I am an avid fan of machines and have an inclination to go into detail of each machine I come across..i had used kinetic, vespa 150, priya, LML Vespa, CBZ and Passion Plus. I had a great liking for Honda Activa when I saw people zooming on the vehicle. I own a passion plus as on date, but got disgusted by its pick-up and smoothness even after regular servicing for every two months even though odometer shows only 1800 kms for every two months. I had searched for all the dealers at hyderabad for the purchase of Honda Activa vehicle. I was rather surprised that I couldn’t get my desired color - grey metallic at most of the dealers and the waiting time ranged from 2 months to 6 months.
At last, I booked the vehicle from M/s.Fortune Motors, Ranigunj as they have my desired color and waiting period is 3 months in the month of August 2011. On the before day of Diwali I got a call from the dealer stating that I can contact the showroom and do the payment. when I had contacted them, they are asking me to pay for the vehicle amount without showing the vehicle and they say that they would give the vehicle after one week of payment. I was adamant and asked them why I should pay the amount in advance and who is asking them for the payment. I could understand that I have to pay or else I shall be left in the queue. I had paid the amount and there after I had been calling up the dealer regularly for one week and one fine day I thought of going to the dealers place and thereafter go for consumer court for the cheating, depending on the dealers reply.
When I contacted the dealer, they said that the vehicle is ready and delivered the vehicle. At last I got the vehicle. It was such a pleasure to drive the vehicle. Engine under your seat giving a smooth virring sound and I liked the vehicle.i shall give all the pros and cons as below :
Pros :
Of all the vehicles till date, this is the smoothest of all. Engine is the best of all, which comes to life whirring under ur command at just touch of a button. Comfort levels are ok..Good storage space under the seat.. magnetic lock shield to prevent theft.. lever to lock the brake if vehicle position in a slant area..combi brake for people who have the habit of using only the rear or front brakes..Good pick-up..could pick up two adults of 65 kgs in jubilee hills area where my passion plus used to weep to pull up.. has given me 44 kmpl.
cons :
Brakes are not good at times I am afraid that I may bang against any vehicle..this was checked on sloper areas as we need to slow down drastically time and again pulling the brake lever and releasing the lever to stop overheating.. Seat hook given too below the seat..has problem using the hook..has problem starting on cold morning..should have to pull the chock and self start as it wont start with a kick in the mornings..small petrol tank..would be full if u put 4.10 ltrs for Rs.300/-..need to frequent petrol bunks.. wrong positing of the head light beams..i need to adust this myself probably..and as one customer has wrongly pointed out that some light is visible from the gap in between the front viser and the fiber body.. pillion riders foot would be wounded for sure for the positioning of the pillion riders foot rest protruding out of the way of the scooter body..need to be inside the scooter body as in mahindra duro..
Now, excluding this minor flaws which most of the scooters has - Kinetic used to give a lot of sound to give the desired pick-up, has low ground clearance, driver riding a chetak will have less control over the vehicle, Hero Honda vehicles need to be service once we clock 1500 kms or 2 months or else they would give a clear sign that the vehicle need to be serviced ...
Apart from this..i got my first vehicle free servicing done at Pratul Honda..fearing how the service would be after reading the reviews..i gave the vehicle at 9.30 am and was asked to call their service centre at 4pm..when I had called them promptly..the lady sitting at the desk told me that the vehicle is being serviced and only water servicing is left..i asked her oil change and water servicing is what to be done for first free service..for which she promptly replied that she shall call after half an hour..she called up and I had been to the service centre at 5.30 pm..the vehicle was just serviced with all the water on the vehicle including the storage area..which I had pointed out and they had cleaned up..but after moving for some distance I could note that the vehicle is dragging and doubted the freeplay of the brakes..and astonished to note that the brakes are fully tightened..i had to return to the service centre and had to loosen the brake nuts for the front wheel after much persuasion of the service engineers..after two days of running I could notice some sound coming from under the seat..had to visit the service station which was promptly rectified..
After reading many reviews and noticing the driving habits of people on the road I shall give a few suggestions after my observations:
I had seen people writing reviews that they are getting low mileage with these vehicles.. reason is I had seen people driving this vehicle with their hands tightly on the brake levers..which affect the mileage , brakes and clutch as well..
Mechanics which call as engine brake can be used to bring down the acceleration of the vehicle..there after apply the brakes if necessary..in simple terms..bring down the accelerator and the vehicle will come to half of its running speed..there by reducing the need to brake..
Cold moring start - vehicle can be started by pulling the choke and using self-start, run the engine for a few minutes..close the choke knob and whirr away..this also increases ur mileage.
Suzuki definitely has a good pick-up comparatively because of it Cubic capacity..125 cc..but mind you..mileage will come down too..they have used fibre body to reduce the weight of the vehicle..and improve the mileage..but if u crash and break your vehicle body..u need to replace the whole unit..you may get the same color or a different color..or keep the vehicle at service station till u get a body for it..
People just push the accelerator haphazardly and to extreme limits and claim that they dont get good mileage..know that your mileage is in proportion to your acceleration..if you pull the accelerator more..you will get less mileage..use your accelerator to move the vehicle..and to enjoy your ride..till you maintain your speed at 40 to 50 kmph on the odometer..not to race..you will get good mileage on any vehicle..
6.i had also read suzuki reviews..pls. dont fix the front guard to the vehicle as the front bumper shall not hold the front guard as it is made up of fibre.
Mere fixing of guards doesnt reduce your mileage..your driving habits does..fixing guards guard your vehicle against scratches..any untoward incidents and slight nudging on the road , at petrol bunks and at traffic juinctions , by fellow drivers .
I had seen Honda Activa Vehicles still whirring the roads..old models..without any noise in their engines..time tested..and value for your money on the long run..
Taking all these into consideration..i vouch for Honda Activa..eventough we have some problem with the dealers..till you get the vroom machine into your hands..use it smoothly and you will get good result.
This is my experience for having run the vehicle for 750 kms..more in my next review..