Under ₹1 lakh is still where most of India actually buys its first motorcycle. It’s not a segment chasing horsepower figures or TFT screens, it’s built around one question: which bike will run cheap, break down rarely, and not embarrass you at the petrol pump. The good news is this budget has never had more genuinely solid options than it does right now, spanning basic commuters, 125cc step-ups, and even one CNG-petrol hybrid that’s worth a second look.
Prices below are approximate ex-showroom figures and will shift a bit by city and dealer offers, so treat these as a starting reference rather than a final number. On-road price, which adds RTO registration, road tax, and insurance, typically runs anywhere from ₹15,000 to ₹20,000 higher than ex-showroom in most states. Always get a local quote before you commit.
Hero Splendor Plus: The Default First Bike
Price: Approximately ₹72,900 to ₹77,500 (ex-showroom)
There’s a reason the Splendor Plus keeps topping sales charts year after year. Its 97.2cc engine isn’t fast by any measure, but it doesn’t need to be, this bike exists purely to sip fuel and keep running. Owners routinely report mileage north of 70 kmpl in real-world city riding, and Hero’s i3S idle stop-start tech squeezes a bit more out of it in stop-start traffic.
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What works: unmatched service network reach even in small towns, rock-bottom maintenance costs, and resale value that holds up better than almost anything else in this price band.
What doesn’t: performance is basic, don’t expect quick overtakes on a highway, and the base variant still runs a drum brake up front on some trims.
Best for: anyone whose only requirement is a dependable daily commuter with the lowest possible cost of ownership.
Honda Shine 100: Honda’s Reliability at Entry Pricing
Approximately ₹79,800 ex-showroom gets you Honda’s version of the same brief. The Shine 100 trades a bit of the Splendor’s mileage edge for what Honda owners consistently describe as smoother, quieter engine refinement, and Honda’s service quality reputation carries real weight for buyers who’ve been burned by inconsistent after-sales elsewhere.
The riding position is upright and comfortable enough for longer commutes, and the suspension handles broken city roads without much fuss. Where it falls a bit short is outright mileage, it’s good, just not chart-topping the way the Splendor Plus is. If refinement and Honda’s brand trust matter more to you than squeezing out the last kmpl, this is the safer pick.
Honda SP125: When You Want a Bit More Engine
Step up to roughly ₹89,000 ex-showroom and you get Honda’s SP125, which is genuinely a different riding experience from the two bikes above. The 124cc engine has real mid-range pull, useful the moment you need to merge into faster traffic or carry a pillion up a flyover without the bike straining.
Fuel efficiency stays impressive for a bike this size, and the digital-analog hybrid console gives you gear position and a fuel efficiency readout most sub-₹1-lakh bikes skip entirely. It costs more than a pure 100cc commuter, and if your commute is short and flat, you may never actually use the extra performance you’re paying for.
TVS Raider: Style-Focused Commuter With Real Pep
TVS priced the Raider at around ₹82,000 to ₹86,000 ex-showroom, and it’s aimed squarely at younger buyers who want a commuter that doesn’t look like one. The styling is sharper than most bikes in this bracket, and the engine has noticeably more zip off the line than a typical 100cc commuter, without tipping into the fuel-thirsty territory of a proper sports bike.
TVS backs it with a connected features package on higher trims, something rare at this price. The trade-off is a slightly firmer ride than the Splendor or Shine, which some riders notice on longer stretches over rough patches.
Bajaj Platina 110: Comfort Over Everything
Bajaj built the Platina 110 (around ₹72,900 ex-showroom) around one idea: comfort on bad roads. Its suspension is tuned softer than most rivals in this segment, which pays off directly if your daily route includes a fair number of speed breakers and patchy stretches, which, let’s be honest, describes most Indian roads outside the smoothest city centers.
It won’t win any styling contests and the engine is unremarkable on paper, but riders who’ve put real distance on it consistently mention how much less fatigued they feel after an hour in the saddle compared to firmer-riding rivals.
Bajaj CT 110X: Built for Rough Roads and Heavy Use
If your riding genuinely involves unpaved paths, monsoon-flooded lanes, or daily loads beyond just yourself, the CT 110X (roughly ₹73,000 to ₹82,000 ex-showroom) is worth a serious look. Bajaj built this one with reinforced hardware and a higher ground clearance than the typical commuter, aimed at riders in semi-rural areas and small businesses that put real mileage on a bike every single day.
It’s not the most refined bike here and comfort takes a back seat to durability, but for someone who needs a workhorse rather than a weekend cruiser, that trade-off makes sense.
Bajaj Freedom 125: The CNG Option Worth Knowing About
This one’s genuinely different from everything else on this list. The Freedom 125 runs on a CNG-petrol dual setup, letting you switch between fuels depending on availability and cost. For riders in cities with decent CNG infrastructure, running costs drop meaningfully below even the best petrol-only mileage figures in this segment.
It’s not for everyone, CNG refueling stations still aren’t universal outside major cities, and the added tank hardware does eat into some underseat storage space. But for the right buyer in the right city, it’s the most interesting bike in this entire price bracket.
Comparison at a Glance
| Motorcycle | Approx. Ex-Showroom Price | Standout Strength | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hero Splendor Plus | ₹72,900 – ₹77,500 | Mileage and resale value | Lowest-cost daily commuting |
| Honda Shine 100 | ₹79,800 | Refinement and reliability | Buyers prioritizing Honda’s after-sales trust |
| Honda SP125 | ~₹89,000 | Mid-range performance | Riders who need more pull, occasional pillion |
| TVS Raider | ₹82,000 – ₹86,000 | Styling and connected features | Younger buyers wanting a sharper look |
| Bajaj Platina 110 | ~₹72,900 | Ride comfort on bad roads | Long daily commutes on rough patches |
| Bajaj CT 110X | ₹73,000 – ₹82,000 | Rugged build, ground clearance | Rural and heavy-use riders |
| Bajaj Freedom 125 | Contact dealer for current pricing | CNG-petrol dual fuel | Cost-conscious riders with CNG access |
What Actually Matters When Choosing in This Segment
Service network beats spec sheet. A bike with slightly better mileage is worthless if the nearest authorized service center is 30 km away. Hero and Honda both carry the deepest reach into smaller towns, which is a real, practical advantage over less-established brands at this price.
Real-world mileage differs from ARAI figures. Every manufacturer quotes certified numbers under controlled conditions. In actual bumper-to-bumper city traffic, expect real-world mileage to run 10 to 15 percent below the ARAI figure on most of these bikes, less if you ride gently, more if you’re constantly stopping and starting.
Drum brakes are still common at the bottom of this range. If safety margin matters more to you than shaving off a few thousand rupees, look specifically for a front disc brake variant, several bikes here offer one as a step-up trim.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which bike under ₹1 lakh has the best mileage?
The Hero Splendor Plus and its variants consistently top mileage charts in this segment, with owners reporting 70 kmpl or higher in real-world city conditions. The Bajaj Freedom 125 can beat this on a per-rupee running cost basis if you have reliable CNG access, though its petrol-only mileage isn’t the class leader.
Is it worth paying extra for a 125cc bike instead of a 100cc one in this budget?
If your commute involves highway stretches, regular pillion riding, or overtaking in fast traffic, yes, the extra mid-range torque genuinely changes the riding experience. If your commute is short and mostly flat, a 100cc bike will do the job for less money and better mileage.
Do any bikes under ₹1 lakh come with ABS?
Most bikes in this exact price bracket use Combi-Brake Systems or basic single-channel setups rather than full ABS, since full ABS typically pushes pricing just over ₹1 lakh. If ABS is a non-negotiable for you, budget slightly above this range.
