Best bikes and scooters under ₹80,000

The Hero Splendor Plus is a 97cc commuter that sells over two lakh units a month on the strength of 70 kmpl mileage, rock-bottom service costs and a mechanic in every village.

Our score

7.5/10

Mileage

70 kmpl

Running cost

₹1,138/mo

Best for

First bike

The Sport is TVS's most basic 110cc commuter, claiming up to 80kmpl and priced from ₹65,714, aimed squarely at buyers who want the lowest possible running cost. It skips almost every convenience feature beyond alloy wheels and an LED DRL, so it works best as a no-frills first bike rather than one bought for comfort or looks.

Our score

6.5/10

Mileage

80 kmpl

Running cost

₹1,072/mo

Best for

Absolute lowest running cost

The HF Deluxe Flex Fuel is Hero's entry point into ethanol-blended fuel, using the same 97.2cc, 8.44 bhp engine found on the Splendor Plus Flex Fuel but priced from ₹69,812, the cheapest bike in this batch. It trades a plain features list and a single colour for a claimed 65 kmpl and a very low starting price.

Our score

6.5/10

Mileage

65 kmpl

Running cost

₹1,155/mo

Best for

First bike

The HF Deluxe is Hero's entry-level commuter, built around a modest 7.91bhp, 97.2cc engine and priced from ₹58,688. It claims 65kmpl and stays reliably basic, with drum brakes and only a handful of features, a bike bought purely for low running costs.

Our score

6.0/10

Mileage

65 kmpl

Running cost

₹1,155/mo

Best for

Absolute lowest budget

The XL 100 Heavy Duty is TVS's load-rated moped-scooter, sharing the 99.7cc CVT engine with the regular XL 100 but tuned for carrying capacity, priced from ₹47,918 with a kick-start base variant. It's the cheapest vehicle in this batch, which comes with the trade-off of a basic kick-start entry point and no disc brake anywhere in the range.

Our score

6.0/10

Mileage

57 kmpl

Running cost

₹1,320/mo

Best for

Load-carrying and utility use

The Platina 100 is Bajaj's cheapest commuter, built for first-time buyers who want the lowest possible running cost. It makes 7.79bhp from a 99.59cc engine, returns a claimed 75kmpl, and starts at just ₹71,038. The trade-off is modest performance and drum brakes at both ends, with no ABS beyond combi-braking.

Our score

7.0/10

Mileage

75 kmpl

Running cost

₹999/mo

Best for

First-time buyers

The S1 Z is Ola's entry-level electric scooter, priced from ₹79,999 with a 3.1 kWh battery good for a claimed 179km. It suits first-time EV buyers on a tight budget who mainly ride short city hops, but the 70kmph top speed and sparse feature list show clearly where the savings came from.

Our score

6.5/10

Range

179 km

Running cost

₹111/mo

Best for

First scooter

The XL 100 is TVS's utility moped-scooter hybrid, running a 99.7cc engine through a CVT for a claimed 55kmpl, priced from ₹60,360 with i-Touch electric start. It's built for load-carrying and low running costs rather than performance, so its 4.29bhp output and drum-only brakes are the price of that focus.

Our score

6.0/10

Mileage

55 kmpl

Running cost

₹1,369/mo

Best for

Load-carrying and utility use

The Honda Activa 6G is India's best-selling scooter: a 110cc, 45–50 kmpl automatic with a smooth engine, a flat floorboard and the widest service network in the country.

Our score

7.5/10

Mileage

47 kmpl

Running cost

₹1,607/mo

Best for

Family use

The Jupiter 110 is TVS's mainstream family scooter, a 113.3cc air-cooled engine making about 7.9bhp with a claimed 53.84kmpl, priced from ₹77,352 for the base drum variant. It's built for comfortable daily use rather than outright performance, with a 5-year warranty that beats most rivals but drum brakes on every variant.

Our score

7.5/10

Mileage

53.84 kmpl

Running cost

₹1,525/mo

Best for

Daily family commuting

Hero's Destini 110 is a 110cc automatic scooter built for riders who rate running costs above everything else, priced from ₹77,527 for the VX. It claims 56.2 kmpl and adds projector LED lighting and a digital console over cheaper rivals, but both brakes stay drums with no disc option even on the ZX.

Our score

7.0/10

Mileage

56.2 kmpl

Running cost

₹1,557/mo

Best for

First scooter

The TVS Jupiter 125 offers a 33-litre under-seat boot, an optional front disc brake and a 125cc engine, making it the most practical family scooter under ₹1 lakh.

Our score

7.5/10

Mileage

50 kmpl

Running cost

₹1,607/mo

Best for

Family and shopping runs

The Pleasure+ Xtec is the better-equipped version of Hero's 110cc scooter, adding alloy wheels, LED projector lighting, Bluetooth and idle start-stop over the base Pleasure+, priced from ₹78,051. It uses the same 8 bhp engine and claimed 50 kmpl, so the extra spend buys features and finish rather than outright performance.

Our score

7.0/10

Mileage

50 kmpl

Running cost

₹1,494/mo

Best for

First scooter with more features

The Pleasure+ is Hero's budget 110cc scooter aimed largely at first-time and value-focused riders, priced from ₹70,372 for the LX. It keeps things basic, with no alloy wheels or LED headlamp, but a claimed 50 kmpl and a wide choice of seven colours make it an easy, low-commitment first scooter.

Our score

6.0/10

Mileage

50 kmpl

Running cost

₹1,494/mo

Best for

First scooter

The CT 110 is Bajaj's rugged commuter, positioned just above the Platina twins for buyers who want a tougher-feeling bike for bad roads. It makes 8.48bhp from a 115.45cc engine, returns a claimed 70kmpl, and starts at ₹74,847. The trade-off is a heavier 127kg build and drum brakes despite the higher price than its Platina siblings.

Our score

6.5/10

Mileage

70 kmpl

Running cost

₹1,072/mo

Best for

Rural and rough roads

Sold as the Passion Plus, this is Hero's mid-tier 97.2cc commuter, priced from ₹79,534 with a claimed 71kmpl. It adds a projector headlamp, digital console and idle start-stop over the base HF Deluxe, though drum brakes remain standard on all but the priciest variant.

Our score

6.5/10

Mileage

71 kmpl

Running cost

₹1,253/mo

Best for

Value-focused commuting

The Dio is Honda's 110cc automatic scooter aimed at first-time riders and short city commutes, priced from ₹74,820 with claimed mileage of 48 kmpl. It keeps costs down with drum brakes on both wheels and skips the LED lighting and digital console its Dio 125 sibling gets, so buyers wanting more kit should budget higher.

Our score

6.0/10

Mileage

48 kmpl

Running cost

₹1,557/mo

Best for

First scooter

The Star City Plus is TVS's mid-tier 110cc commuter, offering a digital console and 70kmpl claimed mileage from ₹72,026, with a disc-brake variant available for ₹75,564. It suits buyers who want a commuter that looks a step above entry-level without paying 125cc money, though the drum-only base variant undercuts the case for the range.

Our score

6.0/10

Mileage

70 kmpl

Running cost

₹1,072/mo

Best for

Buyers who want a digital console

The Platina 110 is a step up from the Platina 100, built for buyers who want a touch more engine and a smoother ride for a modest premium. It makes 8.48bhp from a 115.45cc engine, returns a claimed 70kmpl, and starts at ₹75,798. The trade-off is a price close to the CT 110 without a clearly distinct advantage.

Our score

6.0/10

Mileage

70 kmpl

Running cost

₹1,072/mo

Best for

Modest step-up buyers

The Radeon is TVS's mid-range 110cc commuter, offering a 63kmpl claimed mileage and an idle start-stop system, priced from ₹73,715. It targets buyers who want a step up from the most basic commuters in features and finish, though it sticks with drum brakes throughout and lacks a disc option even on the top variant.

Our score

6.0/10

Mileage

63 kmpl

Running cost

₹1,183/mo

Best for

Daily office commute

The Zest 110 is TVS's compact 110cc scooter, running a 109.7cc engine for a claimed 45kmpl, priced from ₹70,560. It's aimed at buyers who want a simple, easy-to-ride scooter for city use, though the 10-inch wheels, drum brakes and modest mileage put it behind newer rivals like the Jupiter 110 and Honda Dio.

Our score

5.5/10

Mileage

45 kmpl

Running cost

₹1,662/mo

Best for

City-only commuting

The Xoom is Hero's mainstream 110cc scooter with a sportier look, offering 8.05 bhp and projector LED lighting from ₹78,303 for the drum-brake VX. Its claimed 45 kmpl trails most rivals at this price, so it leans on styling, features and a disc-brake ZX option rather than outright running costs.

Our score

6.0/10

Mileage

45 kmpl

Running cost

₹1,662/mo

Best for

Style-conscious commuting

The Destini Prime is Hero's slightly larger-engined scooter, using a 124.6cc motor with 9 bhp and a claimed 49.5 kmpl, priced from ₹77,613 in a single variant. It has more punch than the Destini 110 but a thinner features list, so it works better as a value pick than a tech-led one.

Our score

6.0/10

Mileage

49.5 kmpl

Running cost

₹1,525/mo

Best for

Daily commuting

The Shine 100 is Honda's entry-level 100cc commuter, priced from ₹65,996 with a claimed 65kmpl and real-world figures of 60-68kmpl. It sticks to drum brakes front and rear with a basic feature set, and rivals like the TVS Sport claim noticeably higher mileage at a similar price, leaving Honda's service network as its main selling point.

Our score

5.5/10

Mileage

65 kmpl

Running cost

₹1,155/mo

Best for

First-time budget commuters