The 100cc commuter segment is the greatest volume category in India, yet it is also one of the most difficult to breach. For decades, the Splendor has been the market leader, regularly generating massive sales and playing an important role in Hero's worldwide dominance. Despite attempts by manufacturers like Honda and Bajaj to challenge the Splendor's dominance in this category, their success has been limited. Now let's see how they compare to 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 has a slightly greater displacement, whilst the Hero Splendor has the smallest engine yet leads in power output. Meanwhile, the Honda Shine 100, although being between the two in terms of displacement, proves to be the least powerful. In terms of torque, all three are relatively evenly matched, with the Platina gaining a little advantage.
Like other Indian commuters, all three motorcycles have a 4-speed gearbox with a "all-up" shift pattern.
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 |
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 are fitted with drum brakes on both ends and combination brakes. Another significant difference is the tyre setup—the Hero is the only one with tubeless tyres, whereas the Bajaj and Honda have 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 available in a single form. In contrast, the Splendor is available in a variety of configurations. In terms of price, the Hero Splendor+ begins at Rs 77,000 and rises to Rs 84,000 for the recently announced Splendor+ Xtec 2.0, making it the most costly model. The Xtec 2.0 costs Rs 7,000 more than the Splendor+ and has segment-first features like LED headlights, a digital instrument cluster with Bluetooth connectivity, and a matte paint option.
Meanwhile, the Honda Shine 100 and Bajaj Platina, both priced below Rs 69,000, undercut the Splendor+ by Rs 8,000.
While the Splendor is the most costly model, Hero also provides a 100cc (HF 100) with the same engine at a significantly lesser price.
