ACTIVA REALITY. Review on Honda Activa

I have an Activa which is about two years old now. Its a good bike. Grossly underpowered but okay in Delhi

THE GOOD:

Its the best pick around in any kind of bikesif you  wish to have a bike for pratical reasons.

The auto transmission is flawless. If it is matched by a more appropriate 150 c engine, it could be very nice.

In delhi when you drive a two wheeler, you are 75% dead in the evening. With Activa, you will be just 25% dead, and blame trafic conditions and pollution for most of that 25%.

This is a very reliable machine. It died only once without any warning but auto resurrected after I let it cool for 10 minutes.

THE BAD:

1.

The handle shape is such that your thumb, particulalry the right thumb, will ache after driving for an hour. This is very serious. I have to keep all five fingers pointing forward to balance the bones. A slightly straighter handle will be better.

2.

The Kick start may be trickyand you may feel like flogging a dead horse.

3.

The battery is difficult to approach and can not water is regularly as a result, it will suddenely and die prematuredely.

4.

Difficult to buy the TUFF tube. Its just not found at NORMAL tyre shops. You will have to go to the dealer, but then anything is better than  going to an Activa dealer. Anywhere in India.

5.

The shockers are SHOCKING. Sit tight when you come across a pothole, which means always in Delhi.

6.

Poor Breaks. The breaks are very poor. You better be alert and know it will NOT stop in time. better make sure that you not have to apply breaks in emergency. Drive slow and man and machine both will be fine.

The front whel break is horribe. The shudder is tremendous and I sometime feel that the handle and down will severe from the body. It can be serious. But you get used to it. However each time you apply the front wheel break, you are reminded that in India any one, including Honda WILL compromise on quality.

7.

The seat lock. The seat lock will start getting naughty after the second month. It will get stubborn in 4 months and a pain in you know where after 6. You cant get it repaired. The seat just doesnt fit into loc, the equipment quality (Lock and seat both) is dismally poor. Bribe your mechanic to rub it okay and may be it will fix in some time. But you will HAVE TO become an expert in closing the seat lock. Oh just forget it get you fues, and sit on it, it will lock somewhere in an hour or so.. errrr.what if you are not able to open the lock at a fuel station?

8.

Fuel gauge. Goes bad after a year. Ask anybody so do not expect it to be okay. Just open the seat every morning, guess the gas and take an action accordingly.

9.

Headlights. Well otjhers can see it, but you can see nothing under it. Good others will not hit you. But if you fell, ...... better drive it in the day ONLY . Good idea!!!

THE UGLY:

Honda dealers. **Now this is something they do not tell you in tjeir advertiselemts.

1.

Sales showrooms and service stations are not related (In distance). They are apart  and how. I bought mine at Raja garden dealership, Teh service station is in a nearby industrial area. They have a combined premises for stocking, repairing body working Scorpios.

There is another dealer on the ring road, and their service station is at another industrial area.

Enter any  of these two AREAS and you are the Abhimanyu who broke the Chakravhiyu but oes not know.......

Well if you must use the service center, reach at 6 am. chances are that you will have to que out side the gate. Even if not , they usualy seem to have at least 50 plus scooters brought forward from the last days. So expect to be the Shagun number 51 even if you reach the service station before Sun God.

The last time I visited, they had 9 od bays and they were doing 250 scooters a day. Calculate the time per scooter/  The staff is rude, there are too many systems, and lots of eyewash.

Payment of bill is another ordeal.

My experiences are so bad that I better not write because anything I mention on their service will be emotionally charged and therefore a possbility of exagerration and biased reporting.

The fact that I put it under THE UGLY says it all.

CONCLUSION:

A good vehicle with an after sale support that can not be worse. Expect beter service from a Daewoo or Fiat dealer, the Indian railways, Postal service, DDA, Water works, NDPL, Rationcard department.

You will be treated better at the IT department or even a vilage Thana than at the AVTIVA dealer or service station (After the sale)

Still buy it because you have no other choice.