover 110 is the longest bike here but sadly doesn’t make full use of the length and comes with an average sized seat. The TVS Radeon, on the other hand, is the shortest in length but has the widest and the longest seat here, good job here by TVS. The Hero Splendor iSmart and the Honda CD 110 Dream provide decent seating comfort too. The latter is actually the longest here but that’s because of an added carrier.
Long rides won’t be a problem in any one of the bikes as you sit in an upright position with vertically placed foot pegs. The Bajaj Discover 110 is the heaviest here while the CD 110 Dream is the lightest. Both these figures are immediately apparent from the looks but once you get moving, the weight won’t be felt and all the bikes are easy to manoeuvre.
Engine – The Bajaj Discover 110 has the highest displacement engine in this comparison. Its 115.4cc motor also has the highest torque output but that extra output is lost in pulling the bike’s own weight. The Hero Splendor iSmart has the smallest engine at 109.15cc but produces the most amount of power. This, however, doesn’t exactly translate into the best performance. The TVS Radeon and the Honda CD 110 have decent performance to compete in the commuter segment and what works in their favour is their low weight.
Features – There is nothing really that any of the motorcycles here offer in terms of features. They all have alloy wheels but the Bajaj Discover 110 does come with an analogue-digital instrument cluster. The Hero Splendor iSmart has a three-part setup with only the trip meter being digital.
The instrument cluster on the TVS Radeon and Honda CD 110 Dream are all analogue but the former has an interesting layout. The Radeon does come with a first in segment Synchronised Brake technology to provide better braking and a side stand beeper. The turn signal mountings are ‘unbreakable’ and there’s even a USB port for charging your mobile on the go.
Verdict – We say go for the TVS Radeon if you want the latest model with the biggest seat in this segment. It is also quite lean at 112 kgs. The Bajaj Discover 110 has the biggest engine here and also the highest top speed but the bike is quite old. The Hero Splendor iSmart has to be the best looking bike here but also happens to be the costliest. However, if value for money is your concern, then don’t think twice for the Radeon as it is the cheapest here at Rs. 56,832/- (on-road, Mumbai).
TVS Radeon vs Hero Splendor iSmart vs Bajaj Discover 110 vs Honda CD 110 Dream
