Bajaj Platina 110cc commuter motorcycle gets safer thanks to combi-braking system

Bajaj Auto has just rolled out combi-braking system on one of its least priced motorcycles – the Platina 110. Combi braking will become mandatory on all two wheelers with engine capacity under 125cc from April 2019, and this move from Bajaj Auto is to ensure that the Platina 110 meets regulations ahead of schedule. Combi-braking system, or CBS, has been a regular fixture on Honda automatic scooters for many years now.

Video courtesy IndianBike

The Bajaj Platina 110 with CBS is priced at Rs. 49,300, ex-showroom Delhi. This represents a Rs. 1,895 premium over the Platina 110 with standard braking. Soon, the Platina 110 with standard braking will be discontinued in favour of the CBS equipped version to meet regulations. The Platina 110 with CBS retains the 130 mm front drum and 110 mm rear drum brakes.

The motorcycle is powered by a 115.45cc, air-cooled, DTS-i engine that pumps out 8.6 PS of maximum power at 7,000 rpm and 9.81 Nm of peak torque at 5,000 rpm. A four speed manual gearbox is standard with this engine, which is tuned for maximum mileage. Talking of mileage, Bajaj Auto claims a whopping 104 Kmpl for the Platina 110. In the real world, expect the motorcycle to deliver between 70-80 Kmpl, which is still extremely efficient.

The motorcycle competes with the likes of the Hero Splendor 110 and the Honda Dream Yuga. It’s aimed at commuters who want a no-nonsense, reliable motorcycle that delivers high fuel efficiency. Both rural and urban buyers are targets of the Bajaj Platina 110, which is one of the brand’s largest selling motorcycles. Low maintenance costs are a given in this segment.

Coming back to the combi-braking system, this technology works by ensuring that both the front and rear brakes are deployed when a single brake lever is pressed. The idea is to evenly distribute braking pressure to reduce the chances of skidding. However, brakes equipped with CBS will still lock when pressed very hard during an emergency or in wet conditions. Therefore, this technology is not as good as single/dual channel ABS.

The main reason why most sub-125cc bikes are using CBS is due to the lower cost associated with this technology. In case ABS gets cheaper in future, manufacturers may opt for it rather than CBS. Moreover, regulations could change in future and get tighter, which is likely to make ABS mandatory on every two wheeler sold in India. Already, such regulations exist in Europe.

In the next few months, expect almost every commuter motorcycle and scooter sold in India to be equipped with CBS even as manufacturers scramble to meet the April 2019 deadline. Indian roads could become safer due to the large scale roll out of combi-braking system on two wheelers. However, this system is still not as effective as ABS, which is much more advanced but also costlier. ABS uses a combination of sensors to monitor wheel speed continuously. During hard braking, ABS modulates braking pressure in such a way that the wheels don’t lock up and cause a skid. The whole system is controlled by a computer chip called the electronic control unit (ECU).