Jul 13, 2016 06:06 PM
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I have never been a big fan of scooters. Yes, they have a practical side to them but scooters for me are all about going grocery shopping. And that’s what makes the Navi so interesting a package for me. Navi is a head turner wherever it goes. I have wanted to ride one since I saw it at the Auto Expo this year.
It’s based on a scooter chassis and the engine-transmission is an integrated unit of the rear swingarm. But the styling is more motorcycle, with a proper fuel tank and seat. Most of the bits have been picked up from the Honda parts bin. The rear taillight is courtesy the Honda Stunner, as is the switch gear. The headlight design is all-new and has a very Honda MSX 125(Grom)-like face.
Riding the Navi, the first few kilometers proves that this bike has the go to match the show. The 109cc motor responds with a quick sprint to 50kph. The engine makes the same 8bhp and 8.9Nm like the Activa, but feels peppier. This can be attributed to the kerb weight. The Navi is 7 kg lighter than the 108 kg Activa and that explains the liveliness. Once the bike crosses 60kph though, it’s a slow climb to 81kph. At these speeds the scooter feels planted though, thanks to the stability provided by the extended rake angle. Still, while I am impressed with the high-speed stability of the Navi, crosswinds can be a little unsettling.
Approaching an intersection, by force of habit I try to use engine braking; it’s easy to forget that you’re riding a gearless two-wheeler. Yet, the Navi convinces me for most of my ride that I am riding a bike.
Thankfully the brakes come to my rescue in slowing the vehicle down. Yes, some people will point out that a disc upfront would have done the job better. But for the fun the Navi offers I really don’t mind its absence.
The ride feels stiffer than the Activa. It became all the more nerve-racking while riding on potholed roads. I guess the suspension has been tuned factoring in a pillion.
While I didn’t like the ride very much, moving around in traffic on the Navi is a lot of fun. The front feels light as there’s no engine in the middle and it helps zigzagging through city traffic. The Navi is built for the city and it works perfectly well squeezing into tight spaces. Cornering is not the main concern with a scooter, but the Navi manages corners really well. Just don’t push it too hard; under all that fake-bike makeup, it’s still a scooter.
Also, there are a few tradeoffs when it comes to convenience. For starters, there’s no boot space even though you get luggage space in the cavity below the fuel tank. Honda provides a utility box as an accessory, but I doubt if a helmet can be accommodated there.
Storage is not the only problem for the Navi. Unlike the Activa’s 5.3-litre fuel carrying capacity, the Navi get a 3.8-litre fuel tank. And, since I had been throttle happy all day, I was only able to get 36.2kpl.
The Navi has a few chinks in its funky looking armor. It offers the fun of a bike but there are a few tradeoffs that you will have to live with. But are these minor setbacks a deal breaker? I don’t think so.
First of all, Honda has done some out-of-the-box thinking here with the Navi and opened a whole new segment.
Though the Navi has its drawbacks, it’s still a well-sorted package. It is a highly customisable package and this should work for the youth(Honda’s target audience). And for a price tag of Rs 39, 000 ex-showroom Delhi, it’s easy to overlook all those shortcomings.
