First impression of Honda Aviator

[gendarmee]

Originally Posted by hollywoodhogan

is it? not quite my dear.

seriously, breeze or not the leading link suspension is outdated and of that there is no doubt.

Even the internal combustion engine is out dated, same bore and same piston!?!

The kind of suspension depends more on the design, one can also cry about bikes having 2 shocks for the rear & that mono shocks do better, the same way one can cry about a gear less scooter having only one shock in the rear while bikes & blaze have 2 shocks.
IMO, Nothing is out dated as long as it does the job well.
Get the bushes changed if they are worn out, and it does well.

"Flyte will be targeted at the fastest growing two-wheeler profile – women, especially the younger women – students or executives. The positioning for the Flyte is 'Ride the Change' and the marketing communications would speak to the modern, confident and ambitious women."

I didnt know the flyte was a scootertte till today

[ravi@64bhp]

Just test rode the much-talked Aviator.

Looks:
Lookwise I did not like it at all, may be it will take more time for me to accostom to the new look. The scooter looks a bit bigger in size. I am 5'8" and not able to put my legs completely on the ground sitting astride (I was able to do that but not comfortably). The front rim size is bigger (12 inch), but the rear wheel size remains 10 inches. The scooter looks a bit huge, and rear look elevates the tiny tyre size.

Engine:
Same old 102cc engine, same pickup, same smoothness. NOt much to say. The bike really needs a bigger heart. I am really disappointed in this aspect.

Handling and Breaking:
The bigger front wheel, telescopic front suspension, and disc brake definitely helped in good breaking. Handling and maneurability are good, but not as Flyte. I could not test on potholed road to check the suspension capabilty.

The bike is available on the spot for Rs. 49000 OTR (disc brake version) and all colors are available (JSP honda, kukatpally, hyderabad).

[gendarmee]

Originally Posted by ravi@64bhp

Just test rode the much-talked Aviator.


The bike is available on the spot for Rs. 49000 OTR (disc brake version) and all colors are available (JSP honda, kukatpally, hyderabad).

What? the narayanguda Honda guy, where i took the activa said that the aviator will take time to come last week.
I'll check it out tomm again.
I agree with the styling part, it more like scooterette, activa with a face lift.

[hollywoodhogan]

Originally Posted by gendarmee

Even the internal combustion engine is out dated, same bore and same piston!?!

The kind of suspension depends more on the design, one can also cry about bikes having 2 shocks for the rear & that mono shocks do better, the same way one can cry about a gear less scooter having only one shock in the rear while bikes & blaze have 2 shocks.
IMO, Nothing is out dated as long as it does the job well.
Get the bushes changed if they are worn out, and it does well.

perhaps yes but just one point, hold the front brake and try to push dowm on a leading link suspension. there will be no action whereas in the telescopic type the suspension will act even with the front brake held tight. so basically whilst riding and during braking on broken roads the leading link will harden up and not act but shudder and thud. besides the leading link suspension has been abandoned my all manufacturers except in cases where cost is a factor.

the aviator sports a telescopic suspension.

[ravi@64bhp]

Yesterday, I stopped a guy who is riding this Avaiator in the traffic, and asked how he felt. He said, the handling and suspension were tooo good compared to the activa and dio. He previously rode an Activa.

There is a review at Motorcyclist At Large of Aviator, and he claimed the handling and breaking is superb compared to Flyte and Access.

[chvvkumar]

If the Aviator is going for allmost 50k, isn't it a bit too near the blaze bracket? They should get it down to atleast 45k.

[sunilbakshi]

for the disk brake version braking is better but thats very expensive version..
motorcyclist hasnt said handling is better than flyte/access.. hes talking @ the front telescopic forks

[vasanthn21]

Are the disc brakes in Aviator really good?

The reason I am asking is - I have heard many stories about disc brakes (I do not have first hand experience, just have heard, so correct me if I am wrong!)

I have heard about people skidding and falling when they apply the disc brakes accidentally on wet roads and the rear brakes are pressed a little late. I heard about this in bikes like Pulsar!

Thought I am a staunch Honda fan, one of the things I do not like about Activa is its road grip on wet roads. I have experienced and seen many Honda riders (both Activa and Dio) skidding and falling on wet roads, even when the vehicle is inclined a little bit, and the brakes are used! I personally feel the road grip was better in Kinetic.

So, are the tires in Aviator capable of handling the vehicle when disc brakes are applied? I believe Honda engineers have more brains than me, and they would have tested this, but I want to get the opinion of people who have driven it (preferably on wet roads or on gravel!)

[chvvkumar]

Grip on wet roads is an issue on the scooters. As for the disc brakes, its very simple physics. Basically, the front wheel acts acts as a guide/rudder for your vehicle. So, even if the rear wheel looses traction, you can still manage but if you loose grip on the front, I bet even the best will fall. So the moral of the story is: NEVER use the front brake hardly when its slippery (rain, water, oil, sand etc.). Use the front:back brakes in for example, 75:25 ratio.

[gendarmee]

Originally Posted by hollywoodhogan

perhaps yes but just one point, hold the front brake and try to push dowm on a leading link suspension. there will be no action whereas in the telescopic type the suspension will act even with the front brake held tight. so basically whilst riding and during braking on broken roads the leading link will harden up and not act but shudder and thud. besides the leading link suspension has been abandoned my all manufacturers except in cases where cost is a factor.

the aviator sports a telescopic suspension.

True, the performance of this suspension is not compare able to the telescopic.
but wait. The suspension has also got to do with the design of the vehicle.

Also, scooters are designed for slow speed driving and bikes for faster speeds, telescopic makes more sence there. It also changes the frame design, coz a different type of fork is required and potentially increases the costs of manufacture.If one is looking for a overall exciting scooter with power and one which can do high speeds he/she should consider getting a bike.

One can not have any kind of suspension on any design.
The leading link, may not be the best but as I said before does serve the purpose well enough. I've found it satisfactory, as long as its serviced on a regular basis.
I havent checkout the suspension by pressing it down, the the kines would get presses easily when the shocks were in bad shape. One thing i dislike about telescopic shocks is that they get compressed every time one hits the brake, find that very irritating.

Comming to the the Aviator, i Saw it today, The sides of the rear look remarkably similar to the activa, just that its been redesigned with shorter curvier body cover/mudguards and new lights. the display console is pretty dull.
I though it was the same activa frame with a redesigned front end and body which is a touch less broad than the activa, with more plastic less metal. 3 months waiting time, I'd just go get a flyte or kinetic 4s if nothing. heck, one was enough with the activa. I dont think it some custom scooter to wait for that long.
On the other hand if one books through the district dealer 20 km outside the city, delivery is in 3 working days.
Yet to get a TD.

[hollywoodhogan]

Originally Posted by gendarmee

True, the performance of this suspension is not compare able to the telescopic.
but wait.

thank you. btw where is your youtube video of putting an old kinetic-honda on stand?

[gendarmee]

Originally Posted by hollywoodhogan

Thank you. btw where is your you tube video of putting an old kinetic-honda on stand?

The body of the post has the message, not just the first line.

Been very busy lately. On a day when i get back home before sunset, i'll record and post it.

[Etrnlwanderer]

So finally...of the two, which is a better scooter.. the Aviator or the Access? ( I need a new scooter, and I dont fancy the flashy looking Flyte so that's off my list)
Playing it safe, I've booked the Access, but the wait period for the Access is 2 months while the Aviator could be delivered within 10 days. I test drove both, but there isnt much to chose between them. The Access sure looks a little staid in its style vis-a-vis the Aviator , but then its got an awesome mileage factor going for it and the fact that for the same price range you're getting a 125 cc scooter.
Man! This dilema is driving me nuts!
Help, anybody?

[gendarmee]

Originally Posted by Etrnlwanderer

which is a better scooter.. the Aviator or the Access?

Neither of the 2 have any serious drawbacks.
I found the aviator to be a redesigned activa with a new exterior,body & front fork suspension part, has the super dependable Activa engine.
The access is light and easy to tread in traffic, slightly cramped under seat space, and is torquey.

[Etrnlwanderer]

Originally Posted by gendarmee

Neither of the 2 have any serious drawbacks.
I found the aviator to be a redesigned activa with a new exterior,body & front fork suspension part, has the super dependable Activa engine.
The access is light and easy to tread in traffic, slightly cramped under seat space, and is torquey.

Thanks mate! I think my preference is slowly but surely shifting towards the Access. "Torquey" is the key word, should be fun to ride in the city if its got a little zip, dont you think?
And like you mentioned, if the Aviator is just a revamped Activa engine, why not buy the Activa itself! hehe