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Old 6th May 2016, 13:16   #1
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My Honda Navi: Navi Times Roll

Since I was brushed with a glimpse of Honda NAVI at the 2016 Auto show, It was destined that, NAVI will surely join my fleet when it would be launched.
After all, Navi is a derivative of Honda GROM which is a popular pocket bike introduced few years ago.
A japanese Honda GROM:
My Honda Navi: Navi Times Roll-honda-grom.jpg
Surprisingly, Wikipedia mentions NAVI as look alike bike of Honda GROM
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honda_Grom

Booking Experience:
Honda 2 Wheeler opened the Navi booking through their App with a booking amount of Rs.1000. However I walked into Orange Honda dealer close to my home and paid Rs.5000 as booking amount and booked Navi in February 2016.
At the time of booking the dealers had no clue when the vehicle would be launched, in which variants, colors..so I had to just look at Navi on Team BHP Auto show threads and drool over

The Wait :
As always I tried to stay abreast about NAVI launch dates and followed various blogs ,news articles as I was eager to own this vehicle.
Several speculations arose if RTO would clear this unusual vehicle in scooter or Motorcycle category. There was good traction on Team BHP Honda NAVI thread itself that kept me motivated :
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/motorb...ed-bike-6.html

Competitor Analysis :
I did a quick competitor analysis and looked for market scoops if anything like Honda NAVI would be launched and the closest which came to was the Benelli T 135, which was told by Benelli itself that it would not be launched in India in quite sometime.
A DSK Benelli T 135
My Honda Navi: Navi Times Roll-benelli-t-135.jpg

It was now imminent that Honda Navi will join my fleet as the first Honda Brand in my stable

Price Factor :
Ex-Showroom : 41619
Road Tax@ 14%: 6305 (including Permanent Registration Charges)
Insurance : 2054
Logistics : 475
Registration Charges : 800
High Security Number Plates : 300
Accessories : 2000 (Crash Guard, Side Stand , Foot rest , Indicator Buzzer)(Standard)
On Road Price : 53553
Accessories : 5000 (Optional)
(Grab Rail, Seat Cover, Tank Pad, Front Visor, Headlight Guard, Front suspension cover, Under
Guard , Side Cover and Sticker Set of 6 pcs)

Total On Road Price with Standard and Optional accessories : 58553 /-

Delivery Experience :
I was literally bugging every week Honda dealers when NAVI would be delivered to me and the long wait was over in the 1st week of May when I received a call that the delivery date was round the corner.

Orange Honda Manager told me that the delivery was going to be a surprise and he would contact me and asked me to patiently stay at home.
A gentle knock on my door step saw few Honda Managers and dealer representatives stand at my door step to receive me and escort me to what i call a "NAVI Event".
When i reached to my entrance of my Apartment, there was a bustling crowd : Curious Onlookers, Neighbors, Children in amazement and whole lot of Honda Team members waiting to unveil the surprise. Voila !!!

Navi Box
My Honda Navi: Navi Times Roll-1.jpg
My Honda Navi: Navi Times Roll-2.jpg

Lo magic revealed
My Honda Navi: Navi Times Roll-3.jpg

Honda Navi first glimpse
My Honda Navi: Navi Times Roll-4.jpg
My Honda Navi: Navi Times Roll-5.jpg

My Son giving his insights into owning NAVI
My Honda Navi: Navi Times Roll-6.jpg

A personalized Chocolate Cake
My Honda Navi: Navi Times Roll-7.jpg

Customary Ownership key handed over to my son
My Honda Navi: Navi Times Roll-9.jpg
My Honda Navi: Navi Times Roll-11.jpg
My Honda Navi: Navi Times Roll-12.jpg

Starting from Scratch..0.9 Kms on Speedo
My Honda Navi: Navi Times Roll-j.jpg

Ownership Begins :
It was time to take my Honda Navi to the fuel station to get it tanked up. The tiny tank accommodated exactly 3.8 Liters of Petrol before it overflowed. Hence my first observation is that, I will have to make repeated visits to Fuel stations as I ride Honda Navi.

A customary Photo shoot followed to get up close and near to my Honda Navi.
My Honda Navi: Navi Times Roll-.jpg
My Honda Navi: Navi Times Roll-b.jpg
My Honda Navi: Navi Times Roll-c.jpg
My Honda Navi: Navi Times Roll-d.jpg
My Honda Navi: Navi Times Roll-e.jpg
My Honda Navi: Navi Times Roll-f.jpg

Notice the caution by Honda of reminding the rider of no foot brake.
My Honda Navi: Navi Times Roll-g.jpg
My Honda Navi: Navi Times Roll-h.jpg

My 10 year son astride on NAVI and balancing it well !!
My Honda Navi: Navi Times Roll-ae.jpg

Yours Truly on NAVI
My Honda Navi: Navi Times Roll-n.jpg

Night Mode: Speedo Console lit up.
My Honda Navi: Navi Times Roll-m.jpg

Night Mode : Headlight shines bright
My Honda Navi: Navi Times Roll-l.jpg

Honda Navi User Manual
My Honda Navi: Navi Times Roll-ah.jpg

Honda Navi is a concept bike/scooter with a very thoughtful mind. Honda developed NAVI for Indian market keeping in mind GROM which can be seen having a slight resemblance. For me this was enough to have Honda NAVI join my fleet.
To begin with Navi is aimed at very young age group, probably college going students will be the best target crowd. I'm not sure whether it will give a wholesome Motorcycle experience, as the heart is really of a scooter (developed on Activa Platform).

What you will like :
- Sporty Design and unique combination of Scooter on Bike.
- Easy to ride (CVT)
- Quite a powerful engine 110cc for a midget scooter on bike.
- Telescopic front shock absorbers are good to take small sized pot holes easily.
- Attractive colors.
- Tubeless Tyres (MRF Zapper) are trouble free. TVS and Ceat are other OEM options.I intend to
go for Nitrogen filling soon as a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP)
- Retro looking Speedo Console
- Bright head light and good indicators
- Customizable accessories
- Rear brake lock near handle bar.
- Attention grabbing factor on the road, with people asking too many questions..Battery
operated Bike ? Is it a Toy ? Imported Bike ? Engine Missing ? :-)

What you will dislike :
- Small petrol tank capacity (3.8 Liters)
- No storage space. Hopefully a utility box will be available soon.
- Tacky plastic parts and some places have faux carbon fiber finish !!!
- Electric Start is a little tardy in kicking into action.
- Old fashion handle bar lock, somewhere at the bottom, very difficult to find in dark.
- Lack of Fuel gauge means one has to depend on the Petrol Valve and turn it into reserve mode
(like good old days) and rush to the fuel station.
- Lack lustre paint finish is a serious flaw in Honda NAVI which has dissatisfied me. Panels seem
to have been just dipped in paint once and fitted. Already a dull appearance is visible on my
vehicle.
- Dust will eventually settle down in very intricate corners of the bike and hence cleaning will be
an issue.

Some Post Delivery Trauma :
Strangely, this never happened to me or is it common.
I was not given a T/R number as the Honda NAVI is not officially approved in Telangana and A.P states at the time of launch and delivery.
The actual reason : The engine number of Honda NAVI was shorter by 1 Digit, hence the RTA software is not accepting the data entry and eventually T/R number is not getting generated.
This issue was resolved nearly 2 weeks post delivery.

Ride Quality :
- Very Agile and quick with good pick up.
- Butterfly handle (with a cross bar for retro look) gives a good grip and comfort to hands.
- Braking is a little dicey due to the lack of disc brakes.
- Turning radius is amazingly good, especially at U Turns.
- Shock Absorbers (Front & Rear) surprisingly do a good job, they could carry my weight of 103
Kgs + my son's weight of 33 kgs easily.Total Carry load 136 kgs effortlessly.
- Front Foot Pegs are not positioned properly hence I keep missing them when i pull up my
legs.Front foot pegs are coming in way to obstruct the ride,especially when starting the
vehicle from 0 speed and accelerating.
- I have touched a maximum speed of 65kmph on the speedo and the Navi offers good
stability. Though I had to brake suddenly few times and stopping factor was good with out any
skidding.
- MRF Zapper tyres are very good in terms of road grip and braking.
- Being both drum brakes, one has to be very careful and mindful of traffic,while braking. This is
the only part where I am scared of riding a Navi.
- Horn is not totally audible,hence pressing it twice of thrice, when needed, will let know the
traffic that you are riding too !!!

Engine Smoothness , Kick Start :
Honda have put a very peppy engine in Navi and the scooterish beats are apparent in the engine. There is no growl or even a purr, but a nice subtle humming engine is good for ears, to bring down noise pollution.
Here are some more pointers :
- Cold starts are to be done only with a Kick Start.I tried self start and it did not pick up.
- Each time self start is engaged, if the engine does not crank in 1-2 starts, then engage the
choke for a quick result.
- Check the idling speed as too high can cause wheel spin while in stationery and can lead to an
accidental launch.
- Do not throttle while engaging self start.
I found the self start to be tardy compared to my Vespa LX 125 and Yamaha Ray.

Comparison : Vespa LX 125 v/s Yamaha Ray v/s Honda Navi
Since i own a Vespa LX 125 and a Yamaha Ray, it was worthy to compare, Honda Navi with these contemporary CVT scooters.

Vespa LX125 is the most powerful of all with 125cc engine, Italian looks and beefy stance, where as Yamaha Ray is sporty and quick with 115cc engine.
Both Vespa LX 125 and Yamaha Ray have ample storage space(in comparison to Honda Navi), i even fitted a storage box on my Yamaha Ray !! Vespa LX 125 has even a disc brake option.
Of course Vespa LX 125 and Yamaha Ray qualify as proper scooters, Honda Navi is a midget scooter IMHO.
On pricing part..Vespa LX 125 costs higher than a Honda Navi and a Yamaha Ray, but this is a different ball game.

Look how they stand together...
My Honda Navi: Navi Times Roll-all.jpg

Some Interesting features of Navi :
1. There is small place holder to keep the petrol cap at fuel station, where we often hold the petrol cap and let it fall down sometimes. But how long could a fill up for 3.8 liters possibly take...
My Honda Navi: Navi Times Roll-picture1.png

2. There is a Rear brake lock at the lever which locks the rear wheel from rolling when side stand is in position, if the vehicle is parked in a slant. I find this a good safety measure that Honda thought of !!!
My Honda Navi: Navi Times Roll-picture-2.jpg

Accessories:
Honda NAVI comes with many accessories meant to personalize one's vehicle. Dealers are charging separately for 2 types of accessories :
- Standard Accessories : Crash Guard ,Side Stand, Foot Rest and Indicator Buzzer (Rs.2000)
- Optional Accessories : Grab Rail, Seat Cover, Tank Pad, Front Visor, Headlight Guard, Front
suspension cover, Under Guard , Side Cover and Sticker Set of 6 pieces (Rs.5000)

My Honda Navi with Standard Accessories
My Honda Navi: Navi Times Roll-ab.jpg

Honda 2 Wheelers India has definitely pulled off a nice surprise on the two wheeler scenario which is growing exponentially.
But the pricing (refer my pricing sheet earlier) is high for a fully accessorized Honda NAVI, in my opinion. There are many scooters in that range of price, which offer better options, but they are common in owning. In that way Honda NAVI stands apart.
The next step is get the accessories fitted which will, in my honest opinion, beef up the vehicle to NAVI+ !!!
I have no inhibitions in riding my Honda NAVI,though I have bought it for my son. My burlesque physique midgets NAVI further but the fun factor cannot be missed.
A Navi group has already been formed and we are planning some exhilarating activities and rides in the coming months.

Verdict :
Is Honda NAVI a Scooter or a Motorcycle : Most definitely a Scooter.
Ownership Rating : 2.75 / 5
Brand Loyalty : A little, provided the after sales service is good. I will always have some anti Marquez feeling..

Last edited by Rehaan : 19th May 2016 at 19:00. Reason: 2 smileys max. Removing the extra 3...
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Old 19th May 2016, 09:43   #2
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Re: My Honda Navi: Navi Times Roll

Thread moved from the Assembly Line to the Motorcycle Section. Thanks for sharing!
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Old 19th May 2016, 09:56   #3
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Congrats on the new Honda Navi. It's such a unique proposition for the Indian market and glad that it entered your garage.

I think comparisons with Honda Grom is mostly from the looks department. The engine and transmission on the Grom follows the conventional bike layout, while the Navi is based on the Activa chassis with a typical scooter layout.

Times fly. I thought your son was still a young kid, based on pics seen in other threads like KTM thread. Glad to know he has grown up to own the Navi now!

Edit - Just saw the description above the pic. Navi was bought for your 10 year old son?

Last edited by CrAzY dRiVeR : 19th May 2016 at 09:58.
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Old 19th May 2016, 10:43   #4
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Re: My Honda Navi: Navi Times Roll

A 10 year old riding a 110cc scooter?! I hope you reconsider your decision. Irrespective of looks, there is still the same engine as any commuter bike or scooter, for which 18 years minimum age is required to get license.
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Old 19th May 2016, 10:47   #5
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Re: My Honda Navi: Navi Times Roll

Quote:
Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR View Post
Edit - Just saw the description above the pic. Navi was bought for your 10 year old son?
Quote:
Originally Posted by ani_meher View Post
A 10 year old riding a 110cc scooter?! I hope you reconsider your decision. Irrespective of looks, there is still the same engine as any commuter bike or scooter, for which 18 years minimum age is required to get license.
To be frank, Sentimentally the bike belongs to my son,as it is my first full fledged automobile gift to him, but he has many years ahead to ride legally (8 more years of wait).

In reality my Honda NAVI will be another addition to my fleet and will give company to my Rajdoot GTS "Bobby".
My Honda Navi: Navi Times Roll-1.jpg
I would be soon doing a run and photoshoot of both Bobby ans Navi togather, where retroism meets modernism !!! Im just waiting for the Optional accessories to be fitted on to my NAVI this week.

Last edited by hillram : 19th May 2016 at 11:09.
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Old 19th May 2016, 13:55   #6
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Re: My Honda Navi: Navi Times Roll

Congratulations on your new acquisition hillram. Great to see you nurture your son's passion for automobiles!

Quote:
Originally Posted by hillram View Post
2. There is a Rear brake lock at the lever which locks the rear wheel from rolling when side stand is in position, if the vehicle is parked in a slant. I find this a good safety measure that Honda thought of !!!
The rear brake lever lock was provided by Honda from the days of the first Kinetic Honda back in the 1980's. Only in recent times did they eliminate it from their scooters. I used to ride a Kinetic Honda Marvel in the 90's which also had this lock.

If I remember the wordings in the owner's manual correctly, the purpose of the lock is that when you keep the vehicle on center stand and start the engine, the rear wheel will start rotating (since it is an automatic). When you take it off the center stand, there is a chance that the vehicle will suddenly move forward due to the wheel rotation. To prevent this, one is supposed to lock the rear brake lever and then take the vehicle off the center stand. I guess other OEMs like TVS do provide it on their auto scoots these days.
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Old 19th May 2016, 14:10   #7
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Re: My Honda Navi: Navi Times Roll

Many congratulations on the Navi and an excellent review.. It is indeed a unique offering from Honda.

I am concerned when you say it is for your 10 year old son. I hope it is only for posing. Stay safe!
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Old 19th May 2016, 15:12   #8
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Re: My Honda Navi: Navi Times Roll

Quote:
Originally Posted by hillram View Post
I would be soon doing a run and photoshoot of both Bobby ans Navi togather, where retroism meets modernism !!! Im just waiting for the Optional accessories to be fitted on to my NAVI this week.
Congrats hillram on the purchase of a rather interesting bike. It would be great to see the photoshoot of Bobby and Navi (should have double guessed earlier that you had the former by default)

This is exactly the same impression I had when I first saw Navi in the Auto Expo 2016 thread and the same which I had posted earlier.

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/motorb...ml#post3909141

Happy riding for you and later for your son on this bike-scooter!
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Old 19th May 2016, 15:26   #9
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Re: My Honda Navi: Navi Times Roll

Mod Note: OP has already clarified that the vehicle is not intended for his son's use who is only 10 years old. Let's not keep discussing this. Team BHP discourages any unsafe driving practices including underage driving. Thanks!
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Old 19th May 2016, 15:33   #10
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Re: My Honda Navi: Navi Times Roll

Congrats on your Navi.

Its such a cute looking thing and am sure will be a big hit.


Quote:
Originally Posted by hillram View Post
2. There is a Rear brake lock at the lever which locks the rear wheel from rolling when side stand is in position, if the vehicle is parked in a slant. I find this a good safety measure that Honda thought of !!!
I think even the old Kinetic Honda used to have this feature.
Especially helpful when engaging the self start.
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Old 29th May 2016, 13:20   #11
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Re: My Honda Navi: Navi Times Roll

Registration Completed:
Orange Honda coordinated a very well process oriented permanent registration, as I had to just put down my digital signature and a photograph taken at Mehdipatnam RTA.
My Honda Navi: Navi Times Roll-rc-modify.jpg
RC does not dislay the name of Honda anywhere, but only says "NAVI with EAS, KS & Front & Rear".
I decoded EAS (Electronic Start) and KS (Kick Start), but was a little baffled as to what to Front & Rear meant ?

Mileage Check up time :
A very important factor which guides the Indian Automobile Industry, is the million dollar question " Kitna Dethi hai ?" (How much mileage does your vehicle give you ?).

When I reached 99km on the odometre, my Navi stopped and I had to twist the petrol valve to reserve.
My Honda Navi: Navi Times Roll-100-km-2905206.jpg
I filled up the tank immediately, which took exactly 3 Litres to overflow from the tank !!!
At 0 Km = 3.8 Litres filled
At 99 Km = 3.0 Litres filled
Mileage can be pegged at 99km / 3 Litres = 33 kmpl (roughly)
This also gives us the below capacity of the Petrol Tank :
Total Capacity : 3.8 Litres
Reserve Capacity : 0.8 Litres
I have covered about 100+kms on my Navi in the city of Hyderabad and I have the below observations :
- Kick Starting Navi is a difficult task, as the side foot rest comes in the way and rubs into your shin. Kick Start itself is very hard (compared to my Vespa LX 125 and Yamaha Ray). Cold starting the vehicle on Self mode
while turning on the choke puts considerable load on the self motor, something i try to avoid. But since the kick rod is hard, i have no choice to self start even on a cold morning.
- The "admiration" factor continues while attracting some interesting comments from onlookers
!!!
- Ride quality is very smooth, pick up is excellent and braking is considerably good. I switched to
Nitrogen into my tubeless tyres, which is my standard operating procedure.

I will be going for 1st Service : Month from the date of Purchase soon and will report further updates.

Last edited by hillram : 29th May 2016 at 13:25.
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Old 5th June 2016, 18:45   #12
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Re: My Honda Navi: Navi Times Roll

Quote:
Originally Posted by hillram View Post
- Lack lustre paint finish is a serious flaw in Honda NAVI which has dissatisfied me. Panels seem
to have been just dipped in paint once and fitted. Already a dull appearance is visible on my
vehicle.

[/b]
Hi Hillram

I've been following Honda Navi for a while now. Very well written review by the way - you almost brought the experience alive in my mind.

Just sharing a point here on the body paint. Navi doesn't have painted body color instead the plastic used is pigmented - like the ones you see on air coolers and moulded chairs. I guess, that's why the gloss doesn't stay.

Honda should have a solution soon.
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Old 5th June 2016, 19:01   #13
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Congratulations on your new MOTOR CYCLE.
You have given a great review for prospective buyers.
Mini launch by Honda at your home is a nice gesture.
I guess fuel efficiency will improve with time as engine settles down.
Navi is a good product by HMSI, time will tell how Indian market adapts it.
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Old 10th June 2016, 13:47   #14
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Re: My Honda Navi: Navi Times Roll

Quote:
Originally Posted by bhpindian View Post
Navi is a good product by HMSI, time will tell how Indian market adapts it.
Honda Navi dispatches cross 10,000 units in the 10 cities it has been launched according to this report.

http://auto.ndtv.com/news/exclusive-...-units-1417179

Last edited by John : 10th June 2016 at 13:49.
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Old 10th June 2016, 16:47   #15
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Re: My Honda Navi: Navi Times Roll

Quote:
Originally Posted by hillram View Post
Registration Completed:
Orange Honda coordinated a very well process oriented permanent registration, as I had to just put down my digital signature and a photograph taken at Mehdipatnam RTA.
Yesterday I got the HS number plates fitted on my Navi.

Looking to now do some customization. Noticed that the Street version of the Navi (see picture) has alloy wheels. Any idea if these are available from Honda? Was wondering if they could be from the Activa 125.

They definitely enhance the look of the bike. I would love to upgrade the wheels to alloys.
Attached Thumbnails
My Honda Navi: Navi Times Roll-hondanaviofficialphoto.jpg  


Last edited by Aditya : 25th November 2017 at 08:36. Reason: Fixing quote tag
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