Cheapest motorcycles in India: CT 100 vs HF Deluxe vs Platina

"Money saved, is money earned", said a wise man once. And I feel he wasn't really talking about FDs (Fixed Deposits) or ULIPs (Unit Linked Insurance Plans). I think he meant something on the lines of "don't buy a Tissot when a Timex would suffice" or "don't buy a Ducati when a Dominar is enough". However, since current times have taught us to survive on the essentials, it would not be a bad idea to continue exercising restraint, for some more time, while spending.

Therefore, when the lockdown eases and you feel the need of filling up your ZX-10 RR with Speed 97, well, do that, and go for a quick spin. However, the next day (preferably a Monday), do think about buying one of the bikes mentioned below for your daily office run (yes, ditch the car). Not only will you save money (as compared to using your car everyday), but also get to learn new things like patience, empathy, how other forms of human life live, etc.

Bajaj CT 100 vs Hero HF Deluxe vs Bajaj Platina 100: Price and Specifications

Bajaj CT 100 (KS)

At Rs 41,239, this is the cheapest motorcycle in India. We're talking about the kick-start variant here. It's also one of the more reliable motorcycles coming out of the Bajaj factory. It's powered by a four-stroke, single-cylinder 102 cc engine that produces 7.9 PS of peak power at 7,500 rpm and 8.34 Nm of peak torque at 7,500 rpm. Alloy wheels are standard (Bajaj isn't selling the spoke-wheels variant, apparently), whereas a disc brake isn't even offered as an option by any manufacturer in this segment. Therefore, irrespective of which bike you ride from this segment, over a period of time your ability to predict the immediate future is bound to increase.

And don't worry about the 'KS' in the name above; it doesn't say that on the bike. It's just mentioned here, and on the manufacturer's website, to tell you it's the "kick-start" variant. The electric-start variant (which has a kicker too) is mentioned as CT 100 ES. Same goes for the other bikes mentioned in this story.

Also, I am told that no matter how beautifully words are strung into sentences, there is a big majority that gets bewildered, so they would rather have the words in a tabular form. Therefore, here's the brochure:

Gearbox: 4-speed
Chassis: Tubular, single downtube
Length: 1945 mm
Wheelbase: 1235 mm
Ground clearance: 170 mm
Kerb weight: 114 kg
Seat height: Not available
Fuel tank capacity: 10.5 liters
Brakes: 130 mm front drum and 110 mm rear drum

Hero HF Deluxe (KS, Spoke) 

You already know what KS means. "Spoke" here signifies that this motorcycle has spoke-wheels and not alloys. This one costs Rs 46,800. The alloy-equipped variant is one thousand rupees dearer.

This Hero comes with a four-stroke, single-cylinder 97.2 cc engine that produces 8.02 PS of peak power at 8,000 rpm and 8.05 Nm of peak torque at 6,000 rpm.

The other vital stats:

Gearbox: 4-speed
Chassis: Tubular, double cradle
Length: 1965 mm
Wheelbase: 1235 mm
Ground clearance: 165 mm
Kerb weight: 109 kg
Seat height: 805 mm
Fuel tank capacity: 9.6 liters
Brakes: 130 mm front drum and 130 mm rear drum

Bajaj Platina 100 (KS, Alloy)

The Bajaj Platina 100 is the longest bike here, and it also has the longest wheelbase of all three. But what's most impressive is its ground clearance—200 mm. For perspective, the BMW R 1250 GS also has the same amount of ground clearance.

The Platina 100 shares its engine with the CT 100, and even the power and torque figures remain the same, save for a crucial difference. In the Platina, the torque peaks at 5,500 rpm (it's 7,500 rpm for the CT 100). The Platina 100 costs Rs 47,763. All prices mentioned in this story are ex-showroom.

The other vital stats of the Platina 100 are mentioned below:

Gearbox: 4-speed
Chassis: Tubular, double cradle
Length: 2003 mm
Wheelbase: 1255 mm
Ground clearance: 200 mm
Kerb weight: 116 kg
Seat height: 804 mm
Fuel tank capacity: 11 liters
Brakes: 130 mm front drum and 110 mm rear drum

That concludes our story on the three cheapest motorcycles in India. Please note that though I've mentioned only the kick-start variants of all three motorcycles here, each one of these has an electric-start variant too. However, let me assure you that unless you're a social media influencer, you would be able to easily kick-start these motorcycles.

Also, neither Bajaj nor Hero have mentioned the ARAI certified fuel efficiency figures for these motorcycles. Still, let me tell you that these motorcycles are among the most fuel efficient motorcycles in the world. Not only that; some say these bikes make their own petrol at night. I think they call it photosynthetic or something.