New Honda 100cc commuter bike India launch soon

Having recently rolled out accessory kits for the H'ness CB350 and CB350RS retro bikes, Honda is now gearing up for something much bigger: the launch of a new 100cc commuter bike.

• Hints that it could be called the Shine 100
• Front-end styling resembles the Shine 125
• Alloy wheels, telescopic fork, twin shocks
• Will rival Hero Splendor, HF 100

New Honda 100cc commuter to be called Shine 100?

With an official launch slated for March 15, Honda has sent out a teaser, giving us an illustration of what the bike will look like, and also dropping some not-so-subtle hints about its name. With the teaser mentioning the words 'Shining Future', it seems quite likely that Honda will cash in on the success of the Shine nametag, and probably call this new bike the Shine 100. It will join the current 125cc Shine in Honda's line-up, which will then probably come to be called the Shine 125.

New Honda 100cc commuter bike: design

Side-by-side comparison with the 125cc Honda Shine, showing design similarities.

The illustration also gives us reason to believe that the new bike will be part of the Shine family, showing front-end styling that is very similar to the current 125cc Shine. The bikini fairing features a small raised V-section at the centre, just like on the current Shine. Aside from this, it also shows that the 100cc commuter will get alloy wheels, a telescopic fork and twin shock absorbers – all fairly standard fare in this segment. The mirrors in the illustration look quite stylised, too, but where this bike looks simpler than the 125cc Shine is in its long, flat single-piece seat that features no step in the middle.

New Honda 100cc commuter bike: expected price

Honda currently doesn't offer a 100cc commuter bike, so once launched, this new model will primarily go up against Hero's 100cc line-up as well as the Bajaj Platina 100 and CT100. If it's priced aggressively, it will sit close to the Hero HF 100 (Rs 56,968), and if Honda goes premium on the price, then it might end up closer to the Hero Splendor+, around the Rs 70,000 mark.

All prices ex-showroom, Delhi

What are you expecting from Honda's first 100cc commuter bike? Tell us in the comments below.