Over the last year or so, Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India (HMSI) has been breaking one record after the other with the sales of its bestseller, the Honda Activa. A few months ago, the Activa also became the bestselling two-wheeler in India. According to a study that HMSI did, it found out that automatic scooters have a penetration of barely 17 per cent in the rural areas of the country. In comparison, the penetration of automatic scooters in urban areas is 51 per cent and for semi-urban areas, the number is 32 per cent. So, enter the new Honda Cliq, an automatic scooter aimed at establishing Honda's dominance in the rural two-wheeler market. Now, Honda is absolutely clear that it wants to target customers in semi-urban and rural India who buy 100-110 cc motorcycles, and would like to grab a slice of that pie as well.
(The Honda Cliq is the most affordable scooter from the company)The two bestselling motorcycles in the rural areas are the Bajaj Platina 100 ES and the Hero HF Deluxe. And the Honda Cliq's price is slap bang in the price bracket of these two motorcycles. In fact, for a little less than the price of these two motorcycles, you can buy the Honda Cliq. But what does the Cliq offer, that has Honda so bullish on its chances of pulling away a section of buyers in the rural motorcycle segment? We take a look at how the Honda Cliq squares up against these bestselling motorcycles in specifications and prices.
| Technical Specifications | Honda Cliq | Bajaj Platina 100 ES | Hero HF Deluxe |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | single cylinder, air-cooled | Single-cylinder, air cooled | Single-cylinder, air cooled |
| Displacement | 109.2 cc | 102 cc | 97.2 cc |
| Max Power | 8 bhp at 7,000 rpm | 8.08 bhp at 7,500 rpm | 8.24 bhp at 8,000 rpm |
| Max Torque | 8.94 Nm at 5,500 rpm | 8.6 Nm at 5,000 rpm | 8.05 Nm at 5,000 rpm |
| Transmission | CVT | 4-speed manual | 4-speed manual |
| Fuel Efficiency (Claimed) | 60 kmpl | 96.9 kmpl | 88.5 kmpl |
| Range | 210 km | 1,065 km | 840 km |
| Fuel Tank Capacity | 3.5 litres | 11 litres | 9.5 litres |
| Kerb Weight | 102 kg | 108 kg | 112 kg |
| Price (Ex-Delhi) | Rs. 42,499 | Rs. 42,646 | Rs. 42,830 |
It's clear that the three two-wheelers in question are more or less similar with respect to engine output and price. Where the Cliq gets comprehensively beaten is fuel efficiency and range. The Cliq has a range of about 210 kilometres (going by the company claimed efficiency and multiplying it by fuel tank capacity). The Platina boasting of being one of the most fuel efficient motorcycles, has a range of a massive 1,065 kilometres and the HF Deluxe is not far behind at 840 kilometres. This means that the average Cliq user will have to visit the petrol pump way more often than a Platina owner or a HF Deluxe owner. Click here to read our review of the Honda Cliq.
(The Bajaj Platina 100ES boasts of a claimed mileage of 96.9 kmpl)The Honda Cliq, with its flat floorboard, 14 litres of underseat stowage and a mobile phone charger socket is the more practical option (if you are willing to discount the fuel efficiency and range factor). Also, the Cliq is the lightest of the three, tipping the scale at 102 kg. As far as pricing is concerned, the Honda Cliq is the most affordable of the three. The Cliq also has a wider and longer seat, so it can accommodate two adults, and even a family (as seems to be quite the norm in rural areas, but definitely not safe or legal) quite comfortably.
(The Hero HF Deluxe is one of the more popular bikes in the rural areas)We picked the Bajaj Platina 100 and the Hero HF Deluxe because of their robust sales in the rural areas. For a few thousand rupees more, or less, there are quite a few options, if you are looking for a two-wheeler in the price bracket of Rs. 36,000 to Rs. 43,000.
| Two-wheeler models | Prices (Ex-Delhi) |
|---|---|
| TVS Sport | Rs. 37,780 |
| TVS Scooty Pep Plus | Rs. 39,950 |
| Honda Navi | Rs. 41,500 |
| Honda Cliq | Rs, 42,499 |
| Bajaj Platina 100 ES | Rs. 42,646 |
| Hero HF Deluxe | Rs. 42,830 |
