The pros and cons of Twisting. Review on Honda CB Twister

I bought a Honda Twister this May (2010) and have covered 3200 KMs thus far. I opted for the top-end model with disc brake (front) and electric starter. I usually ride on this with my wife and son.

Here are some of the things I liked about the bike:* There are few things in my life that are as reliable as this bike. It starts within 2-3 kicks even in Bangalore's cool mornings. There are no surprises with this bike. With regular servicing and care, it keeps going.* Good pickup in its category. Compared to other 100 CC vehicles, the Twister's pickup is good due to usable low-end torque.* Engine refinement. You don't have to do much to reach 60-70 Km/h. The bike feels quite capable of sustaining this speed with ease. However, beyond 70, you need to coax the gearbox to go faster.

I have not tried this, so I cannot furnish additional details. Vibrations creep in around 60. But it is only noticeable if you look into the rear view mirrors.* Styling. I have received favorable looks and compliments from several people. A middle aged lady peeped out of her sedan and gave me the thumbs-up once. * Ground clearance. * Fuel Efficiency* Smart looking fuel knob (I am not being pedantic, but I have seen 70+ K Pulsars with fuel knobs that will dirty your fingers and possibly your expensive office shirts.)

Here are things I didn't like about the bike:* Seating arrangement for pillion rider: The rear seat is raised and eventually, if your rear pillion is heavy and sits  with both legs on one side, (s)he will gradually slide down towards you. This would not be such an issue were it not for the convex shape of the tank; Your testicles will feel the pressure. * Thin rear tyre with no central groove. I hope I won't have to face an accident to be able to justifiably discredit it.* Overall cheapness with excessive plastic parts. It looks like it was designed by someone from Dell. Other than the tank and front fenders, all other parts are interchangeable.* Rear tyre can dirty the bike with slush during rains.* No engine kill switch, no pass light.* Naked chain needs to be maintained carefully.* 110mm drum brakes. I hardly ever use the rear brakes, and when I do, I am dissatisfied with their stopping power. The disk does a better job.* Gear box problems: lots of people have faced this. In my case the gears keep slipping sometimes.* No tachometer. * High Saddle height & low weight will cause the bike to not feel firmly planted on the road when highway surfaces are imperfect. This is an issue when you try to go past 60 and you somehow do not feel confident to go faster. * Small tank at 8 Ltrs.* Underwhelming resale value.* Honda parts are sometimes difficult to source due to labour issues. One good thing is that unlike Suzuki, you can buy parts off the shelf.

I was on a budget at the time of my purchase. I wanted to buy a Passion Pro or an NXG, ideally, or any other "good" bike (which varies according to different opinions). I eventually bought a Twister because:a. It was readily available. No waiting unlike other Honda vehicles.b. There is a Honda service centre less than 200 m from my office. The above factors motivated me to buy the bike that was easily available and which would need minimal maintenance. Although I regret not having bought a Yamaha Gladi, Pulsar or Unicorn, I am quite convinced that Splendor and its ilk are just glorified bicycles. I was wise to stay away from them.

This is a good bike, and I would recommend it with reservations. Despite its good points it feels difficult to justify buying this bike when compared to other bikes in the same price range: Yamaha 125, Pulsar 135 & Shine. For this reason, it is best to not buy this as a first bike. When you are sufficiently convinced about the demerits (subjective, of course) of other bikes, you will find it easier to live with the faults of this bike.

I hope my review was useful. Should you feel I have not specifically covered anything of interest, just leave a comment below.