Team-BHP - Honda discusses skidding issue with NHC VTEC

I do not know about OHC VTEC but the NHC has one problem. And that is about those puny tires. And puny is no figure of speech here. If there is one major problem with this car above all it is about those real skinny tires. I think it is a no brainer that Honda needs to upsize that tire by at least 1 if not 2 and also provide wider patch of contact.

In fact along with that another problem is the side profile of the tires also. I somehow always get a feel that at high speeds if I turn sharply the car will turn on its rims :p And this I realized after driving an NHC for quite some time.

EDIT: Narrow patch of rubber with smaller radius and very less sidewall... not a very confidence inspiring thing on any car, least of all a mid-sizer. But then does not Honda know this. I can bet my last penny on it that they do. I suspect this has to do with catering to the dreaded Average Kya Hai question (dreaded for manufacturers) and Honda's own image of making extremely fuel efficient cars and the pressure to live upto it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zappo (Post 531616)

The OHC has a similar problem Zappo but in those days ABS was not available on most cars even anywhere near those prices so nobody bothered. But both the OHC & the NHC need wider rubber than the standard size definitely.

And you're right about the tyres being narrow due to the FE issue, Honda has done it just like Maruti's been doing it.

interesting, and good find gt_bhp. ishaan could this feeling that i have whenever i take a sharp turn on a NHC about the tyre dislodging (kind of sliping out of the rim, inwards) and the car turning on the rims really be extrapolated in Laxminarayan's case to explain what happened to him? Probably it actually happened in his case. Now that I read his case I get this wierd feeling that without going through the same ordeal I also had this feeling a couple of times that I was a step away from experiencing a slipped tyre. How wierd!

Quote:

Originally Posted by gt_bhp (Post 531642)

I think a similar issue with the tyre coming off the wheel was experienced on a NHC vtec by one of our fellow members - Laxminarayan.

Laxminarayan, was also telling me during the TBHP meet at Yelagiri how inconfident he feels when driving the NHC VTEC at high speeds owing to the disconnected feeling which the steering provides.

What size tyres does Honda give with the NHC VTEC?

I am no expert at this but I feel that there is more to this issue then just puny tyres and absence of ABS. The Baleno was a powerful car too (94 bhp) with puny tyres and no ABS but didn't have this issue. What about the 102 bhp SX4 Vxi with no ABS? What is it's tyre size compared to NHC VTEC?

We should do a comparo of powerful cars with no ABS with original tyres and that will give us a better idea. Baleno (94hp), SX4 (102hp), Fiesta 1.6 (100hp), Verna Petrol (100+bhp), Palio 1.6 (100hp) are cars that we should compare with NHC VTEC. If all the above cars with no ABS run on puny tyres and don't skid then I don't see why the NHC skidding should be acceptable?

Wonder why Honda would shoot a letter like that. They seem to have outsourced their call-center job!!

To me, it looks like a one-off case (remember the guy was driving at 60kph). Improper brake-bias setting done by someone who doesn't know about disc brakes.

Quote:

Originally Posted by amit (Post 532092)

Tyre size:

NHC VTEC - 175 / 65 R14 (Tubeless) [Couldn't find it from Honda site, got from automag site]
SX4 VXi - 195/65 R15 (Tubeless)
Fiesta 1.6L - 175/65 R14 (Tubeless)
Verna Petrol - 185 / 65 R14 (Tubeless)
Palio 1.6 - 175 / 65 R14

So, tyre sizes are same (except SX4 & Verna) and none of these have ABS.

As you suspected, why is it a problem only with VTEC? :Shockked:

Quote:

Originally Posted by sathya_nars (Post 532133)

VTEC has Disc breaks at the rear and the rest of the pack have Drum breaks at the rear which makes skidding more prominent in the VTEC.

Quote:

Originally Posted by rjstyles69 (Post 531476)

I think in that case many manufactures needs to be added to the list. I recommend Suzuki also be added to the list for providing those puny tyres on the Baleno.

Initially even the baleno was too pricey.

rubin please add some punctuation's to your post.
Makes me eye go sore and hold my breath reading everything in one shot :).

IMO comparing baleno launch price with current price should not be justified. What we can compare is today's price and features. All new introductions has been given even option of ABS and other safety feature now people have to decide whether they want to go with that or not. But in case of HONDA there is no such option even if people are willing to pay.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ravibhat (Post 531483)

About NHC when its launched there was no cencessity or at least no one thought of ABS/AirBag in its class. We can't beat/blast NHC by telling it lacks safety feature.
Every car without ABS/AirBag is unsafe considerring today's speed people drive :)
I have heard by 2010 all cars including M800 should be equiped with safety features like AirBag and ABS which is good move by governement.

Lets wish Honda brings new variant very soon.

Regards,

Ravi.

If we have HONDA CITY VTECH AND face similar situation as My Amit then most probably our tone would be different

Quote:

Originally Posted by amit (Post 532092)

Very well said and genuine question has been raised.

Quote:

Originally Posted by balaji_n29 (Post 532145)

VTEC has Disc breaks at the rear and the rest of the pack have Drum breaks at the rear which makes skidding more prominent in the VTEC.

Having disc brakes doesn't induce any skidding. It happens when the brakes are not biased accordingly.

I repeat- this is a one off case. Handling of NHC VTEC at high speeds could be debatable, but that is a different topic altogether.