The CT100 was Bajaj Auto’s most affordable product at a priced of around INR 54k (ex-showroom, Delhi)
After soldiering on for several years without any major changes, Bajaj’s most affordable commuter workhorse CT100 has finally been put to rest. The Pune-based firm has reportedly stopped the 100 cc low-cost motorcycle’s production earlier this month and the dealers have stopped receiving fresh stocks.
The move to discontinue the CT100 is likely due to gradual shift in the customer preference towards its slightly upmarket and retro-styled CT110X sibling. Prices of the CT110X range starts from about Rs 65k, ex-sh Delhi.
Bajaj CT100 at a glance
While the CT100 did have a long life, registering decent sales for Bajaj Auto in the process, it never came close to dethroning the venerable Hero Splendor Plus which continues to be the best selling motorcycle in the country for decades.
To recap, the Bajaj CT100 was a textbook Indian budget commuter motorcycle which employed a simple tubular frame. Suspension setup was composed of conventional telescopic front forks and SNS (Spring-in-Spring) twin rear shock absorbers. Being a no-frills mobility solution, the CT100 made do with front and rear drum brakes but it did come with black alloy wheels. The 102 cc air-cooled engine was paired with a 4-speed gearbox to put out a modest 7.8 hp and 8.3 Nm of torque.
The Indian 100 cc commuter segment is all about cut-throat competition and the fact that the Bajaj CT100 managed to stay afloat is a testament to its value-for-money quotient, longevity and excellent fuel efficiency. Along with its sister model Platina, the CT100 is known to deliver a mileage of over 70 kmpl. The price point of INR 53,696 ex-showroom, Delhi, is indeed attractive for the customer but with the rising input costs, Bajaj probably found it difficult to keep things reasonably profitable.
As of now, there is no news of the Bajaj CT100 being replaced as a new 100 cc cost effective commuter. So the company’s range now starts from the Platina 100 but, we won’t be surprised if Bajaj pulls the plug on it as well. At the time of writing this article, the official website of Platina 100 had prices starting from Rs 61,152, ex-sh.
Nothing Stops Hero Splendor
While the Indian commuter motorcycle segment accounts for a significantly large volume of the overall market, Hero MotoCorp has been enjoying an unassailable lead over the competitors, leaving very little for the rest of them to scoop up. This scenario makes it less lucrative for a two wheeler OEM to go after this segment.
Save for Bajaj and TVS, pretty much every other player gave up and moved on to other attractive sub-segments. The discontinuation of CT100 only improves things for the segment king Splendor Plus. It is remarkable how the iconic nameplate continues to be a cash cow with hardly any design changes since the beginning. Honda is working on a new motorcycle to take on the Splendor, maybe Bajaj too is thinking on similar lines to take on the No 1 motorcycle of the world.
Source: Bike - rushlane.com
