Honda Shine 100 First Ride Review: A Diamond In The Rough?

Honda managed to absolutely dominate the scooter segment with the Activa range. But that isn’t exactly the case with the commuter bike segment. While the Shine did “shine” brightest among the 125s, nothing Honda did could even touch the king of 100-110cc commuters, the Hero Splendor.

To take on the market leader in this segment, Honda has decided to “Shine” once again with the Shine 100. But this isn’t just some polish job. Honda has put immense pressure to form something new. And under intense pressure, you either crumble, or form diamonds. So, we rode the Shine 100 to find out if it is a true diamond.

Design: A mini Shine

One look at this motorcycle, and you can instantly feel the bike looks familiar. That’s because Honda chose to keep the design similar to the Shine 125. It’s not exactly a bad thing in this case because the Shine 125 has been the best-selling 125cc motorcycle for a reason. So Honda wants its target audience to instantly experience that familiarity.

The bikini fairing, simple fuel tank and side panels, somewhat flashy stickers are pretty much everything that you’d find on a regular commuter bike. However, the Honda Shine 100 manages to shine in some departments like the premium looking aluminium pillion grab rail as opposed to the basic tubular metal ones usually found in this segment.

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• Take a look at the Honda Activa On-road Price

The blacked out underpinnings gives it a dash of subtleness that goes really well with the mature styling. Summing up, Honda seems to have played safe with the design, which is expected for a bike in this segment.

Build Quality: An un-Honda Honda

The switchgear quality is pretty standard for a bike of this segment, but the body panels aren't really up to the mark. There's a lot of flex in the side and tail panels, so it doesn't really feel like it's solidly built. Even though Honda says it’s a pre-production prototype, it’s really disappointing to see this come from a manufacturer that’s well known for its build quality.

Engine: Definitely a true Honda

The engine feels really refined, and it's got a distinct whine like the Shine. It isn't really surprising considering it's a Honda at the end of the day. The 98.98cc motor is fairly grunty with decent low end torque, allowing you to accelerate with ease. It feels refined cruising at around 60kmph, and that's usually the kind of speed the commuter riders do in the city and on the highway for that matter.

Even beyond 60kmph, the bike doesn't feel like it's complaining. So if you want to make an overtake, you don't really have to plan too much. The power delivery is super smooth, and the bike can just pull on inclines, even with a pillion rider. Those living in the hilly areas shouldn't have that much of a problem.

Engine Specifications

One aspect that every other buyer in this segment will wonder is: "Kitna deti hai?" Unfortunately our bike was ridden in closed conditions and Honda also declined to reveal the efficiency figures, including the ARAI-certified ones. So you'll have to wait for the full road test review for that. 

In a way, the Shine 100 is the beginning of a new era for Honda. The Japanese brand is doing away with the sloper engine across the globe, as it cannot meet ever tightening emission norms. So, Shine 100 is the first Honda motorcycle to get this all-new engine, and it goes to show how important the Indian market is for Honda. We believe this will be the base of Honda’s future small capacity engines in the 50-100cc segment.

Ergonomics, Pillion Seat Comfort and Ride Quality

Commuters are meant for travelling from point A to B in a hassle-free way, so that's exactly what the Shine 100 offers. The riding posture is upright, and your arms feel relaxed and natural. At 786mm, the seat is accessible too, and its narrow profile also allows shorter riders to flat-foot on the ground. Honda has made sure the tank to seat transition is as flat as possible to ensure "multi passenger riding".

The front suspension feels plush enough to soak most of the bumps, whereas the rear is slightly on the firmer side. Since this bike is designed to accommodate a pillion or heavy load, the ride quality feels much more pliant in that case.

Handling

While the compact dimensions gave us a small teaser, the way this motorcycle handles was still a revelation! At 99 kilos it is so light! But the icing on the cake is that there's none of that nervousness that's generally associated with a very light motorcycle. This along with the very small turning radius means you can snake through the traffic with absolute ease. 

The only department that needs a bit more polishing is braking. The brakes have a decent bite but the feedback feels a bit vague, so it's a little tricky to figure out where exactly you'll stop. 

Verdict

The Honda Shine ticks all the right boxes when it comes to light, nimble commuters. While Honda has a history with bad pricing, it really has managed to keep the Shine 100’s price spot on. 

What's left to be seen is its market acceptance. However, sharing its name with the best selling 125cc bike should help at least to some extent. That said, we've seen how difficult it is to topple legacy players. But with the Shine 100, Honda has made its move. Can Hero counter it? It's just a matter of time.