[The Pain]

Hi All,

Looking to pick up a new small scooty for the wife. Priorities are weight, seat height and power. My wife is 5.1 feet tall. Weight and seat height requirements mean that the standard scooters like Activas/Jupiters/Wegos/Rays etc are out of contention

The wife seems most comfortable on the Suzuki Lets and the TVS Scooty Zest 110 in that order. The reviews online seem to favour the Zest over the Lets by the tiniest of margins.

Ive test ridden both the scooters and found the Suzuki Lets to be very peppy, smooth and light. The Zest is close behind (The zest i tested was brand new with only 1km on the clock so seemed a bit restricted and not as peppy. Would probably open up after a good run in)

Based on the Test rides alone, Im leaning towards picking up the Suzuki Lets but am a bit wary since its not a very popular model it may get discontinued or spares may be in an issue in the next couple of years. On the other hand, the Zest uses the Jupiter/Wego engine which is popular and will have support for a longer time IMO.

Pricewise both are relatively the same. Feature wise, The Zest has a bit more storage space, The Lets has a better locking system. All else is relatively similar,

Looking for any inputs from the members here or any experiences with the Suzuki Lets or the TVS Zest to help me close on a decision.

Thanks Guys!

[biggrin]

Originally Posted by The Pain

Hi All,

Looking for any inputs from the members here or any experiences with the Suzuki Lets or the TVS Zest to help me close on a decision.

Thanks Guys!

You can check out Activa-i. Not sure about height, but the scooter is very light and smooth to drive. I don't think Lets/Zest can match the smoothness of Honda scooters. Gusto is another good contender (better than the two you've mentioned) with adjustable seat but sales have been nothing to write home about. Why would you pick a market dud when you can have much better selling and performing products at a marginal price increase?

I hope your wife hasn't rejected Activas and Jupiters without a test ride. If her toes are able to reach the ground (both at a time), then she would have no problem once she gets a hang of it.

[abhinav.s]

Originally Posted by The Pain

Looking to pick up a new small scooty for the wife. Priorities are weight, seat height and power. My wife is 5.1 feet tall. Weight and seat height requirements mean that the standard scooters like Activas/Jupiters/Wegos/Rays etc are out of contention

While I agree that the Activa, Jupiter & Wego are not easy to handle for ladies, the Ray was manufactured with ladies in mind. It is very light, easily handleable & seat height is also very low. The handle is very light and confidence inspiring. After trying many scooters, wife zeroed in on Ray. If your wife has already tested the Ray and rejected it, then dont bother looking at it again.

Between the Suzuki Lets and TVS Zest, there is very little difference. Both have telescopic front suspension, 110cc engine, light weight and easy to handle. You cannot go wrong with either and your decision should be based on proximity and expertise of the service center to your house. Zest has a slight advantage here since it comes with the Wego engine but is lighter than Wego. So it will have better pulling power. Generally the TVS Scooter engines age well. We have 2 Wego's in the family which have run 11k and 18k kms respectively. Engine refinement wise there has been no change at all and it feels as refined as our Ray which has only done 7k kms. Comparatively, a Suzuki Access has not retained similar refinement owned by my cousin and completed around 17k. Not a direct comparison to Lets since Access has 125cc engine.

EDIT: @biggrin, I would not buy any current crop of Honda scooters barring maybe the Activa DLX which has telescopic suspension in the front. Honda only has engine refinement and nothing else to write about. And even if ladies are able to tip toe, I have seen many struggling with the heft and not being able to handle them confidently as they can the lighter scooty's like the TVS Scooty, Zest, Ray etc. In crowded city bylanes this is very important point to consider.

[revvhed]

Hi. A very close friend of mine was in the exact same predicament as you and after evaluating all choices we narrowed it down to the same two choices as you. Eventually we felt that the build quality and the fit and finish of the Lets was better than that of the Scooty and the Lets also seemed to feel peppier and tighter.
He bought the Lets and is extremely happy with it and so is his wife.
I do not advocate buying a scooter where only the tips of her toes touch the ground as that makes one unstable on any surface but a completely flat one, especially with a pillion, and we all know what our roads are like.
The only downside is that there are very few Suzuki service centers and you have to travel a bit for the servicing.

[Skyline_GT]

In my opinion you should go for the TVS. While both of them are almost in the similar price bracket it's the TVS which will give you a better value for money. TVS is known for their quality products that stand the test of time. Not to forget the easy availability of spares and cheaper maintenance if any. Being a TVS owner myself i have experienced a hassle free ownership for the last 13 years on the first gen Scooty pep(2003).
Correct me if am wrong but the Zest has been around much longer than the Suzuki Lets. And the TVS brand tag would fetch you a better price compared to a Suzuki if you plan to sell it in the future.

[theexperthand]

Frankly, you cant go wrong with either Let's or Zest. We have a Zest which is more than an year old and both me and my wife are happy with the choice.

I did start an ownership thread, but sadly, it is not up to date. Still, you can read the detailed initial review here - http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/motorb...hite-swan.html

--Anoop

[sivadeep]

Mod Note : There are several spelling & grammatical errors in your posts. This negatively affects the forum experience for other readers.

Kindly ensure that you proof-read your posts prior to submission. Also, it would be a good idea to use a spell-checker.

[The Great]

Originally Posted by Skyline_GT

In my opinion you should go for the TVS. While both of them are almost in the similar price bracket it's the TVS which will give you a better value for money. TVS is known for their quality products that stand the test of time. Not to forget the easy availability of spares and cheaper maintenance if any. Being a TVS owner myself i have experienced a hassle free ownership for the last 13 years on the first gen Scooty pep(2003).

I second this as a TVS owner in the past and present. Their bikes are really well built and spares aren't a problem too.

Originally Posted by Skyline_GT

Correct me if am wrong but the Zest has been around much longer than the Suzuki Lets. And the TVS brand tag would fetch you a better price compared to a Suzuki if you plan to sell it in the future.

The Zest recently received a heart transplant with the bigger 110cc engine. This is the same engine used in Wego, Jupiter, Victor and Zest. Its a really refined and smooth engine with great pickup too. The power has been increased from the previous generation Zest.

Instead of going for the Activa I, I would strongly suggest the Zest.

Test ride is the key though and let your wife decide after that.

[five46]

Yeah.. Test ride it is, undoubtedly. She should feel comfortable.

However, a little hand holding doesn't hurt (in enlightening the advantage of a disc brake).

I'd prefer a scoot with a disc brake. From your first post, I read Wego, which I think is the only one to have it, atleast as an option.

That's my pick and 2p..er..Cents.

[The Pain]

Thanks for all the responses guys.

Originally Posted by biggrin

You can check out Activa-i. If her toes are able to reach the ground (both at a time), then she would have no problem once she gets a hang of it.

Originally Posted by abhinav.s

I would not buy any current crop of Honda scooters barring maybe the Activa DLX which has telescopic suspension in the front. And even if ladies are able to tip toe, I have seen many struggling with the heft and not being able to handle them confidently as they can the lighter scooty's like the TVS Scooty, Zest, Ray etc. In crowded city bylanes this is very important point to consider.

I had similar views on the Honda scooters myself. Ride comfort was also a factor on overlooking the Honda scoots.

We live in Mumbai where the traffic is pretty much stop and go throughout the day (more stop than go actually ) balancing the scooter on just the toes may not be most comfortable imho. Also she may also ride with our child along as pillion at times which could make it even more difficult.

Originally Posted by revvhed

He bought the Lets and is extremely happy with it and so is his wife.

I liked the Lets as well seemed very well put together and peppy. The Zest I test rode being brand new was not as peppy. This im sure will be resolved post a good run in. The only thing I am worried about is the possibility of the Lets spares shortage/discontinuation due to it not being as popular as other models.

Originally Posted by Skyline_GT

In my opinion you should go for the TVS. While both of them are almost in the similar price bracket it's the TVS which will give you a better value for money. TVS is known for their quality products that stand the test of time. Not to forget the easy availability of spares and cheaper maintenance if any. Correct me if am wrong but the Zest has been around much longer than the Suzuki Lets. And the TVS brand tag would fetch you a better price compared to a Suzuki if you plan to sell it in the future.

Thanks. Very valid points esp on resale value. The spares availability is a important factor as the scooter will be kept for a couple of years atleast. The Zest should have no problem here with its shared Jupiter and wego parts.

Originally Posted by theexperthand

I did start an ownership thread, but sadly, it is not up to date. Still, you can read the detailed initial review here - http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/motorb...hite-swan.html

--Anoop

Thanks Bud. Ive read your thread 3 times already in the last couple of days. Very helpful!

Originally Posted by The Great

I second this as a TVS owner in the past and present. Their bikes are really well built and spares aren't a problem too.

Originally Posted by five46

Yeah.. Test ride it is, undoubtedly. She should feel comfortable.

Test rode them pretty much back to back and liked the Lets just a teeniest wee bit more than the Zest but like I mentioned before, the Zest had just 1 KM on the clock and needed a proper run in.

All points considered, the Zest 110 may be the best bet in the long run from both maintenance and resale value POVs. I secretly wish the Lets was a more popular model based purely on the way it rides.

[Aksthedreamer]

Hi guys, my mother suddenly wants a scooty in our house. It will be ridden by me and my elder brother mostly for household chores. The choice is between suzuki access, honda activa and mahindra gusto, all 125cc.
This will be our first scooty, according to the reviews suzuki access seems to be the best choice, I am 6'2.
Not really keen to go for honda because of the long wait times during servicing, arrogant attitude of the sales people (read in the forum) and because everybody has a honda activa.
Mahindra gusto has some extra features and is cheaper by a few thousand bucks. Do not know about the long term reliability of its engine though because it is not that old in the market.
Also any idea about the servicing cost and spare parts price difference between honda and suzuki?
What are the things to be kept in mind while buying a scooty, manufacture date etc?
Sorry for so many questions, the scooty will be bought in the next 3-4 days

[Skyline_GT]

Originally Posted by Aksthedreamer

Hi guys, my mother suddenly wants a scooty in our house. It will be ridden by me and my elder brother mostly for household chores. The choice is between suzuki access, honda activa and mahindra gusto, all 125cc.
This will be our first scooty, according to the reviews suzuki access seems to be the best choice, I am 6'2.
Not really keen to go for honda because of the long wait times during servicing, arrogant attitude of the sales people (read in the forum) and because everybody has a honda activa.
Mahindra gusto has some extra features and is cheaper by a few thousand bucks. Do not know about the long term reliability of its engine though because it is not that old in the market.
Also any idea about the servicing cost and spare parts price difference between honda and suzuki?
What are the things to be kept in mind while buying a scooty, manufacture date etc?

Here's my cents to your queries...
First of all the engine cc doesn't really matter much in case of scooties since almost all of them give much or less similar output on road. The only noticeable difference is the acceleration. Higher the cc quicker the accleration. Top speed remains more or less the same.

Honda Activa- Best in the segment to say the least. But not to forget the heaviest in the segment as well. if it's your mom who would be riding it as well you might want to let her have a test ride and see how comfortable it is. Secondly though Honda has been around much longer than Mahindra or Suzuki in the 2 wheeler market it still is one of the costlier one as well when it comes to maintenance. Servicing it from an independent garage would be a better alternative over the years rather than official service centres. In the long run having to spend too much $$$ on maintaining a budget scooty wouldn't be wise either. Quality & popularity wise(Resale value) it's the better one than the other two as well.

Suzuki Access- Its a reasonable scooty overall with nothing much to highlight. But i have highlighted this in my previous post on this very thread that Suzuki is just taking baby steps into the automatic scooter segment. Servicing and maintenance could be an issue in the long term. Cannot say much about it now since Suzuki scooters are relatively new in the market yet. Resale value and spares may be a problem.

Mahindra Gusto- If it would have been me i would have gone for this baby Mahindra. Its well equipped at the price it's been offered. Although Mahindra is equally new as well into the 2 wheeler market it still has been much reliable so far (Mahindra Centuro-recently & Mahindra Duro).
Maintenance should be cheap and spares available easily as well.

In my opinion Gusto is the most practical of the three.

Things to keep in mind-
(Before Buying)-
Weight
Storage (Should handle atleast a full face helmet, Vehicle Papers, space for other knick knacks )
Equipment- (IMO a Mobile Charger is a must, Height adjustable, Fuel Tank lid preferably on outside for easy access, Hooks below the handle/seat for carry bags, foot pegs for pillion.)

(While Delivery)
A basic check of the vehicle's manufacturing date should be sufficient.
If the scooter has variants do make sure you have been delivered the right one. (It can be difficult to determine for 2 wheelers compared to cars. For scooties the higher variants mostly have stuff like chrome guard in front and sides, different colored foot pegs, chrome guard over the exhaust pipe)

[The Great]

Originally Posted by Aksthedreamer

Hi guys, my mother suddenly wants a scooty in our house. It will be ridden by me and my elder brother mostly for household chores. The choice is between suzuki access, honda activa and mahindra gusto, all 125cc.
This will be our first scooty, according to the reviews suzuki access seems to be the best choice, I am 6'2.
Not really keen to go for honda because of the long wait times during servicing, arrogant attitude of the sales people (read in the forum) and because everybody has a honda activa.
Mahindra gusto has some extra features and is cheaper by a few thousand bucks. Do not know about the long term reliability of its engine though because it is not that old in the market.
Also any idea about the servicing cost and spare parts price difference between honda and suzuki?
What are the things to be kept in mind while buying a scooty, manufacture date etc?
Sorry for so many questions, the scooty will be bought in the next 3-4 days

You are absolutely bang on with the Activa. Its a simple case of Great Product but Arrogant People to deal with (both sales and service). The Activa 125 is exorbitantly priced too.

Why is TVS Jupiter not in your list sir?

I am using it since a year without a single problem and its a feature rich silky smooth scoot with great pickup and mileage too (getting constant 48 - 50kmpl in city, Max 53 with highway mix in Mumbai city traffic). Just give it a thought if you can.

Let the test rides be the deciding factor.

[abhishek46]

Originally Posted by The Pain

Looking for any inputs from the members here or any experiences with the Suzuki Lets or the TVS Zest to help me close on a decision.

Thanks Guys!

My wife is almost similar height as your wife.
She was fine with the seating position of the wego.

You should definitely consider the Wego, as it is a very competent and popular product.

The Zest is also good.

[vsathyap]

I've had my share of scooter ownerships in the past few years and I can confidently say I have driven (or probably owned) almost all of them, including 2 generations of Activas, Dios, Suzukis, Yamahas, etc.

Recently, I was also in the hunt for a light, small scooter for the wife (who is 5ft tall) and I picked up a Zest 110 just 2 weeks back. Here are my observations so far:

1. Light Weight - perfect for the wife
2. Low seat height - again, perfect for my wife
3. Smooth powerful engine; with a low body weight => more Power:Weight Ratio => Faster pickup
4. Nifty features, if you can call them so, like pilot lamps and Mobile Charger
5. B-I-G under seat storage area; I think its the biggest one in it's class

Having owned 2 gens of activas and Dios, our first choice was naturall Honda. We went to TD the Activa, but cocky salesman attitude turned us off instantly - moreover, we were given a TD vehicle which was actually in for service and this vehicle had a severly bent fork, so balancing it was a tough ask for myself - forget my wife's ability to ride this scooter. Closed the book on Honda.

Went to Suzuki - Again, Lets was good, but we currently have an Access 125 and despite maintaining it well, the engine is gruff and the suspension is ultra hard with a poor seating position. Only +ve for the Access is the lovely pickup. So, we didn't want another Suzuki in the Garage.

Went to Yamaha looking at the Ray. I dont know they have too many options, Ray Z, Ray Alpha or something similar - but I'm referring to the smaller lighter Yamaha Ray Scooter. Dropped it as soon as we heard the price - 65K on road for an under-powered scooter - no way!

Went to TVS - TD Scooty Pep, Zest, Wego and Jupiter. We immediately dropped Jupiter due to the weight and seat height factor and dropped the Pep due to the lackluster engine. We narrowed it down to either the Wego or the Zest. Personally, I wanted to get the Wego because of its very nice weight distribution and the digital speedometers and other gizmos, but the scooter seat height was something that the wife could not come to terms with.

Hence, we went with the Zest - it ticked all the right boxes and we felt very comfortable riding it - soft suspension, specially in the front, good seating position (the seat foam material used is something special according to the SA) and the engine was butter smooth from the word go. In fact, in the TD vehicle, I could feel and hear the engine building revs and the auto gear box coming into action at 40-45 kmph to move to a better ratio to get into the cruising mode - something I really enjoyed. Budget was also fine. Plus, the wife was happy too.

15 days and approx 75 km later, the vehicle is performing nicely - I haven't driven over 50 kmph as per the running-in requirements and I feel the suspension is very very absorbent. I can feel every little pebble on the road on the Access 125 and my back takes the brunt of the bad roads in BLR - but the Zest is like driving on foam. The suspension setup is very very good. The Zest, like other scooters from the TVS stable comes with 2 power mappings for ECO mode and Power mode. The rush in the Power mode is really exhilarating but we cant enjoy it for too long due to traffic conditions!

Overall, we're quite happy with the little rocket on 2 wheels.