Moving forward from 100 to 125 cc through Access. Review on Suzuki Access 125

If you would have read my reviews on "Love at First Sight" on Honda Activa.This may be considered as continuation to it. After using Activa for 2 years and having traveled 30000 kms. I decided to change my vehicle. The decision came from some reasons - 1. It has already traveled for 30000 kms. 2. I have met with a number of accidents, and once the frame got bent and had to be repaired. 3. The engine was making some noise, and the Honda service people were not able to fix the problem. 4. The starting problem became acute in the recent times. In the morning it will not start with kick at all. 5. My wife started learning and because of its handling problems, she fell down very badly thrice, after which the vehicle had either to be repaired or else changed. I chose the second option.

Now to go for a new scooter of this category, I took sometime and judgement. Now, since I am used to riding such a two wheeler very much, I was looking for 1. Comfort, 2. Reliability, 3. Economy. For Comfort being the first choice, I had some options.

1. Honda Aviator

   
   




2. Scooty Pep+

   
   




3. Scooty Streak

   
   




4. Suzuki Access

   
   




5. Mahindra Sym Flyte.

   
   

I never considered Activa, because of comfort reasons. I never considered the Mahindra vehicles, as they were formerly Kinetic and the review for even Flyte in the long run didn't go well at all. Even for Scooty Pep+ or Streak, I didn't give it a choice as I have to travel 60 kms up and down everyday using the vehicle, and hence I was looking for a higher CC, for better power and pickup. The only advantage with Scooty was that it was light weight and my wife could comfortably handle it.

So, finally I decided to go for either of Honda Aviator or Suzuki Access. I went to SMK showroom at Guindy, Chennai one evening. I found that they are offering me 26k for my Activa, which is pretty decent to my opinion, as I had to already repair the vehicle. Hence I booked my Access, as also the height is less and hence my wife could also manage to get both her foot on the ground. The weight of the vehicle is less than Activa (109 kgs compared to 117 kgs of Activa). After going for the test ride, I got impressed with the vehicle. Finally I got the vehicle delivered on last Sunday, the 14th of March, 2010. I took my wife along and traveled back home with the vehicle, a distance of around 16 kms from my home. The ride was smooth and I never felt the weight of the pillion rider, as I used to do in Activa. After then since now I have traveled a distance of around 370 kms. Still now the pickup and smoothness of the vehicle is amazing. With the powerful 125 cc engine compared to Honda's 110 cc, whatever the traffic may be, the vehicle just cruises through the crowd. The brakes are very powerful, which gave me more comfort and elegance to handle it around the traffic. Even I have twisted and turned around the heavy traffic, but it never showed a single sign to skid. Overall I am highly satisfied with the vehicle's performance.

Now let me come to economy. The vehicle has given me 48 kmpl on my first ride, even before the first service. I expect it to go up to 60 kmpl after 2 or 3 services. The light focusing was not correct, I went to the showroom and they solved the problem in 2 minutes.

I have taken the blue colour, which was liked the most by both myself and my wife. The delivery time taken was 3 days from the date of booking, that too only because the blue and silver colours were not available at that time. Had it been grey, black or red, I could have got the delivery on the spot itself.

The price of the vehicle in Chennai is now RS 51000/- inclusive of everything. Unlike Honda vehicles, where they charge for each of seat cover, saree step, indicator buzzer, floor mats, number plates, hand grips. Here this price includes everything. The tyres are good too, they are MRF Nylogrip. The headlight is a 35 watt halogen, which gives good visibility on the road. They key is very similar to the new Activa, i.e. it is a one key for all the locks, including the under seat compartment. The under seat compartment is bigger compared to Activa (20 ltrs compared to 18 ltrs for Activa).

This is all as of now. How the vehicle will be in the long run, will be updated by me from time to time.

[18-Jan-2011] As promised. I have an update for you all. My Access has run for more than 9500 kms now. I am done with the fourth service. It was giving me an average of around 49 kmpl, but after the 4th service I got a mileage of 52.76 kmpl. I am expecting it to go up in future. Meanwhile I have changed the colour from blue to white, as I liked the white colour very much. It costed me around 5.5k approximately.