Well here we are, Indian middle class has managed to seduce the Japanese gaint to step into the 125 cc segment in India. When I first went to test the bike , I had great expectations, I must say I came back dissappointed!! but then making judgement with one test ride is not fair, hence u all can consider this as a quickie.
Looks: When I first saw Shine, I was dissappointed, its a plain jane. Unicorn, though no competition to pulsar in luks, at least had a gud executive look to it. Shine looks very simple and outdated when compared to our own discover and glx.
As of now available in 5 colors
Wild purple Metallic, Champion Blue Metallic, Black, Alpha Red Metallic and Geny Grey Metallic. I liked the blue metallic
Ride: Butter smooth engine (optimax). Started in a single kick with a soft purr. Shift to secon, too smooth, in fact I was not sure if the gear had shifted. I went upto 75kmph(my friend strictly watching the speed behind me :))), no vibrations. Honda definitely deserve the tag of 4 stroke engine pioneers, bajaj dtsi or tvs VTi have not been able to come anywhere near them so far with regards to engine. They seem to have given a second hand version of their ’’optimax’’ engine as ’’qauntum core’’ tech to HH.
Comfort: Quite a comfortable bike, though this can be judged only in a long ride. Honda claims to have designed it with a new revolutionary Ergo Tec design.
Mileage: Company claims 65Kmpl, my frnd gets 45 now, but after servicing he expects 55 in city.
125 cc Optimax (Optimum Input for Maximum Output) engine
10.3 BHP
0 - 60 kmph run in just 5.3 secs
CV carburettor
multi mapping CDI
Tumble Flow Combustion Chamber
two way Air Jacket
pulse exhaust system
(Some of these are in India for the first time!)
In short a conservative safe bike from Honda when we expected a dynamic stylish bike. Somehow I feel they learn a lesson or two from our own bajaj and tvs regarding looks of bike for Indian market