Ask any college-going kid for his/her choice of scooter, and it will invariably be the Dio. Youngsters go crazy for it and swear by the Dio. However, I have never seen any matured person riding one. 99% of the Dio’s owners are 25 and below. That led me to wonder - what makes it so desirable for the youngsters and what makes mature buyers avoid it? Is it just the looks or is there anything else to it?
The answer to my curiosity came when I got to own my friends’ Dio for two days when my bike was away for a repair. Yes, the Dio looked youthful and all that. The matte grey metallic paint looked beautiful and it was lighter than an Activa. However, it’s only when I and my wife settled on the seat that we realized why the Dio wasn’t popular among mature riders - the seating was very unergonomic and the seat length too small - just enough for two size-zero youngsters to fit in. For me and my wife, the seating was inadequate. Moreover, if I had to leave sufficient room for my wife to sit, I had to sit forward enough that my knees were touching the front guard and maneouvring the scooter was difficult. The rear seating was also awkward, with the pillion sitting in an almost squatting position. The rideability improved when I rode it solo - I could sit further backwards on the seat, leaving no space for a pillion.
The engine is the same as the Activa which is known for it’s bulletproof reliablility. It has a good pickup and acceptable FE. Given good roads and favourable conditions, it has the capability to touch 80, though I’d never try to attempt it. The shorter wheelbase made it more fidgety than any other scooter. OK, youngsters may like to call it more flickable, but as a seasoned rider, I found the fidgety unstability rather disturbing. The weightless front end also made handling this scooter a bit of a disconnected experience, as there was no feedback from the front wheels at all. The engine also felt a tad bit rougher than an Activa, though I couldn’t ascertain whether it was due to normal wear. Suspension wasn’t as plush as Activa’s.
On a closing note, Dio’s a good-looking scooter best suited for skinny teenagers or for riding solo. Seating is inadequate and handling feels quite disconnected. Any mature rider will find it unsuitable.