Honda Navi Road Test Review

While testing the Navi through the crowded streets of Delhi I was reminded of the good old days, when I used to ride my bike to college every day. It was not just a statement of style but also about convenience and practicality. Then I asked myself would I ride this to college? And the answer undoubtedly was "Hell yea". This little fella has the swag one looks for in a bike and at the same time is practical to ride. But we were not done just yet. While many have been running the Navi on smooth roads and wide streets of metropolitans, we decided to take it a bit further through the narrow streets of Chandni Chowk in Old Delhi. This literally was no child's playground, every turn we needed to be immensely careful or we could knock down a kid or some adult. The agility of the Navi took me by surprise as I made turns and swerves through the dilapidated streets of Chawri Baazar. The Navi feels nimble and fleet footed like a cheetah, the rider gets good balance and gaining confidence on this bike is quite easy.

The Navi is powered by a 109.19cc, single cylinder, air cooled, 4-stroke engine. The power output is 7.8bhp at 7000 rpm and the engine produces a max torque of 8.96Nm at 5500 rpm. We took the Navi to a top speed of 90kmph and getting up to the 80kmph mark is breeze. Past the 80kmph mark the engine does feel a bit strained but since the vehicle ways around 101kgs it is quite fleet footed. The suspension on the Navi is facilitated by a telescopic fork in the front and a spring loaded hydraulic type in the rear.

We found the suspension to be a bit stiffly tuned and one does get shaken up a bit over bumpy roads. The ride quality of the Navi otherwise is quite good and the vehicle is well balanced. While leaning in at corners even at speeds above 60kmph the Navi gives the rider a significant amount of confidence and the agility of this monkey bike can take you by surprise. The Navi is so versatile and nimble that we rode into the nearest gym in old Delhi -- the Shifan Fitness Centre and were riding in between machines and other equipment just because we could. That is when a thought struck me--Could the body builders working out there lift the bike? So I challenged them and to my shock two of them actually started pumping the Navi iron with ease.

The tyres on the Navi are a 90/90 R12 in the front and a 90/100 R10 in the rear. The tyre profile is small like the other scootys available in the market but adds flavor to the looks of this bike. It also means the Navi gets a good fuel average and can be maneuvered with ease. The NAVI returns 60kms to the litre and has a fuel tank of 3.8 litres, giving this bike a range of 228kms on a full tank of petrol. While riding through old Delhi I kept worrying that I might scrape against something or the space ahead was too narrow but every time I got through with ease. It is wrong to zig-zag on the road but sometimes that is the only way to make it out of the chaos. We weaved in and out of traffic, pedestrians, rickshaws and donkey carts and I must admit the Navi made it all look like childs play. The braking setup on the Navi is a 130mm drum in the front and in the rear. The brakes are progressive and provide enough bite to stop this bike. 

By the time we were mid-way through our shoot I was beginning to fall in love with this two wheeler. The acceleration was peppy, the ride was solid and the way the Navi responded to my inputs just made it so pleasurable to ride. This bike also comes with a storage box in the front where one store goods with ease. Other accessories available with the Navi are different kinds of sissy guards to protect the frame of the bike. The Navi is quite simple on the features front and is not too swanky. The bike features a simple analogue speed-o-meter with lights for turn indicators, high beam and the odometer. The switch gear is quite ergonomically placed and can be operated with ease. Honda has provided a electric and kick start function with the bike as well. One also gets a small amount of under seat storage with the Navi.              

The Navi enters in to the Indian market as a one of a kind product which is ideal for the average college going kid be it a guy or a girl. It is not just practical and convenient but also provides a very peppy and fun ride. I rode it through some of the most congested streets Delhi could offer and in the burning 44 degrees Celsius heat. All the way through I don't remember frowning even once, everywhere I went people were smiling and pointing at me seemingly showing that this little pocket rocket has won the hearts of the Indian commuters already. The best part is the ex-showroom price which starts at just Rs. 39,500. It is so affordable that even if you are not working and are in college one can simply pick it up using your own pocket money. That is why we at Motown India actually went and bought one for ourselves!  Bindaas, isn’t it?