I bought the HH Pleasure for my wife last week of March 2009. Though a hasty buy, I had gone through reviews on mouthshut and elsewhere. Checked with my friends who knew scooters better. I didn’t find anything discouraging in online reviews, but the people I checked didn’t have much idea about this machine. All my friends suggested Activa, but I sensed they were influenced by the number of Activas on the road rather than an objective weighing of pros and cons. I didn’t consider TVS as their scooters were too small in power and size. Due to the bad reputation Kinetic had I was skeptical about new entries from their stables though SYM Flyte seemed a good choice. Mahindra having taken over Kinetic I hope the looming uncertainity over their scooters will be removed. Didn’t consider Suzuki Access as 125 cc was unnecessary for us. After weighing all options we settled on Activa as our initial choice. It is unisex, bigger, and spacious. With its steel shell sturdier than Pleasure and looks decent. But the weight is formidable for the fair sex and elders. Since my wife was not comfortable with the weight of Activa we opted for Pleasure which is Activa itself in disguise. Same engine, same tuff up tube, same multireflector headlight, same storage space but with a lovely(girlish) look. The difference between Activa and Pleasure is plastic(ABS) body panels on Pleasure and the resulting reduction in weight. But mind it, it has its own advantages over the glorified conventional steel panels. First of all it is light weight(weight loss translates straight into mileage! and easy handling), rust free, has a glossy fresh look. Whenever you want to give the machine a new look, you may change the panels. It is less expensive compared to cost of steel panels. Having talked its merits, it has its demerits also. Since the panels may break on heavy impact, you may feel a bit scared at the beginning. And as it is fairly a new application, how it comes off over time is to be seen. But so far the feed back is good and not many complaints of squeaks or falling off have been reported.
The initial comments from my family members were based on size of the machine. They wondered how come I spent around 42k on this tiny thing! The logic they told is the scooters(obviously Activa!) some in my neighbourhood have a’big thing’ feel! It is true Pleasure looks a bit tiny in front of Activa. But beside Scooty Pep she is reasonably a fat beauty. Pleasure is not too light, it has a kerb weight of 104 kg that is pretty reasonable for ladies and gents! Pleasure is aptly placed between Scooty Pep and Activa though it is close to Activa in power and features. Pleasure comes in 9 attractive colors and my choice was dual tone black which I thought suitable as I too sometimes take our Pleasure out.
The scooter is easy to handle as it is comparitively lighter and compact. This gives much confidence to ladies and first timers and make them expert riders in a few days! The engine is same 102cc engine used on Activa. It ensures a smooth and silent running and the pick up is excellent. I heard Pleasure also gives good mileage, will update on the mileage in due course. It is very easy to get Pleasure on main stand compared to Activa. Electricals are up to mark and the tail light cluster is attractive and worth a mention. Rear hand grip is stylish and the seat is wide and the suspension is good though you may feel a bit stiff. It has good leg space but the glove box could have been bit more spacious. A wider front apron would have given better look to Pleasure as it look now a bit skinny from the front. It has puncture resistant tuff up tube so no worry about punctures. Dashboard is simple but looks good in its oval shape. In short Pleasure is Honda itself in a different cute attire that is more feminine in look. Though the tag line’why should boys have all the fun’ it is equally good for male riders of all ages. I haven’t heard anything serious yet against Pleasure. And it is from Hero Honda who have over 50% market share in two-wheeler sales in India. And the statistics says they are the biggest two wheeler manufactures in the World. As long as Honda is with them though. The service is good and availability of parts is assured.
Pleasure with all its accessories is readily available at Showrooms for immediate delivery. No long waiting at all as is in the case of competitors! Of course a big plus point over Zuzuki, Activa etc.
Given the useful features on models like SYM Flyte, Pleasure has still areas for value addition. Front fuelling, telescopic suspension, combined braking system, bit more storage space, a lockable glove box, light for under seat storage, mobile charger, anti theft measures are all desirable on Pleasure. Seems, Honda and of course therefore HH focus entirely on the core product while competitors like TVS and Kinetic divert part of their attention to peripherals!
Note that Activa has its new 2009 version released and is now available on the market. The new Activa is said to be 4 Kg lesser than the old. The weight loss is achieved by using ABS panels in selective portions. The body of Activa has been undergone a re-design which gives it a more female-friendly look. It has combined brake system, anti-theft measures, 18 liter storage space and slightly increased engine displacement(109 cc). Activa now looks a bigger Pleasure from the front. This means the New Activa will get more acceptance among ladies.
A Video of Pleasure test drive is available on https://fasttrackworld.com. https://bikeadvice.in has a good review and photos of Pleasure. TV Commercials of Pleasure available on Youtube.com. http://www.overdrive.in(an auto magazine, india) hosts a comparitive study of Pleasure, Flyte, Scooty, Activa, Access etc. https://bikeindia.in also has a good comparitive study of Pleasure and other scooters. Pleasure has yet another review posted on https://autocarindia.com. Check out https://lnkr.net for an impressive comparison table for popular scooter models with nice pictures. You may find useful article on 2wheelers at vicky.in and indiabike.com. Motorcyclistforlife.blogspot.com, blsmartbuy.com, zigwheels.com etc have expert reviews on 2wheelers. For auto glossary try motorera.com. To know how a scooter works log on to howstuffworks.com. People who think of buying Pleasure may consider Activa(new) and cautiously Kinetic SYM Flyte as options.
I recommend Pleasure to all who won’t feel comfortable with with the weight of Activa.Though the tag’just for her’, practically it has nothing gender specific. I have seen many young guys on Pleasure. Before buying any vehicle read maximum reviews, sit on the net and collect as much info as possible, get owners feed back, compare models from competitors and test drive the shortlisted models if possible. Take time to make an objective study, think well and make an informed decision. Listen to others, but the decision should be yours because you know better what suits you if you have done the homework. Good luck!
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SPECS:
Engine: 102cc, 4 Stroke, Air Cooled OHC
Maximum Power: 7.10ps@7000rpm
Maximum Torque: 7.85nm@5000rpm
Weight: 104.00 kg
Ground Clearance: 125.00 mm
Fuel Tank: 5.00 ltrs
Wheelbase: 1240.00 mm
Brakes: 130mm Drum brakes for both