I bought a honda activa when I was to buy a two wheeler and was deciding on a bike or a scooter. As I am a service class person and a software geek, my backpack includes a tiffin, books, CDs and lots of other misc stuff. So, bike was totally out. Moreover, I love comforts.
What attracted me to Activa was its riding comfort, hassle free and non-tiring driving (no gears/clutch), and big boot space.
I bought it 2 years ago, and till date I am not regretting my decision. The scooter is simply great.
Positives:
Easy Start. I had a kinetic honda once, and in winters, it gave me nagging problems. but put on half choke, and start.. and keep the choke on for around 1-2 mins. Then, there is no problem.
Easy Driving. Well, gearless, so no hassles.
Excellent balance: center engine, so the riding balance and turning is good.
Good Brakes: If the tyres are not worn out, and brake shoes are in good condition, braking is good and steady.
Boot space: needless to mention, if I can get all my stuff inside it, I think anybody can !!
Mileage: I can get a average of around 50 kms in BAD city driving, including traffic jams and stuff.
Things to ponder:
Service: Honda is to improve on the service provided by the dealers. I am really NOT SATISFIED by what the local dealer at Agra is giving. They just dont care about things, and most of the times, the scooter is just washed, sparkplug cleaned and given. And, beleive me, this is really irritating and idiotic.
Light: the light is not good. I tried replacing the bulb with halogen bulb, but the focus is just not right. Many times, I have thought of fixing an extra light on the handle !!
Front colunm and shockers: If, by any chance, you stumble on a big pothole, or have a tete-a-tete with someone, thereby affecting the front column, beleive me, nobody will ever be able to rectify it. The local dealer doesnt want to understand the problem. and the repair people are there to prove that there is no problem, and I know nothing about the scooter.
MAINTENANCE:
General : Oil change.
Brake shoes in 20, 000 kms
rear tyre in 20, 000 kms
battery after 14 months.
horn after 16 months
front shockers after 15 months.
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Still, I like the scooter very much.
So, the things boil down to the fact that CHECK THE DEALER AND THE SERVICE before buying this scooter. the machine is excellent... but if you dont get proper service, you may get frustated. Even if you can get a good local service person who can look into the scooter properly, go for it. !!