[ghodlur]

Originally Posted by fordday

My Activa is almost one year. The self starter is a big problem in cold start. In the mornings it almost never starts even with the choke On. So I always make it a point to use kick start the first time of the day.

Noticed that if I start it late in the mornings towards afternoon, when the surrounding tempararture will be little warm, the self starter holds.

Frankly I always make it a point to put on the choke and then a manual kick start the first time of the day. After that its the self start.

But my wife invariably forgets to put the choke back into its normal position after the kick start. Would this by any chance affect the battery or any other system.

[bluevolt]

Originally Posted by ghodlur

But my wife invariably forgets to put the choke back into its normal position after the kick start. Would this by any chance affect the battery or any other system.

This won’t affect battery in a direct manner, but it will flood the engine with petrol and make starting harder (if using starter then it will strain battery).

BTW - Riding bike/scooter with choke on is not good for the engine health.

[Gansan]

It is difficult to believe the life of the Activa engine is only 35k KM. It is basically the same engine that does duty in hero Honda bikes, and the stock engine of my Splendor is 90k KM and counting!

[Tommie]

Update on the swing arm rust issue: I had written to the customer service team at Honda two wheelers. They had asked me about my details and vehicle details. They have forwarded the same to the Honda service dealer. The service dealer asked me to take it for inspection and I took it to the center. The SA inspected and took pictures of the rusting and other details such as numberplate, chassis number etc. He said he will update me on the next status in some days time.

[creative420]

My GF's activa's 5th B'day today and she has clocked about 32k kms. Off-late she's been not so well. Her bills have run upto 2K in every 4 months. I need to know what all over-hauls need to be done to ensure she's safe and sound. I usually take her to City Mobike Works in Indira Nagar. But that guy seems to be giving her some unnecessary treatments. So can you guys share what all problems have you come across with your activas that has clocked 30K+ kms.

People from Bangalore. Can you tell me about a good servicing centre for activas? Anybody's name I can refer?

[Tommie]

Originally Posted by Tommie

Update on the swing arm rust issue: I had written to the customer service team at Honda two wheelers. They had asked me about my details and vehicle details. They have forwarded the same to the Honda service dealer. The service dealer asked me to take it for inspection and I took it to the center. The SA inspected and took pictures of the rusting and other details such as numberplate, chassis number etc. He said he will update me on the next status in some days time.

The service manager Mr.Robert, from Haiku Honda called me on Tuesday to bring the vehicle for replacement. He said cannot give free replacement or discount on the fork assembly but he will waive off the labour charges. I was happy to hear that that Honda wanted to do something good in return here for such a faulty spare.

I went to give my vehicle for replacement yesterday at Haiku Honda at Domlur. I went to the Service Adviser and said that Robert had asked me to bring the vehicle, they did not have any clue about what it was all about and not ready to accept the vehicle as the service quote has exceeded for the day. I called Robert on his cellphone, he picked up and said that he was on leave but was courteous enough to advise the Service Adviser to take care of it. I had mentioned about the service charge waiver and the SA said it would be taken care of.

When I went to collect the vehicle, I saw a bill of 1782 waiting for me with the fork spare charge of Rs 1513 + 45 steel balls of Rs 40 + Rs 208 labor charge. When I asked the SA about why the labour charge, he said they have given 10% discount. That would mean that Rs20 discount in a Rs 1800/- bill. I tried calling Robert to clarify the things but some one else picked up the phone and said that Robert is not available.

Was that all my worth of going to Haiku Honda for the checkup and atleast 10 phone calls and giving it for replacement yesterday only and then walking to office in the hot-sun. I would have clubbed the replacement with my next actual service and not so immediate to replace.

During the last 2 services, i am almost certain that close 1/2 liter to 0.75 liter of petrol is being removed from my scooter which is definitely worth anything more the Rs 20/- labor discount or even the auto rickshaw charge of dropping the bike and picking up.

[Tommie]

I called up Robert today and said what the hell was all drama about this Rs 20 discount. I said that I was totally unhappy about this behavior and I would have been much better no doing the change now and would have done in the next service time. He apologized and promised to waive off the charge for the next service. When I asked to send me an email about the same because I do not want to go through the same problems that I faced earlier, he asked me to go to his office and get a discount voucher/letter for the next service.

I do not know why he wants to me walk around again.

[Gansan]

I have noticed this rusting issue in many HMSIL products. The silencer bend and many chrome parts on my brother's 4 year old Unicorn have started rusting. I don't mean after-market parts fitted by the dealer, but ones which come with the bike from the factory. This issue is negligible in my 11 year old Splendor.

[creative420]

Originally Posted by creative420

My GF's activa's 5th B'day today and she has clocked about 32k kms. Off-late she's been not so well. Her bills have run upto 2K in every 4 months. I need to know what all over-hauls need to be done to ensure she's safe and sound. I usually take her to City Mobike Works in Indira Nagar. But that guy seems to be giving her some unnecessary treatments. So can you guys share what all problems have you come across with your activas that has clocked 30K+ kms.

People from Bangalore. Can you tell me about a good servicing centre for activas? Anybody's name I can refer?

^^ Anyone to help me with this? ^^

[Tommie]

Originally Posted by creative420

^^ Anyone to help me with this? ^^

I have serviced it at City Honda (Double Road) and Haiku Honda (both Jakkasandra and Airport Road). It was just average. Nothing majorly positive that I have seen. Couple of negative things based on the original acceptance agreements and final service delivery mismatch.

[Tommie]

Here is a picture of my Activa standing next to one of my friends 20+ year old Hero Honda CD 100. I used to use the CD100 very often nearly 10 years back and it still sings like a nightingale and no rusting like the one I had.

[IronH4WK]

Originally Posted by Tommie

Here is a picture of my Activa standing next to one of my friends 20+ year old Hero Honda CD 100. I used to use the CD100 very often nearly 10 years back and it still sings like a nightingale and no rusting like the one I had.

isn't that a CD 100 Deluxe? my uncle had one (i think he still has); that's one sturdy bike.

as for the rusting on the shocks, get it checked with a local mechanic if small fix can solve the problem (i did that for a small area that rusted on my bike's centre stand). else, get it replaced at the service centre, but don't ride around with that damage.

[Sanyd1711]

Originally Posted by Tommie

Folks,

I have a 2006 model Honda Activa. I had done only 9700+ kms till now as my 2-wheeler commuting is pretty low these days. I noticed that the swing arm on my front fork got rusted in a specific way. Attaching the pic here. The service advisor told me that I need to change the fork which would cost around Rs. 2.2K and it is an additional day of work.

When I was a service center today, I asked the service advisor about the life of a Activa Engine. He mentioned that the life is just 35K km after which the engine work needs to be carried out. I really could not understand why the life of an Activa is such low milage. If I remember correctly, old Hero Honda CD100 (comparing 4 stroke) which as manufactured in 1988 would give a life of over 50-70K without any engine repair. A kinetic Honda could run for close to 50K km until it needed an engine repair.


My questions to the experts:
1) Is it really true that the engine life of Honda is really low =>35K
2) If the life is really low, why is the resale value pretty high even though most of the Honda 2 wheeler vehicles are activa's
3) What is your opinion about this rusting pic that I posted. Do I need to change the fork as suggested

He must be joking.....!! I have Activa Dec 2005 model. I am physically Challenged person using Activa since 2005. Activa is modified to have 2 extra wheels to balanced it, must have driven it to atleast 60k's. Engine is still good.

[ziffius]

Originally Posted by creative420

My GF's activa's 5th B'day today and she has clocked about 32k kms. Off-late she's been not so well. Her bills have run upto 2K in every 4 months. I need to know what all over-hauls need to be done to ensure she's safe and sound. I usually take her to City Mobike Works in Indira Nagar. But that guy seems to be giving her some unnecessary treatments. So can you guys share what all problems have you come across with your activas that has clocked 30K+ kms.

People from Bangalore. Can you tell me about a good servicing centre for activas? Anybody's name I can refer?

Hi Creative 420,

I know the reply is quite late as the post is quite a few years old.

Should you still be looking for a mechanic who satisfies your requirements I strongly recommend Mr. Narayan on J.C. Road in Bangalore.

I have been using his services for the past 6 years on my Yamaha RX135 (1999) and have not found one reason to complain - both on the money front as well on the service related issues.

It's just that he is not the proverbial smooth talker mechanic but a bit gruff and that puts of some people while some like me looked past that.

He is located in the by-lane opposite the Masjid on near Lalbagh. Do call him before you visit. His contact number is: 9945598455

He was first recommended to me by the cashier of SLV Restaurants near Gandhibazaar Road. I have not looked at any other mechanic ever since.

Still looking for a good Maruti mechanic on the levels of Mr. Narayan though

Regards,
Ziffius

[audioholic]

Does anyone have an idea of how much the entire engine of an activa costs? Forget engine, how much will a short block(or whatever it is called) cost?

The case again is of a 35k km run activa of my Aunt, but I have to confess that it is not one of the well maintained activas out there. The mechanic has suggested an overhaul it seems. However instead of reboring the block, I suggested her to replace the block, piston and also head if necessary. The service center quoted 22k for the job it seems so I was wondering if it was really costing that much.