The recently launched Honda
Navi, is so much a motorcycle and so much a scooter that even the government
transport authorities are playing safe with their registration certificate (RC).
Usually two wheelers are classified either as a “Motorcycle” or a “Scooter” in
the RC, but with the Honda Navi it is “M-Cycle/Scooter”. It seems that even the
authorities want to play it safe with this tiny tot. In short, the authority
officials do not want to be caught on the wrong foot by calling the Navi a
scooter or a motorcycle.
Honda Navi, made by Honda
Motorcycle & Scooter India (HMSI) Honda Navi, is a unique vehicle because
of its unconventional design. The company is leaving it to its customers to
define the two-wheeler. According to HMSI
Senior Vice President Yadvinder Singh Guleria the company has left it to the
customers to call it whatever they feel is apt for the vehicle. “Some of our
customers want to call it as scooter, some want to call it a motorcycle, for
us, like our marketing campaign says—Whatever it is, it’s fun”, says Guleria.
HMSI too, on its website, has
classified its vehicles under several categories: Motorcycle, Scooter Super bikes
and Navi. Launched in the country in late April 2016, the Honda Navi is being
sold at Rs 39,500, ex showroom Delhi. Powered by a 109.19cc four-stroke, SI engine, the
Navi has a fuel tank capacity 3.8 litres and weighs around 101 kgs.
Guleria told Motown
India that the Honda Navi has already notched sales of more than 5000
units across 10 cities where it is available as of now. The company is pleasantly
surprised by the sales of the Honda Navi and according to Guleria in phase I of
its plan the company hopes to make available the Navi in 35 top cities and towns
of the country and will introduce it all
across the country gradually.
Targeted at the youth, Honda Navi
is the first 100pc Honda R&D India model that has gone from concept development
stage to commercial production. The standard Navi comes in 5 colour options –
Patriot Red, Hopper Green, Shasta White, Sparky Orange and Black.
Guleria mentioned that the
company was surprised to see that the Naiv had spawned a “customisation”
culture among the customers. He said 50pc of the current buyers had opted for
the optional kit that was available at the dealerships . Though not the entire
range of the kit is available as of now, some of the products for the Navi include
the headlight protector, visor, side covers, seat covers, RR grip, suspension
cover and luggage box. “Most of the
customisation show during the Auto Expo will be available before the festive
season (October),” said Guleria.
But when the monthly figures
of SIAM are released in May 2016, the Honda Navi production and sales figures
will come under the “Scooter” category, stated Guleria. With HMSI being the
country’s clear leader in the scooter segment, the Honda Navi sales will only
strengthen their position in the Indian two wheeler market.