Bajaj Platina Comfortec

Bajaj Auto has mastered the art of building the executive commuter motorcycle in a variety of engine capacities & today has an enviable lineup of motorcycles across the entire spectrum. First conceived as a low cost but stylish looking, fuel economical alternative to competitors like the ersthwhile Hero Honda Passion etc., the Platina has been around for a while now. In its latest avatar as the Platina 100 DTS-Si the bike still continues to sell, although not in the volumes that Bajaj Auto had for. We get intimate with the vehicle to find out more.

The Bajaj Platina is powered by a 4-stroke air-cooled unit borrowed from the Bajaj CT 100. The SOHC unit with a digital CDI system puts out 8.2 bhp of power @ 7500 rpm & peak torque of 8.00 NM @ 4,500 rpm. This is good enough to propel the bike to a top speed of 91 km/h which is more than sufficient for a bike of this capacity.Power is transferred to the rear wheel via chain drive connected to a 4 speed constant mesh transmission.Since the unit is carried over unchanged from the CT 100, the power and torque figures are identical for both motorcycles. The proprietary ExhaustTEC system which is essentially a resonator box has been incorporated in the exhaust system thus helping the bike develop better low range torque. This helps the bike to run better in start-stop traffic & low speed traffic conditions.

The Platina, as mentioned earlier is supposed to be a product with an equal balance between style & substance.So what it means is a stylish low cost product that does not hold back when it comes to providing high fuel economy. Bajaj ambitiously quotes an optimistic fuel economy figure of 80 kmpl. In reality however, under typical Indian riding conditions, the bike does not live up to that claim & at best, in the city you can expect a realistic fuel economy of 60-65 kmpl while on the highways, the figure will go up to 72-74 kmpl. Still acceptable considering the vehicle is conceived for a different market segment altogether.

Head out on the road & the Platina shows what it is capable of. The front fork with 125 mm of travel, rear suspension features the Bajaj proprietary SNS or 'Spring in Spring' technology offer better damping & comfort over rutted broken surfaces. This results in a stress free ride over normal Indian road conditions. The extra long rear seat that Bajaj keeps mentioning as a key feature on the bike is ideal for the average Indian motorist who wants to put the bike to use as a family sedan. The unique 'ride control' switch featured on the Platina also helps keep the rider keep riding the bike in the necessary RPM range thus ensuring that optimal fuel economy is obtained from the bike. Featuring alloy wheels linked up to drum brakes, the long 1275 mm wheelbase is claimed to provide better stability & safety compared to other offerings from the competition. Add to that some decent graphics, alloy wheels, chrome bits etc. & you have a somewhat credible product