Rise and shine . Review on Honda Shine

Tried the bike a couple of days back with the perennial pillion security who will always want to hitch the test ride, but this is what I can gather after maybe 1000 metres plus and the before and after experience.

before:

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ogle at the bike - (not much to ogle in the showroom as there were only unicorns). The shine is identical in the looks department. I am told the self-starter will take a coupla months more, there is kick start and there is another KS, and the options are disk brakes or drum brakes - and tuff-up tubes. OK - that is a plus with the hondas. Having come here, I decided that a ride I will take and select the ride one outside (man this is boring I know , but raters want experience and experience is what yer gonna get

The RIDE

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all levers up for the ride, kick started and it started on the first shot - no need to run the acceletor hard - ads promise a start in any gear and that is good. springs for the stands look nice and shiny - so the shine is a good name. the security piles on behind me. Me get it into gear, watch a couple of autos going by and need to wait it out - bucko beneath me jerks and is ready for the run.

pushed into the first and on the road, get into first - second - third - (kicks to forty kmph in no time) - take my time to take to fourth as there is traffic and jerks (the kind who keep coming on the road and the kind I can kill only in the games parlor - don't wanna be a john abraham yet with the cops).

make the turn around after some good number of metres but the way back is better - zoom it well and through quickly - brakes apply nicely - manage a run to 60 in very very quick time - gears are slightly notchy being a new one - clutch is good - overall a smooth accelleration to the high ends in a linear way (the apache test was having a monster beneath). Come back to destination - well forth to neutral was very very quick as I came to a stop with low in no time at all.

After

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the man behind replies he weighs 50 kgs - mine is 75.

hmmm ...

recommendations: Looks are dull what with so many unicorns on the road.

but then - if u get a unicorn look alike for 6 thousand less, an established bike company, guaranteed quality - decent parts - and well - in the car segment practically every car is now 2L petrol engine or 2.5L Diesel engine, or 1300cc / 1500cc being looking the same, why should we crib if bike companies do the same.

well - one can buy this stock.

Good for whom: For one who wants to be alone - or has a pillion. Decent pick-up, quick to run to 60-70 even with one in the back. Bike looks capable to give the quick ride to 60 kmph in 5 seconds. Most 125 cc today promise high acceleration at lower speeds upto 80-90 and then taper off at 97-100, e.g. TVS Edge has highest end at 98 kph compared to TVS-GLX which used to be 102, or the others i.e. Fazer at 106 / Discover still higher.

Bombay prices: around 48 odd K for drum brakes, around 52 for disk brakes. I liked the speedometer which indicates the speeds and gears to run in - shows the third to take it to 70 kph, and 4th all the way to 100, the rest of the 40 kph is only for display as none of the Indian 125ccs will top 110 - excepting Rossi and his tail on Sunday afternoons

Do check out the nearest showrooms - lads - a long weekend around.

Competition: TVS-GLX (long record but now with glam wheels, Discover (great ads, good speed and pick-up), Splendor 125 (economy), Glamor (looks plus economy), LML machines. Not listing Fazer as I hear it is getting phased out with Gladitor taking over with same looks but with 150cc (i may be wrong)

Alex