After I lost my bike, I bought Honda Activa keeping in mind that my wife can also drive it. As I also own a car, I did not want to own 2 two-wheelers.
I had in my mind that it is a very good vehicle atleast for females with hand controls, electronic start etc. But, after riding this vehicle for around a year now, I do not have a very good opinion about it. May be, after riding a bike for a long time, shifting to a scooter of this kind was a tough decision for me and I am biased towards bike more than a scooter.
Still, looking overall, I would rate this scooter as an average performer. There are few positive points as well as few negative points about this scooter which are listed below:
Pros:
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1) Electronic Start - Easy to start. Do not have to fight with the kick.
2) Hand Brakes - All the controls are in your hands. This is good for females wearing Saris etc.
3) Large underseat compartment - This means more space to carry things.
4) Pretty enough space on the footrest to carry a big parcel.
Cons:
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1) Electronic start has some problem - The scooter does not start immediately when started for the first time after a long time. You have to try 3 - 4 time alongwith the choke to start it. When contacted the dealer about this problem, I was told that this issue is there in the scooter and I have to live with it.
2) The nose tends to come out - The nose of the scooter tends to become loose. I have seen this in many other Activa’s.
3) Mileage is pretty low - My scooter gives me around 30 - 35. I think, I should really drive car rather that this.
Overall, Honda Activa is a powerful scooter in its segment. It is good for females as there are no foot controls. The scooter is well balanced.