Rohit Paradkar zips around city streets to evaluate the newest avatar of Honda’s trusty urban tool
Photography: Sanjay Raikar and Eshan Shetty

Riding an ungeared scooter can be a pleasant surprise especially after tackling the chaotic traffic on a geared motorcycle and chocking all life out of the poor clutch plates. Having reviewed such geared commuters in the past few BI issues, I was excitedly looking forward to test the latest avatar of the undisputed ruler of the scooter segment, the Honda Activa!

The Activa has always been on my list of Indian wonder vehicles for the sheer way in which it resurrected the dead scooter market in India. However, with the competition having churned out some funky looking products to counter it, I was afraid that the new Activa would end up being an alien-ish looking sibling of the Aviator. Thankfully, the latest Activa comes across, once again, as a subtly designed city slicker and marks its own individuality not only amongst the entire Honda lineup, but the Indian scooter segment as well. While speaking about the Activa’s new design, the people at Honda told me that front fascia is designed with the philosophy of a man’s V shaped torso in mind. Frankly, I fail to see a significant resemblance, nevertheless, the new face is fresh. The small air vents add a hint of sportiness to the overall frontal appearance. Even with all the newly incorporated elements, something appears to be missing – the design doesn’t exude a feeling of completeness especially at the front. The headlight and turn blinkers have maintained their arrangement on the handlebar cowl. The blinkers, now larger, sport a rakish shape and are sure to be more visible to the oncoming traffic than the older model. The position of the tail elements too hasn’t been altered too much, although the shape of the lamp glasses is slightly different than the ones on the previous model. The side panels aren’t a big departure from the ones on the earlier Activa. Honda, however, has taken a lot of metal off the new scoot’s body in a bid to shave off some kilos. The company has used ABS plastics for the front faceplate, headlight cowl and rear panels. The belly pan remains metallic though to provide the strength required to protect the underbody from pebbles shooting from the front tyre on gravely, broken roads. Overall, the design is fresh but still has clues of the old Activa to highlight the lineage.

Apart from the new body, the big news on the new Activa is the new engine for the ’09 model. The mill is now bored out to displace 109cc as opposed to 102cc of the earlier engine. The engine now puts out 8PS at 7500rpm – 1PS up over its predecessor. But that doesn’t translate into a significantly higher acceleration as suggested by our test figures. But the power figure is not the only stat that has gone up. The magic figure for me was the 9Nm of torque, which is the trump card for the new Activa and puts it ahead of even some 100cc motorcycles in the market. Mate this figure to the seamless variomatic transmission and what you get is a scooter that can zip through the unnerving city traffic with utter ease.

The scooter’s strength lies between the 40-50km/h mark. Within this range, the vehicle will not only return decent fuel efficiency, but will also deliver enough torque to make quick overtaking manoeuver. However, once you cross this mark and proceed to the 70km/h zone, the Honda mill changes its silent tone into an echoing hum. This hum amplifies as you accelerate further and also brings in a slight hint of vibes as you max out close to 89km/h. Though the Activa zips around comfortably, the brakes aren’t really a big improvement over the scoot’s earlier avatar. The 130mm drums front/rear lack the stopping power that you would get from the Aviator’s disc. Yes, I know I’ll sound stupid if I compared the drums to a disc, but then why not have disc brakes on the new Activa in the first place, as an option at least? If Honda could integrate the mechanism on the Aviator and still manage to price the scooter under Rs 50,000 on road, they could have done the same for the new Activa too. There is a mopdel with combined braking coming soon, but I still doubt whether it’ll outperform a full fledged disc brake system.

Brakes apart, the Activa continues to impress in the city with improved fuel efficiency figures. Even on a crowded day, Aspi managed to extract 52kmpl in the city and 58kmpl on the highway (though the latter is not of much significance with regards to a scooter). While these figures inspire you to make a buying decision in favour of the new Activa, what may dishearten a few fairer souls is the increase in saddle height by 5mm. However, the front sides of the seat have been slightly scooped off halfway through the length thereby reducing its width at the front. This will help a shorter rider easily reach the ground in spite of the increase in ride height. Under the new seat is some increased luggage space and is achieved by trading in a litre worth of fuel tank capacity. Though Honda claims that the storage space can accommodate a full face helmet, I could hardly fit in my Studds open face in the cavity. Whatever the storage space can hold though, rest assured that it will be safer in the new Activa than the older one. Thugs and victims alike will recall that the wire actuated seat locking mechanism located above the swingarm was easy to access and break into for the trained hand. The new mechanism has a metal covering which restricts access and would in turn prevent thefts – a boon for people who have the habit of leaving valuables in the underseat storage. Another security aspect is the key shutter, but that is not available on the standard model and will be available only on the Deluxe variant.

Coming to ride quality, the Activa has always offered a comfortable ride and the new version is no exception. The front suspension in the new Activa still employs a bottom link, spring loaded hydraulic damper setup, which has been trashed by the competition for telescopic forks long back. After having ridden the Aviator, the front suspension of the Activa leaves a lot to be desired. The handling isn’t as crisp as the Aviator’s. But since I’m stating that the new Activa is no exception to the old one’s comfortable characteristics, I would rather compare the new model with its predecessor than its elder sibling. The rear suspension too is carried over from the old Activa and is made up of a single-sided swingarm with a spring loaded hydraulic damper. The entire suspension setup coupled with the wide and comfortable seats makes for good ride comfort for the rider and the pillion. The pillion comfort is augmented further by virtue of the newly designed footpegs. On the earlier model, the footpegs wouldn’t open easily especially with the panel guards in place. On the new Activa though, there are small notches on the pegs for easy access to open them outward or tuck them back in. Overall the riding position for both the rider as well as the pillion turns out to be more comfortable on the new scooter.

So, are the improvements worth the extra money? The answer is a simple yes. The new Activa is dearer over the ex-showroom price of the outgoing model by only Rs 1,500. In exchange, the scooter returns better fuel efficiency, has a bigger capacity engine, more storage space, offers good ride comfort and comes with Honda reliability. Though a side stand, panel guards and glove box remain optional accessories, the base price is still good value for money. We wish there wasn’t any price increase over the earlier model, but the extra amount quoted isn’t too exorbitant for you to alter your buying decision. Be it the tight city conditions or broken roads on the countryside, the scooter can carry two riders with great comfort. It’s got a new face to match up to the times, but still carries the subtle lineage forward. If an understated, reliable, no-nonsense scooter is what you’re looking for, your search ends here.

Is the Stunner version 2.0 an improvement over the older version as it happens with electronic gadgets or does it disappoint like movie sequels?
Words: Mihir Gadre
Photography: Sanjay Raikar

Usually, when Honda launches a new product it leaves the audience gasping for breath. The Stunner FI launch was no different. This time though it was not because Honda had unleashed yet another phenomenal product but because of the bike’s price tag of Rs 72,834 (on-road, Pune). To put this into perspective, let me give you an overview of its competition. Yamaha’s streetfighter par excellence, the FZ16 as well as TVS’ flagship, the Apache RTR EFi cost exactly the same as the Honda. Those looking for affordable performance have options like the Pulsar 180 or the Apache RTR, both of which retail for about rupees five grand less.

Honda’s own 150cc offering, the Unicorn, is rupees nine grand cheaper whereas the Hero Honda Achiever, which sports the same 150cc engine from the Unicorn, costs around Rs 12,000 less. Honda’s other 125cc bike, the Stunner (without the FI), is Rs 15,000 cheaper while the Shine is a whopping rupees 19 grand less. Does the FI tech justify the Stunner FI’s ultra premium price tag or is Honda asking for too much for a couple of alphabets added to the Stunner’s name tag? Well, let’s find out…

Style and ergonomics
The Stunner is a very handsome bike. The body work follows a uniform design language from its sharp, beak-like front to its upswept tail. The ergos are slightly sporty with rear set footpegs but are reasonably comfortable at the same time thanks to the high seat and handlebars. The quarter fairing too has been executed with much more finesse than the abrupt jobs pasted on to some other bikes in the country. I opine that the Stunner is one of the best looking bikes in the country. The FI version gets a new two-tone paint scheme with colours borrowed from the Fireblade which look, well, stunning.

The new shade of deep metallic red especially complements the bike much better than the solid blood red shade of the old bike. Build quality too is top notch perhaps the best you will find in the market. The FI gets red coloured rear springs, a silver heat shield and a golden coloured engine which differentiate it from the carburetor fed variant. However, we have a bone to pick with Honda for ditching the wing graphics on the tank and fairing that we absolutely loved. Nevertheless, on the styling front at least, the new bike fares much better than the competition.

Performance and FE
The Stunner is now the fifth bike on the market to feature fuel injection and the second, after the Glamour FI, to get Honda’s Legendary PGM-FI short for Programmed Fuel Injection. The FI engine feels much more refined than the carbureted version while the gearbox is a typical butter smooth Honda unit. The throttle response has improved and is especially evident while blipping on downshifts. The engine now produces 11.76PS of peak power – half a PS more than the old Stunner – and 11.2Nm of torque at a slightly lower 6250rpm.

The FI manages much higher speeds in every gear compared to the carbureted Stunner which used to be totally out of breath at the 80km/h mark. However, the difference is not so much due to FI technology as Honda would like you to believe but because of the revised gearing. Honda technicians have given the bike a taller gearing by going one tooth down on the rear sprocket. BIKE India had suggested a similar gearing change to Honda way back in June 2006. We had even carried out the sprocket modification on the Shine and had done a comparo with the stock Shine in our magazine. However, it took Honda three long years to implement the changes. Honda must have hoped that nobody would find out about the revised gearing and assume that the difference in performance was all because of the PGM-FI.

The bike clocked a 0-60km/h time of 6.32sec and a top speed of 108.2km/h. Its performance is good for a 125cc but it is not good enough for the bikes it is trying to compete with. More than outright performance, it’s the new bike’s deficiency in midrange torque that takes it out of the performance game. However, Stunner FI does make up for it by returning fantastic fuel efficiency figures. The bike managed to stretch a litre to 64km on city roads and 72km on the highway. That gives it an overall fuel efficiency of 66kmpl which is 5kmpl more than the carbureted version in addition to being on par with other 125s.

Ride and handling

There are no changes on the chassis-suspension front. The bike is stiffly sprung to complement its sporty pretensions. This gives it a slightly harsh ride especially when riding solo. The ride gets much more compliant with a pillion on board. However, the stiff set-up also has its own advantages. It gives the bike good handling characteristics. The Stunner FI has a good grip and plenty of feedback through the tyres. The short wheelbase makes it a doodle to swerve in and out of the traffic. So in terms of dynamics, it does manage to outclass most of its competition. Many Stunner owners complain about the problem of vibes creeping up through the footpegs and handlebars at the top end of its rev range. Thankfully, as the FI variant runs lower revs due to its taller gearing in addition to the bike’s new bar ends, this problem has been alleviated to a great extent.

Verdict
What the Stunner FI sets out to achieve is to give the customer the performance of a 150 and the fuel efficiency of a 125 and it has almost achieved this goal. At the same time, it feels much more of a premium product compared to its competitors and has that all important big bike feel. It would have been a great product for people looking for a premium bike with great fuel efficiency to boot had it been priced a bit more realistically. A maximum premium of Rs 5,000 over the carbureted Stunner would have been justifiable. But a price tag of Rs 73,000 is just too optimistic on Honda’s part.

To reiterate a bit, the bike is certainly head and shoulders above the rest in its segment but is so darn expensive that prospective buyers are forced to consider other alternatives. The fact that Honda itself offers a fantastic bike like the Unicorn at a reasonable price makes the case for the Stunner F1 a bit weaker. The Unicorn is a well established benchmark in its segment with its legendary reliability, refinement, performance and dynamics. It also has a monoshock rear suspension and a tachometer which is absent on the Stunner FI.
If you compare the Stunner FI with the Unicorn, it is 7kmpl more fuel efficient than the Unicorn but then there’s a difference of Rs 9,000 in their price tag. So if you do the math it will take you at least 75,000km of riding to recover the price difference in your fuel bills. As such, the big question is whether the Stunner FI will be flying out of showrooms like all the other Hondas.

More power. More fun. More bang for your buck. The P220 returns with a vengeance
Words Bunny Punia
Photography Sanjay Raikar

While exiting the last left oval before the straight started, I ducked down as much as my large frame allowed. Gunning the bike, I upshifted to fourth and could see the digital speedometer climb towards the 120km/h mark rapidly. At close to 130km/h, I shifted to fifth and by the time I was forced to brake hard for a left curve, the speedometer had registered 135km/h! For a rider weighing in at a quintal, these speeds are phenomenal on a short straight. Can the new Bajaj Pulsar 220 easily clinch back the crown for being the fastest Indian bike?

When launched two years ago, the P220 redefined the rules of performance biking in India. It also marked the debut of technologies and features never before seen on any domestic motorcycle. As an overall package, true to Bajaj’s traits, the 220 was also a fantastic value for money proposition. However, once Yamaha entered the Indian performance biking segment, they stole the crown from the Pulsar 220. Later, with TVS confirming the launch of the 180cc RTR, Bajaj had to act fast to reclaim its lost glory.

Starting on the outside, the firm’s design boffins have followed an all-black treatment seen on the bike’s new smaller capacity siblings too. The engine, the alloy wheels, the suspension and the chassis – everything is painted the colour of midnight. In our opinion this treatment goes a long way in adding more muscle and poise to the bike. The inclusion of a braided brake hose not only looks good, but also improves the feel under hard braking as there is next to no flexing of the steel hose. There is a slight change in the sticker work as well but we are left wondering what the big ‘F’ logo behind the front indicator means? The tyres remain the same, however, Bajaj officials claim they are now made of softer compound in order to aid grip around corners.

A major alteration, however, is between the bike’s wheels. The engine does away with the fuel injection system and in its place comes the biggest carburetor seen on any current Indian production bike – a UCAL UCD 32 Venturi unit. This is a major departure but Bajaj claims that the overall benefits in terms of getting more power and better fuel economy at a lesser cost compared to the FI unit made them incorporate this change. Other modifications like graphite coating of the piston’s skirt for reducing the friction between the block and the piston, a modified intake port, high lift cams, a larger resonator and a bigger catalytic converter aid in generating more power which is up by a PS to 21. These figures give the Pulsar 220 the best power-to-weight ratio in India. Bajaj also claims to have made the final gearing longer for a better top end.

Right then, with our test equipment strapped on, it wasn’t long before we realized that the carbureted Pulsar 220 managed better timings than its predecessor. Most importantly, the new bike bettered its previous iteration’s top speed by a fair margin. Naught to sixty comes up in 4.7 seconds and the ’09 220 flies past the 100km/h mark in just 13.1 seconds. With Aspi on board and a relatively short straight, that didn’t do full justice to the bike’s top end, our test equipment still showed a true 132.5km/h with the bike’s digital speedometer registering 142km/h! Needless to say, these numbers make the new Bajaj Pulsar 220 the quickest and the fastest production bike in the country today. Performance aside, the company also claims an improvement in the bike’s fuel efficiency by approximately five percent over the FI model, however, we couldn’t test the fuel economy due to a lack of time.

Time and again, we have highlighted the 220’s weakness around the track. Although there hasn’t been a significant change in the bike’s chassis and suspension setup, some retuning, especially at the front has been done. We rode the bike for an hour around Bajaj’s test track at Chakan and could feel the softer compound tyres doing their duties well. However, the main stand played spoilsport and was done away with for the photo shoot. The tendency of the earlier 220’s front suspension to dive while braking hard has been somewhat reduced in the new version. However, we would like to reserve our judgment about the bike’s handling prowess compared to its main rivals until we pit it against the competition soon.

Saving the best for last, the biggest improvement, rather the reason I would recommend this machine to bike fanatics, is its discounted price. We knew the 220’s sticker price would be reduced, considering the bike is now minus an expensive FI unit, but what we heard is simply outrageous. The 2009 Pulsar 220 will retail for approximately ten big ones less than the current bike which, simply put, makes it a shattering value for money deal! This price makes the 220 almost rupees thirty grand cheaper than its main rival – more than enough reason for bikers to head to a Bajaj showroom and book one right away. The 220 was once the benchmark for performance bikes in India and unlike other manufacturers, Bajaj didn’t want to sit and relax on their laurels. Instead, they have decided to raise the bar higher and challenge themselves by delivering a product that is not only better looking and faster but economical to run as well as to own. So, does that mean the competition has been smoked already? Let’s wait and watch!