Honda Activa i vs Yamaha Ray-Z vs TVS Wego

The Activa i has the highest ground clearance among the three scooters being considered here, but its seat height (765 mm) lies between that of the Ray Z (760 mm) and the Wego (770 mm). There is more knee-room on the Activa i due to its higher steering column and an upright front apron while the seat is long enough to accommodate two riders comfortably.

The Ray Z has compact proportions by comparison. The seat is shorter and hardest of the lot while the Wego, as mentioned before, has the softest seat, but its proportions are similar to the Ray Z’s, which means taller riders will have less knee-room.

All the three scooters have 110-cc single cylinder, air-cooled, four-stroke engines with variomatic transmission. The Honda’s maximum power output is eight PS and it develops 8.74 Nm of torque. The TVS engine makes the same amount of power, but lesser torque of eight Nm, while at 7.1 PS, the Yamaha’s engine is the least powerful, but its 8.1 Nm of torque is available at a lower engine speed.

The Activa i has the best power-to-weight ratio and highest torque output. This is clearly reflected in the acceleration figures. The Honda’s 0-60 km/h timing is 8.49 seconds. The Yamaha gathers the same speed in 9.48 seconds while the TVS takes 10.35 seconds to do so. On the other hand, the Ray Z’s peak torque generation at lower RPM gives it a better mid-range. The Ray Z’ 30-60 km/h timing is 6.09 seconds against the Activa i’s 6.82 while the Wego takes its own sweet time and reaches the 60 mark in 11.7 seconds.

In terms of fuel efficiency, the Activa i is in a different league altogether. It utilises Honda’s latest fine-tuning technique, dubbed as HET (Honda Eco Technology), to achieve fuel efficiency figures comparable to a 100-cc motorcycle. Combining the city and highway figures reveals average fuel efficiency of 63.5 km/l and a range of 336 km on one tank of fuel.

Average fuel efficiency of the Ray Z is 42.5 km/l and it has a range of 212.5 km while the Wego’s averages at 40 km/l and has a range of 200 km. These aren’t bad numbers for 110-cc automatic scooters, but do seem modest when compared to the Honda.

The Wego has an edge over the Ray Z when it comes to riding comfort, mainly due to its soft seat since both the scooters have a similar suspension system. The Ray Z and Activa i, on the other hand, are more nimble than the TVS. However, the Activa i behaves well only as long as the road is smooth. The leading-link suspension it uses for the front wheel often bottoms out and makes the scooter shudder violently when going over a bumpy surface.

When it comes to braking, the Wego rises to the top again. It has a 220-mm hydraulic disc brake on the front wheel and a drum brake on the rear, which gives it far better stopping power than the other two scooters. However, the Activa i and the Ray Z have sufficient braking power for scooters equipped with drum brakes on both the front and rear wheels.

With a price-tag of Rs 52,438, the Honda Activa i is the least expensive 110-cc scooter in India. The Ray Z costs Rs 3,000 more while the Wego (disc brake) retails at almost Rs 60,000.

Considering the above aspects, it is clear that Honda have covered most of the essential points. The Activa i is cheap, fast, comfortable and highly fuel-efficient. The Yamaha Ray Z has sporty styling, but compact proportions. It has the best mid-range performance, decent fuel efficiency, better ride quality than the Activa i and demands a small premium over the Honda. Which makes it a good alternative to the Honda. As for the Wego, it is the most expensive scooter among these three, but justifies the price with its many functional features and robust build quality. It is also the most comfortable scooter to ride and has the best brakes. Therefore, the choice depends upon the buyer’s priority since all the three scooters are fine examples of urban personal transport.

Story: Piyush Sonsale
Photography: Sanjay Raikar