Honda Shine 100DX:Power Packed Reality Check Review

Honda Shine 100DX: Here is the new Honda Shine 100DX.
This motorcycle has definitely become more beautiful than before in terms of looks.
But the real question is whether it has also become better to ride or not.
Because some new features have been added to it.
For example, its weight has now increased by 4 kg.
So what difference has come in its riding experience?
Let me ride it and explain everything to you.
But before that, let me tell you that all these motorcycles are available at nearest Honda showroom.

Fully Digital Meter – A Big Upgrade

A fully digital meter has now been added.
Earlier, this bike used to get an analog meter, but now with the fully digital meter, let us see what difference it makes.
The good thing is that this bike will also tell you the mileage.
First of all, I switch it to the mileage mode.
You can see here it shows figures like 86.9 km.
The mileage touched 99 earlier, and now it is showing around 59.
Sometimes it even shows extremely high figures momentarily.
Overall, it has started showing real-time mileage.

Now here you can see that it is showing numbers like 33 and 52, which means it is displaying real-time mileage continuously.
This is something I really wanted to show you.
In this 100cc motorcycle, now you will always know the mileage.
This is definitely a good thing.

What the Digital Meter Offers

You do not get a gear position indicator here.
But you do get the time display.
You also get the speed readout.
All these things feel good to look at.
Earlier, 100cc motorcycles used to feel very cheap, like what I showed you in HF Deluxe.
They felt very basic and poor in presentation.
But now that is not the case because a lot has changed.

Weight Increase and Riding Feel

The weight has increased by 4 kg.
Now let us talk about how it feels while riding.
After sitting on this bike, just like I have sat on HF Deluxe and Splendor before, this section feels quite wide to me.
It could have been slightly narrower according to the bike size.
But this does not really create any problem.
If it was smaller, it would have looked a little better.
Still, it is not an issue.

Earlier, the meter cable used to run from the wheel.
Now it has been shifted to the engine.
Because of this, the meter wire breaking issue is completely gone.
Right now it is showing zero mileage.
As soon as I start riding, it begins showing real-time mileage.
This is what real-time mileage actually means.

Suspension Test on Bad Roads

Now let us directly jump over a breaker and see how the suspension behaves.
The suspension feels okay.
But the bike bounced enough that my balance slightly disturbed.
Overall, it is a 100cc motorcycle weighing around 103 kg, so it will bounce.
It is not very heavy.
That is why on very big speed breakers, chances of imbalance are higher.
Because the weight is still on the lower side.

Earlier, this bike weighed around 99 kg.
Now the difference is clearly noticeable.
The reason is the fuel tank.
The tank has been made bigger, and some components have been repositioned.
Because of this, more weight has come to the front.
And yes, it makes a 100% difference.

Cornering and Balance

While taking turns, you can feel the difference.
In fourth gear, it struggles a bit, and you need to downshift to third.
Earlier, the bike felt extremely light.
It felt like the front would lift easily.
But now that feeling has reduced a lot.
With single riding, it does not feel like the front will lift.
For single riders, it feels much better and more stable than before.

Braking Performance

Talking about braking, it is normal.
Just like any 100cc motorcycle with drum brakes.
There is no major improvement here.
Sometimes drum brakes need cleaning and proper adjustment.
If water has entered, braking effectiveness reduces.
Currently, it is acceptable but not very impressive.
After proper service, it can definitely improve.

Brake Specifications

The bike gets a 130 mm drum brake at the front and a 110 mm drum brake at the rear.
Demanding a disc brake here would not be practical.
If the rear drum was also 130 mm, braking could have been slightly better.
But when both brakes are applied together, there is no major issue.

Pickup and Engine Feel

Now let us talk about pickup.
The pickup is good for a 100cc motorcycle.
The engine feels smooth.
However, when you try to pull hard, it feels like you need to apply some effort.
It does not feel completely free-flowing.
This slightly reduces the fun factor.
But since it uses an undersquare engine, torque delivery is good.
You feel torque instantly, which makes riding enjoyable.

The suspension also feels decent.
No major complaints here.
Now let us check how it behaves with a pillion rider.

Double Riding Experience

With double riding, the bike feels slightly light at the front.
This is where weight distribution becomes noticeable.
But it does not create any serious problem.
Compared to the older Shine 100, this one is definitely much better.
Gear shifts are smooth.
There are no noticeable vibrations.
Torque delivery feels very strong for this segment.

Final Test Ride Verdict

I have completed the test ride of the new Honda Shine 100DX.
Now it is time to give the final verdict.
Is it better than the older Shine 100?
Yes, it is definitely much better.
Whether it is ride quality or design, improvements are clearly visible.

Earlier, the old model was not liked because of its thin fuel tank.
Now the tank design has been changed.
New graphics have been added.
The front look has also been slightly updated with chrome elements.
People demand LED headlights because HF Deluxe Pro already offers LED lighting.
If LED was added here, it would have been even better considering the price is around ₹90,000.

Ride Quality, Suspension and Weight Balance

Earlier, the rear suspension used to compress completely with two riders.
Now it has improved.
It does not sink as much as before.
Some more improvement would still be welcome.
But during regular riding, you will not face major issues.

My height is around 5.9 feet and my weight is around 70–75 kg.
For my body type, I faced no problem at all.
With more riders and bad speed breakers, the bike can bounce due to low weight.
Earlier it was 99 kg, now it is 103 kg.
This has definitely improved stability, but it is still not very heavy.

Comparison with Splendor and HF Deluxe

Many people are saying that this bike will replace Splendor.
But Splendor is a different motorcycle altogether.
HF Deluxe is also different.
Their riding experience is not the same.
Comparing them directly does not make much sense.
Each bike has its own character.

If you ride them back-to-back, you will understand the difference.
I will do a proper comparison separately.
For now, what I can say is that this bike has become better than before.
Compared to the older Shine 100, this is a big improvement.

Conclusion

If you have already ridden this bike, do share your experience.
Overall, Honda has improved the Shine 100DX in design, weight balance, ride quality and features.
It is still a simple 100cc commuter, but now it feels more mature and refined.
Thank you for reading this detailed review.
Have a great day ahead.