2018 Bajaj Discover 110 Review – A Smooth Entry!

The Bajaj Discover 110 has been reborn and has got a new heart. Bajaj Auto has been considering reviving the Discover brand, which had taken a back seat in the recent years. However, the company feels that it has been a strong brand and still occupies the mind share of buyers. This is the reason they have reworked on the brand and introduced the Discover 110 and 125 in the year 2018. We ride the Discover 110 and get you all the details of how it rides and behaves and also whether it is worth considering, as an entry level motorcycle. How good is it as compared to its competition? Read further for our detailed review.

Design

The Bajaj Discover 110 does not break new grounds in terms of design. The basic design language of the Discover still holds fort. As per Bajaj, the prospective customers prefer a plain look to a flashy one. This looks more purposeful in their opinion. Hence it retains the same front look and fuel tank. However, there are subtle changes and highlights that make it look more attractive.

First thing that is a talking point, are the inclusion of LED daytime running lights. There are two sets of 4 powerful LED lamps on either side of the headlamp. These are embedded within the bezel. They are powerful and really look good, specially when the bike is in motion, on the road. It can be easily spotted from a distance by pedestrians, as well as vehicles in front. This is a very good safety feature and for this category of bike, a welcome inclusion. I’m sure other manufacturers will also follow and get it in to their bikes soon. Kudos to Bajaj for being the first mover!

The instrument pod is a combination of digital and analogue. The digits are big and clear, easy to read. Thats a real good thing. The switchgears are of good quality and feel nice.

The handle gets bar ends too. The fuel tank is the same, but with new graphics and overall treatment of the bike, it feels like a new one. The seat is long and can easily seat 3 normal sized adults too, though it is not recommended. The seat has a nice two tone texture as well. The grab handle at the rear is finished in black and it looks good. The tail lamp also has a textured finish in chrome.

The web design alloy wheels look cool and are black in colour. The engine and exhaust also gets a black treatment.

There is a new chrome cover on the exhaust. The mirrors are also sleek looking. It is a neat looking bike overall.

Performance

The Bajaj Discover 110 gets a 115cc engine actually. Yet Bajaj likes to stick to the 110 nomenclature, to avoid confusing the customer. This is air-cooled with SOHC and DTS-i technology. The engine pumps out 8 bhp of power @ 7000rpm and a class leading torque of 9.8Nm at a low 5000rpm. The engine is mated to a 4-speed gearbox, which has an all-up shift pattern. Now, this is where this bike differs. The engine is a long stroke one and the high torque coupled with it, improves the load carrying capability of this motorcycle. It is not so quick from standstill, but feels powerful on the move. Even at speeds beyond 70km/h, there is enough reserve power. While overtaking, all you have to do is shift down one cog and the bike is eager to move further.

Another thing that took me by surprise was the sheer refinement of this engine. I had experienced the same on the V12. This engine being from the same family, imbibes those traits as well. The engine feels smooth and the best part is that there are no vibration even at 6000rpm. You do feel a slight tingle on the footpegs, around 7000rpm but that to settles down going further. Clearly, this is a high point for this bike and I sincerely feel that buyers will appreciate this refinement.

Ride and Handling

I have always said that the new generation bikes of Bajaj have a very good suspension set up, which is well-suited for our conditions. The Discover 110 is no different and gets an excellent suspension. The front telescopic fork has a travel of 140mm, while the rear shocks get a 120mm travel. This is the highest in its class and surely shows up when you ride this motorcycle. Bad roads pose no problem. A wider tyre at the rear could have made its stability even better. Also, the bike feels very nimble to handle or to corner. At slow speeds its fine, but this nimbleness is present even at high speeds, so one needs to be careful in keeping the bike steady at those speeds and not chuck it too much, unnecessarily.

Brakes are drums and the front and rear. A disc brake option is not available on the 110, yet. However, Bajaj says it is ready to provide, if the demand comes through. The brakes though felt adequate, with decent bite, despite the lack of a disc at the front.

Mileage

Bajaj claims an ARAI figure of 76 km/l for the Discover 110. This indeed is class-leading by a big margin. While we have not tested the mileage yet, it is safe to assume that in real world riding conditions, it will return 60-65 km/l. This is a good figure when compared to competition.

Verdict

While the 2018 Bajaj Discover 110 does not look too different from the earlier Discover models, it is a very much improved motorcycle on several counts. The top three being refinement, ride quality and fuel efficiency. Bajaj Auto have done a good job with this entry-level offering. At approximately INR 55,000 (on-road), the Discover 110 comes across as quite a compelling buy and a very good proposition. The LED daytime running lights just add some more flair to boast about.