Honda has unveiled its first BS6 product, the 2019 Activa 125, in the country. The Japanese brand has equipped the scooter with a host of features to make it a better overall package. The updates should make the 2019 model more relevant in the burgeoning 125cc segment, and here’s everything you need to know about this scooter:
Is India’s first BS6-compliant scooter:
The 2019 Honda Activa 125 is the country’s first BS6-compliant scooter. Even though Hero beat Honda by announcing that its motorcycle gets BS6-compliance certification, it is the Japanese brand which unveiled its product in the flesh first. This pre-emptive action will help the brand be more prepared when the emission norms kick in on April 1, 2020. That’s because Honda will not have to worry about clearing its stocks at the last moment, especially considering the Activa 125 is a mass-market product.
When can you buy it and how much will it cost?
Honda revealed that the scooter will be available for sale by the end of this month. So we expect deliveries to commence simultaneously as well. Honda hasn’t announced the price yet but we believe it will cost around Rs 65,000 (ex-showroom, Delhi). For reference, the outgoing Activa 125 costs Rs 60,347 (ex-showroom Delhi) for the base variant. Also, Honda offers a standard 3-year warranty with the Activa 125 with the option to extend it by three more years (a first in segment)!
Gets a really informative instrument cluster:
The 2019 Honda Activa 125 comes with a new semi-digital instrument console. It displays crucial details like distance to empty, overall and real-time fuel efficiency as well. Apart from the regular trove of information, the scooter also gets a tripmeter, side-stand indicator, clock, eco indicator and a service due indicator.
Moreover, it also packs a malfunction light which lights up if there’s anything wrong with the engine. Another interesting fact is that this is the only scooter in the segment which prevents the engine from starting up when the side stand is down.
It’s quite practical too:
The 2019 Activa 125 is the first Honda scooter in India to have an external fuel filler. There’s also a dual-function switch on the apron which lets the rider open up the fuel cap without needing to get off the scooter. The underseat storage stands at 18 litres and the scooter gets a lockable apron-mounted compartment to store small knick-knacks too.
Packs a tech-laden engine:
Honda has also equipped the new-gen Activa 125 with Idling Stop System. This is essentially similar to Hero MotoCorp’s i3S feature and it switches off the engine automatically when it idles in traffic. It turns the engine back on with a twist of the throttle.
The scooter comes with a 125cc air-cooled engine with fuel injection. The inlet port shape has been tweaked so that the air-fuel mixture tumbles down when it enters the combustion chamber. This turbulent flow enhances the mixture of fuel and air and improves combustion efficiency.
Honda has also equipped the scooter with a Honda Alternating Current Generator (ACG) starter, which essentially cranks up the engine using the same generator that the scooter uses to power the electrical system. This eliminates the need to have a separate starter motor and also results in a silent startup as there is no noise of the gears meshing. Honda also says that when the scooter is about to start up, the exhaust valves are kept open slightly to facilitate decompression. Additionally, the engine gets a Swing Back function which rotates the crank slightly to the opposite direction. The brand claims that this allows the piston to take a ‘running start’, making it easier to start the engine using minimal power.
Source: zigwheels.com
