Honda Navi

I have never been a big fan of scooters. Yes, they have a practical side to them but scooters for me are all about going grocery shopping. And that’s what makes the Navi so interesting a package for me. Navi is a head turner wherever it goes. I have wanted to ride one since I saw it at the Auto Expo this year.

It’s based on a scooter chassis and the engine-transmission is an integrated unit of the rear swingarm. But the styling is more motorcycle, with a proper fuel tank and seat. Most of the bits have been picked up from the Honda parts bin. The rear taillight is courtesy the Honda Stunner, as is the switch gear. The headlight design is all-new and has a very Honda MSX 125 (Grom)-like face.

Riding the Navi, the first few kilometers proves that this bike has the go to match the show. The 109cc motor responds with a quick sprint to 50kph. The engine makes the same 8bhp and 8.9Nm like the Activa, but feels peppier. This can be attributed to the kerb weight. The Navi is 7 kg lighter than the 108 kg Activa and that explains the liveliness. Once the bike crosses 60kph though, it’s a slow climb to 81kph. At these speeds the scooter feels planted though, thanks to the stability provided by the extended rake angle. Still, while I am impressed with the high-speed stability of the Navi, crosswinds can be a little unsettling.



Approaching an intersection, by force of habit I try to use engine braking; it’s easy to forget that you’re riding a gearless two-wheeler. Yet, the Navi convinces me for most of my ride that I am riding a bike.

Thankfully the brakes come to my rescue in slowing the vehicle down. Yes, some people will point out that a disc upfront would have done the job better. But for the fun the Navi offers I really don’t mind its absence.

The ride feels stiffer than the Activa. It became all the more nerve-racking while riding on potholed roads. I guess the suspension has been tuned factoring in a pillion.

While I didn’t like the ride very much, moving around in traffic on the Navi is a lot of fun. The front feels light as there’s no engine in the middle and it helps zigzagging through city traffic. The Navi is built for the city and it works perfectly well squeezing into tight spaces. Cornering is not the main concern with a scooter, but the Navi manages corners really well. Just don’t push it too hard; under all that fake-bike makeup, it’s still a scooter.

Also, there are a few tradeoffs when it comes to convenience. For starters, there’s no boot space even though you get luggage space in the cavity below the fuel tank. Honda provides a utility box as an accessory, but I doubt if a helmet can be accommodated there.



Storage is not the only problem for the Navi. Unlike the Activa’s 5.3-litre fuel carrying capacity, the Navi get a 3.8-litre fuel tank. And, since I had been throttle happy all day, I was only able to get 36.2kpl.

The Navi has a few chinks in its funky looking armor. It offers the fun of a bike but there are a few tradeoffs that you will have to live with. But are these minor setbacks a deal breaker? I don’t think so.

First of all, Honda has done some out-of-the-box thinking here with the Navi and opened a whole new segment.

Though the Navi has its drawbacks, it’s still a well-sorted package. It is a highly customisable package and this should work for the youth (Honda’s target audience). And for a price tag of Rs 39,000 ex-showroom Delhi, it’s easy to overlook all those shortcomings.

Specs:

Four stroke, 1-cyl, 109cc engine, 8bhp, 8.9Nm, Transmission: CVT, Top Speed: 81kph (claimed), Weight: 101 kg, Efficiency: 36.2kpl, Prices: Rs 39,000 (ex-showroom Delhi).

suzuki gixxer sf

Suzuki has launched the rear disc variant of its Gixxer range of motorcycles at North Campus, Delhi on the occasion of 'Gixxer Day'. The crpwd which was energized by international Freestyle rider, Aras Gibieza and his skilful bike performance.


The Gixxer carries the lineage of the legendary GSX-R series, and the new variant with the rear disc brake was officially launched in Delhi today. The new addition will provide better stability and control on all kinds of terrain.


Suzuki Gixxer Day is a gathering of Suzuki Gixxer and Gixxer SF owners to celebrate the spirit of the hugely successful Street Sport Bike, while being entertained by the world class performance of the Freestyle Champion Aras, in addition to other performers and entertainers, lucky draws and contests for all participants.


New Delhi hosted the first edition of the Gixxer Day amidst much fan-fare and this event shall visit Kolkata, Shillong, Hyderabad, Chennai, Kochi, Bangalore, Mumbai and Pune.


SMIPL also used this opportunity to kickstart their #amGixxer campaign, where they have created a community of like minded Gixxer customers, fans and enthusiasts. This community shall provide a platform to host various activities across the country, mainly moderated via the digital medium of facebook and social media. Gixxer Day and a dedicated 'amGixxer' facebook page are the first of such community activities to be taken up under the #amGixxer campaign.


Mr. Satoshi Uchida, Managing Director, SMIPL, said "With constant support of our customers, SMIPL continues to offer new products and technologies to the Indian market. We are pleased to introduce our new variant of the much loved Gixxer range. It is one of our most successful products, and to commemorate its success, we are celebrating Gixxer Day with all our customers and bike enthusiasts who have been an integral part of this journey. Through this, Suzuki wishes to cater to the appetite of Gixxer customers for more intense engagement with the brand".


The Gixxer is available with the Rear Disc Brake as an option in the following colours - Lush Green / Glass Sparkle Black, Metallic Triton Blue / Pearl Mirage White and Candy Sonoma Red / Glass Sparkle Black - and is priced at Rs. 79,726 (Ex showroom, Delhi).


The Gixxer SF will sport the Rear Disc Brake as standard in the following colours - Pearl Mirage Red and Glass Sparkle Black - and is priced at Rs. 87,343 (Ex showroom, Delhi) whereas the MotoGP Edition (Metallic Triton Blue) with Rear Disc Brake will be priced at Rs. 88,857 (Ex showroom, Delhi).

Bonneville T120

If you were a cool guy in the 60's, you possibly owned a Triumph Bonneville. If you are a cool guy today, you should own one of these. The Bonnie has been an icon of sorts for more than half a century. What makes it so special is its timeless design and a simple approach to riding.

So, after 15 years of the current generation bike, Triumph has treated us with its new Bonnie range. We recently rode the T120 Black, which comes finished in, umm... black. This colour option, however, won’t be on sale in India and is reserved for international markets only. Apart from that, it’s the same retro-styled Bonnie with a bigger engine and some clever tech.

We are in Lisbon, Portugal to sample the T120 that replaces the T100. There’s an all-new motor sitting neatly on the new cradle frame chassis. The 1,200cc liquid cooled, parallel-twin unit makes 79bhp and a healthy 105Nm of torque. Sure, the figures don’t sound very impressive on a modern bike, but for a Bonneville, those are impressive numbers. It’s all about ease of use when it comes to a Bonnie and the T120 impresses with its overall usability.

Max torque is available from 3100rpm, which translates to some effortless riding in the city. Add to that a light clutch and things get a lot easier in traffic. But that’s not the only thing that impresses us on the T120. Tipping the scales at 224 kg, we were a bit cynical of this Triumph’s agility. Sure, all that weight gives it the stability you need on open highways, but would it be able to handle corners enthusiastically? Seems like we were wrong.

Riding on the western-most part of Europe, next to the Atlantic Ocean, the T120 impresses us with its handling capabilities. There’s adequate torque on tap to take sweeping corners, and then just shoot off on the straights. You can do that without having to constantly change gears – the torque spread is that good. And unlike the older bike, which felt a bit front heavy, the T120 feels better balanced.

The T120’s upright riding position is something that works really well for us. Though windblast is a bit of a concern at higher speeds, we hardly got any opportunities to go past 100kph. And this is possibly the best thing about the Bonnie. It’s got the pace, you can ride it fast if you want to, but at the same time, it’s equally fun and comforting even while cruising at 60kph on the highway.

Another welcome change over the old Bonneville is the ride comfort. Though road conditions in this part of the world aren’t bad, we did come across some rough patches and the T120’s suspension soaked up bumps really well. However, we will reserve our final verdict on the new Bonnie’s ride once we test it on Indian soil.

The new Bonnie comes with traction control and ABS, and although we think a motorcycle like the Bonneville doesn’t really need TC, it brings an added level of safety into the equation. There are two modes for traction control – rain and road (default), which can be easily switched on the go. Though we didn’t encounter any rain showers and riding conditions were near perfect, we still switched to the ‘rain’ mode to get a feel of it. The throttle response feels subdued and the torque boost you get every time you shift up was missing.

The easily accessible power throughout the rev range means rideability on the new Bonneville is supreme. But keep it around 4000rpm and the bike feels the most rewarding. The Bonnie’s simple approach to riding is what makes the bike so loveable. It’s not the sharpest or the fasted 1200cc motorcycle around, and it’s not trying to be one either. The new Triumph Bonneville may carry retro styling, but offers all the modern riding aid, without really hampering the joy of riding. It is for people who like riding regularly. And we love it for that.

Specs
Liquid cooled, in-line twin, 1200cc, 79bhp, 105Nm, 6M, 224kg, Rs 8.7 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi)

Verdict
A timeless classic gets modern tech but continues to let the rider be in full control of its ride. A tried and tested formula that’s made the Bonneville extremely likeable for decades.