HONDA SALES AND SERVICES An internship training project Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the award of Degree of Master of Business Administration in Marketing Discipline Submitted To:
DELHI BUSINESS SCHOOL(PUNJAB TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY), DELHI Submitted By: AKSHOBHYA RAIZADA
Session: Spring 2009-11
Acknowledgement Any assignment puts to litmus test of an individual’s knowledge credibility or experience and thus sole efforts of an individual are not sufficient to accomplish
the desired. Successful completion of training involves interest and efforts of many people so this becomes obligatory on us to thank them. I prepared the present project entitled “Honda sales and services” as a part of the academic requirement of pre-final year internship training. The materialization of ideas and views of this project has seen valuable contribution of numerous persons. I am sinc sincer erel ely y inde indebt bted ed to the the staf stafff memb members ers of BGS BGS Hond Honda, a, unde underr whos whosee supervision I undertook the training, for providing all short of guidance needed for at every stage of the training process. With deep sense of gratitude I express my hearti heartily ly thanks thanks to entire entire facult faculty y member memberss for their their guidan guidance, ce, critica criticall review review,, valu valuab able le sugg sugges esti tion onss and and acti active ve coop coopera erati tion on from from time time to time time that that lead lead to successful completion of the training. There are several people who deserve much more than a mere acknowledgement for their outstanding support to me. I owe my sincere thanks to all my friends for providing a genial and favorable f avorable environment.
Akshobhya Raizada
CONTENTS: 1)
Introduction
2) History 3) Trademark origins 4) Corporate profile & divisions
5) Current market position 6) Leadership 7) Products Motorcycles: ➢
Honda motorcycle & scooter India pvt. Ltd. • • • • • • • • •
Honda Shine 125cc review Honda Activa review Honda Aviator review Honda Dio review Honda Unicorn 150cc review Honda CB Unicorn DAZZLER review Honda CB Twister review Honda CBF Stunner 125cc review Honda Stunner PGM-Fi review
8) Reference
Introduction: Honda Motor Company, Ltd. (Japanese: 本田技研工業株式会社, Honda Giken Kōgyō Kabushiki-gaisha Kōgyō Kabushiki-gaisha?, Honda Technology Research Institute Company, Limited) (TYO (TYO:: 7267 7267)) is a Japanese multinational corporation primarily known as a manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles motorcycles..
Honda is the world's largest manufacturer of motorcycles as well as the world's largest manufacturer of internal of internal combustion engines measured by volume, producing more than 14 million internal combustion engines each year. Honda surpassed Nissan surpassed Nissan in 2001 to become the second-largest Japanese automobile manufacturer. As of August 2008 [update], Honda surpassed Chrysler Chrysler as as the fourth largest automobile manufacturer in the United States. Honda is the sixth largest automobile manufacturer in the world.
Honda was the first Japanese automobile manufacturer to release a dedicated luxury brand, Acura in 1986. Aside from their core automobile and motorcycle businesses, Honda also manufactures garden equipment, marine engines, personal watercraft and power generators, amongst others. Since 1986, Honda has been involved with artificial intelligence/robotics research and released their ASIMO robot in 2000. They have also ventured into aerospace with the establishment of GE Honda Aero Engines in 2004 and the Honda HA-420 HondaJet, HondaJet , scheduled to be released in 2011. Honda spends about 5% of its revenues into R&D.
His History to ry : From a young age, Honda's founder, Soichiro Honda (本田 宗一郎, Honda Sōichirō) had a great interest in automobiles. He worked as a mechanic at a Japanese tuning shop, Art Shokai, where he tuned cars and entered them in races. A self-taught engineer, he later worked on a piston design which he hoped to sell to Toyota Toyota.. The first drafts of his design were rejected, and Soichiro worked painstakingly to perfect the design, even going back to school and pawning his wife's jewelry for collateral. Eventually, he won a contract with Toyota and built a factory to construct pistons for them, which was destroyed in an earthquake. Due to a gas shortage during World War II, II, Honda was unable to use his car, and his novel idea of attaching a small engine to his bicycle attracted much curiosity. He then established the Honda Technical Research Institute in Hamamatsu Hamamatsu,, Japan, to develop and produce small 2-cycle motorbike engines. Calling upon 18,000 bicycle shop owners across Japan to take part in revitalizing a nation torn apart by war, Soichiro received enough capital to engineer his first motorcycle, the Honda Cub. This marked the beginning of Honda Motor Company, which would grow a short time later to be the world's largest manufacturer of motorcycles by 1964. The first production automobile from Honda was the T360 mini pick-up truck. Powered by a small 356 cc straight-4 gasoline engine, it was classified under the cheaper Kei cheaper Kei car tax car tax bracket. [citation needed ] The first production car from Honda was the S500 sports car.[citation needed ] Its chain driven rear wheels point to Honda's motorcycle origins.[citation needed ]
"Honda" in Japanese is 本田, which literally means "root field" or "original field".
Trademark origins:
The stylized word and drawing design HM logo is a registered trademark at the USPTO, and owned by Honda Motor Company Ltd. Whereas Honda's trademark had been registered in Japan since November 13, 1953 it wasn't until a decade later that the motorcycle and automobile company filed for trademark registration in the United States. On Friday, August 30, 1963, Honda Giken Gokyo Kabushiki Kaisha of Tokyo, Japan filed for two trademarks with the USPTO. One trademark was for the word mark of HM within an oval geometric shape. The application, signed by founder Soichiro Honda, was filed in the primary category of non-metallic building material products. Description included for the HM trademark was for land vehicles-namely, motor cars, motorcycles, and motor trucks. Trademark registration was granted on September 15, 1964.
The stylized word and drawing design Winged HM logo is a registered trademark at the USPTO, and owned by Honda Motor Company Ltd. Honda filed a second trademark with the USPTO on the same date of August 30, 1963. The second mark was for the winged HM design logo that Honda had registered in Japan since June 15, 1962. The Winged HM mark is in the nonmetallic building material products as well and applied to goods and services for
land vehicles-namely, motor cars, motorcycles, and motor trucks. The USPTO granted registration on September 15, 1964. Of note, the USPTO initially issued an Office Action to Honda rejecting their application for both the HM and Winged HM marks. The U.S. trademark office cited two other HM trademarks that would likely cause confusion, mistake, or deception. Additionally they determined that the identification of goods was too broad and indefinite. One of the confusing HM trademarks was U.S. Registration No. 748,4794 for pneumatic tires and owned by B.F. Goodrich. The other confusing trademark was for Holman & Moody for automobile bodies and frames, U.S. Registration No. 708,684. Honda responded to the Office Action, and following the USPTO's admonitions, amended their applications to narrowly define the description of their goods and services to readily distinguish the Honda HM trademarks to avoid confusion, mistake or deception. Subsequently, the USPTO accepted Honda's response and approved their trademark registration on both marks. U.S. trademark status for the HM and stylized winged HM is registered and renewed. Both marks are owned by Honda Motor Co. LTD of Tokyo, Japan.
Corporate Profile and Divisions:
Honda headquarters building in Japan Honda is headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. Their shares trade on the Tokyo Stock Exchange and the New York Stock Exchange, as well as exchanges in Osaka, Nagoya, Sapporo, Kyoto, Fukuoka, London, Paris and Switzerland.
The company has assembly plants around the globe. These plants are located at China, USA, Pakistan, Canada, England, Japan, Belgium, Brazil, New Zealand, Indonesia, India, Thailand, and Turkey. Honda's Net Sales and Other Operating Revenue by Geographical Regions in 2007 Geographic Region Total revenue (in millions) Japan ¥1,681,190 ¥5,980,876 North America ¥1,236,757 Europe ¥1,283,154 Asia Others ¥905,163
American Honda Motor Co. is based in Torrance, California. Honda Canada Inc. is headquartered in the Scarborough district of Toronto, Ontario, and is building new corporate headquarters in Markham, Ontario, scheduled to relocate in 2008; their manufacturing division, Honda of Canada Manufacturing , is based in Alliston, Ontario. Honda has also created joint ventures around the world, such as Honda Siel Cars and Hero Honda Motorcycles in India,[13] Guangzhou Honda and Dongfeng Honda in China, and Honda Atlas in Pakistan.
Current Market Position:
With high fuel prices and a weak US economy in June 2008, Honda reported a 1% sales increase while its rivals, including the Detroit Big Three and Toyota, have reported double-digit losses. Honda's sales were up almost 20 percent from the same month last year. The Civic and the Accord were in the top five list of sales. Analysts have attributed this to two main factors. First, Honda's product lineup consists of mostly small to mid-size, highly fuel-efficient vehicles. Secondly, over the last ten years, Honda has designed its factories to be flexible, in that they can be easily retooled to produce any Honda model that may be in-demand at the moment. Nonetheless, Honda, Nissan, and Toyota, were still not immune to the global financial crisis of 2008, as these companies reduced their profitability forecasts. The economic crisis has been spreading to other important players in the vehicle related industries as well. In November 2009 the Nihon Keizai Shinbun reported that Honda Motor exports have fallen 64.1%. At the 2008 Beijing Auto Show, Honda presented the Li Nian ( "concept" or "idea") 5-door hatchback and announced that they were looking to develop an entry-level brand exclusively for the Chinese market similar to Toyota's Scion brand in the USA. The brand would be developed by a 50-50 joint-venture established in 2007 with Guangzhou Automobile Industry Group .
Leadership: •
1948–1973 — Soichiro Honda
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1973–1983 — Kiyoshi Kawashima
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1983–1990 — Tadashi Kume
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1990–1998 — Nobuhiko Kawamoto
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1998–2004 — Hiroyuki Yoshino
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2004–2009 — Takeo Fukui
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since 2009 — Takanobu Ito
Products: Motorcycles
Honda is the largest motorcycle manufacturer in Japan and has been since it started production in 1955. At its peak in 1982, Honda manufactured almost 3 million motorcycles. By 2006 this figure had reduced to around 550,000 but was still higher than its three domestic competitors. During the 1960s, when it was a small manufacturer, Honda broke out of the Japanese motorcycle market and began exporting to the US. Taking Honda’s story as an archetype of the smaller manufacturer entering a new market already occupied by highly dominant competitors, the story of their market entry, and their subsequent huge success in the US and around the world, has been the subject of some academic controversy. Competing explanations have been advanced to explain Honda’s strategy and the reasons for their success. The first of these explanations was put forward when, in 1975, Boston Consulting Group (BCG) was commissioned by the UK government to write a report explaining why and how the British motorcycle industry had been out-competed by its Japanese competitors. The report concluded that the Japanese f irms, including Honda, had sought a very high scale of production (they had made a large number of motorbikes) in order to benefit from economies of scale and learning curve effects. It blamed the decline of the British motorcycle industry on the failure of British managers to invest enough in their businesses to profit from economies of scale and scope.
2004 Honda Super Cub
The second explanation was offered in 1984 by Richard Pascale, who had interviewed the Honda executives responsible for the firm’s entry into the US market. As opposed to the tightly focused strategy of low cost and high scale that BCG accredited to Honda, Pascale found that their entry into the US market was a story of “miscalculation, serendipity, and organizational learning” – in other words, Honda’s success was due to the adaptability and hard work of its staff, rather than any long term strategy. For example, Honda’s initial plan on entering the US was to compete in large motorcycles, around 300 cc. It was only when the team found that the scooters they were using to get themselves around their US
base of San Francisco attracted positive interest from consumers that they came up with the idea of selling the Super Cub. The most recent school of thought on Honda’s strategy was put forward by Gary Hamel and C. K. Prahalad in 1989. Creating the concept of core competencies with Honda as an example, they argued that Honda’s success was due to its focus on leadership in the technology of internal combustion engines. For example, the high power-to-weight ratio engines Honda produced for its racing bikes provided technology and expertise which was transferable into mopeds. Honda's entry into the US motorcycle market during the 1960s is used as a case study for teaching introductory strategy at business schools worldwide. It created the first luxury Japanese car (1985 Legend) and motorcycle (2006 Gold Wing bikes) equipped with an airbag, as well as the first mid-size pickup
truck with independent rear suspension (2006 Ridgeline).
Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India Pvt. Ltd: Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India Pvt. Ltd (HMSI) is a fully owned subsidiary of Honda Motor Company Limited, Japan. Honda is the world's largest manufacturer of two wheelers. Set up in 1999, it was the fourth Honda automotive venture in India, after Hero Honda, Kinetic Honda Motor Ltd and Honda Siel Cars India Limited. Headquarters of the company are located at Gurgaon in Haryana state of India. In December 2002, HMSI got ISO 14001 certification.
Honda Brands
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Honda Aviator
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Honda Activa
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Honda Dio
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Honda Eterno
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Honda Unicorn
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Honda Shine
About the Company Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India Pvt. Ltd was founded on August 20, 1999 at Manesar near Gurgaon in Haryana. The foundation stone for the Honda factory was laid on December 14, 1999 and the factory was completed in January 2001. The company initially ventured into scooters as its joint venture agreement with the Hero Group precluded its entry into the motorcycle segment for five years. The company set benchmarks in the Indian scooter industry with the launch of its gearless scooter Honda Activa. Honda Dio, launched after it, was a slightly upgraded and trendier version of Activa. Honda Eterno was another addition to the repertoire of Honda scooters. First bike launched by HMSI was Honda Unicorn. It was followed by Honda Shine. All the products launched by HMSI were runaway hits in the market. HMSI factory at Manesar is built on 52 acres of land. Its initial production capacity was 100,000 scooters per year, which has now been upgraded to 6,00,000 scooters. The bike production capacity is 10,00,000 per annum. Initial investment behind the factory was Rs. 215 crores and has now grown to 800 crores.
Honda Shine Equipped with a host of advanced technologies, Honda Shine offers impressive performance. Having some really phenomenal features, Shine is a value for money. State-of-the-art
technological inputs make it a dream machine. Honda Activa Honda Activa is an easy to ride two wheeler with good pick-up and high reliability. Thanks to its user-friendly features, it has been quite successful in India. The vehicle has the option of kick and self-start, and one can choose according to one’s preferences.
Honda Dio Honda Dio, manufactured and assembled in India by Honda's HMSI subsidiary, is India's first motoscooter introduced in 2001. With attractive body color and appealing structure, Dio makes its presence felt on the road. Honda Eterno Honda Eterno ensures steady and smooth ride in any road condition. The scooter has good pick up and accelerates fast. The vehicle offers complete pleasure of riding, thanks to its features like comfortable riding position, spacious foot board, handle position etc.
Honda Unicorn The bike is fantastic both in performance as well as aesthetic value. It is a perfect fusion of sporty and macho design. With features like swift acceleration, superior mileage, international styling, riding comfort and convenience, the bike has made some benchmarks in Indian automotive industry.
Honda Shine 125cc Review : With 125cc engine, I feel that this bike does a very good job in giving you comfort, mileage and descent looks. Here’s a review of the various aspects of Honda Shine.
Styling: The looks of the bike is not sporty like the Glamour, the competitor from Hero Honda. But I feel that the bike has a different focus than the latter. The bike has been designed for the ‘office commuter’ in mind who needs plain and neat looks. If you are a college student, choose to buy the Honda CBF Stunner which has the same 125cc engine but a sporty and trendy outfit. Performance: Many users have told me that the bike vibrates when it is taken above 60 km/hr. But one has to remember that this is a 125cc bike and not a 150cc
one. But at low speeds, the acceleration is fantastic. The bike gives a mileage of more than 50kmpl for sure but it can give higher number if you maintain the right air pressure in the tires and get your bike serviced regularly.
The bike has very good handling, the ergonomic seats make it very comfortable for all day riding. Gearing is a noticeable feature in Shine. A owner of Honda Shine says – Gearing is very user friendly. Frequent gear shifting is not required. You can ride at quite low speeds without down shifting. For example: if I am going in 4th gear and I approach a speed breaker, I have been able to slow down to around 20kmph, cross the speed breaker and then accelerate again all the while remaining in 4th gear. Wow! That makes city riding more comfortable. The dashboard has the basic features built into it. Speedometer and ODO meter on the left and fuel gauge with three indicators (high beam, signal, and neutral) on the right. The indicator lights look cute in oval shape, don’t you think so? And they are bright enough so that it is visible even in broad day light.
Verdict: Honda Shine sets itself apart from other bikes in 125cc segment. You know why? It is a original Honda make. Honda is known for high quality of parts, durability and pride of ownership. Overall this is a good bike which I would recommend to my uncle, but not my friend! Honda Shine 125cc Specifications: Engine Type: 4 St, Air Cooled OHC Single Cylinder Displacement: 124.6 cc Net Power: 10.3 BHP @ 7500 rpm (7.68 KW) Torque: 1.1 Kg-m @ 5500 rpm (10.9 Nm) Rear Suspension: 3 Step Spring Loaded Hydraulic Shock Absorber Transmission: Constant Mesh, 4 Speed Gear Front Brake Type: 240mm Disc / 130mm Drum Acceleration (0-60 kmph): 5.3 Sec. Rear Tyre: 2.75 – 18 48P(6PR)
Honda Activa Review:
My Honda Activa, 100 cc, model SCV100CM is 3.5 year old. It cost me Rs. 33,200 (Ex. Show room price) + 4,150 (12.5% tax) + 3,421 (Life time Regn) + 887 (insurance) + 100 (hypothecation charges) +2,505 (Accessories). The total am ount was Rs. 44,246. I replaced the battery at 2 yrs and the rear tire in the 3rd year. It has clocked only 15,000 Kms so far. It has never given any major problem so far. This is an Auto geared scooter. There is no clutch to be operated or gears to be shifted. The left lever on handlebar controls rear brake while the right one controls the front brake. Both brakes are internal expanding drum brakes. There is a brake lock (parking brake) on the rear brake lever to lock the rear wheel, which prevents vehicle from rolling on inclined surfaces, especially when resting on the side stand. Activa is provided with an ignition-cum-steering lock, a self-starter, fuel gauge, Catalytic converter at the exhaust and a small kick-start pedal, in case it does not start on battery. It is advisable to kick-start and use choke while starting in the mornings. Surprisingly even after adhering to this routine, my battery gave up in 2 yrs. A different school of thought say that batteries last longer if they are discharged and charged properly, so now I use the self-starter at all times.
Front suspension is twin while rear is single. The front brake does not give much confidence. You can feel a bit of nose diving tendency when you brake hard. The Activa is mostly used by my wife to commute to work, visit her friends and do errands for the house. My daughter and son also use it regularly. I borrow it at times when I am lazy to ride my Pulsar or when I have to go shopping. Women just love it for its wide comfortable seat, self start and auto gear feature. The seat is hinged at the front and opens upward at the rear. It is lockable using the ignition key. There is a little storage space under the seat, which can hold a mini helmet but not a large one. This space gets heated quite a bit if the vehicle is driven for long. If you were planning to carry ice cream, it they would melt and flow by the time you reach home. There is some free space up front where you plant your legs, to hang shopping bags from the luggage hook. Since there is no foot brake pedal, this space can be used without hindrance. This is one big advantage of the Activa over a bike. If you plan to carry stuff like gas cylinders then the optional front storage box should not be fitted. Anyway I would never recommend this nor will I recommend carrying more than the legal number of passengers. Headlight is not so bright even though it uses a 35 W lamp. Poor optics could be a likely reason. Activa is not provided with a parking lamp. However the turn
indicators and stop light of 21 Watts are powerful and clearly visible, even in daytime. Spare tire is optional. I did not opt for it as it would spoil the look and add extra weight. The manufacturer does not recommend it as the tire is supposed to withstand and self-repair minor punctures. I had to buy necessary accessories like Foot rests, Side stand, Turn indicator beeper, Front storage box, Floor mat, Front and back guards and Rear number plate. I could not understand why even floor mat and rear number plate are sold as accessories. There is no separate front number plate. I stuck the registration number sticker directly on the front faring. Fortunately the twin rear view mirrors are not sold as accessories Helmet holders are provided on both sides of the seat near the hinge. This helps to secure helmet in combination with seat lock. Activa’s tires originally come with puncture resistant inner tubes. Don’t confuse it with puncture resisting, tubeless tires. The tube is double layered and contains a self-sealing gel, which seals the tube in event of minor punctures, like the ones caused by nails. In the 3rd year the rear tire got punctured beyond repair and both the tube and tire set was changed with a standard variety. Engine compartment is accessible by opening 3 bolts located under the seat, inside the storage compartment and then tilting the front upwards. The rear of the engine cover pivots on an internal hinge. They is a stay rod to keep the metal hood in lifted position. The body is fully sheet metal, including front mudguard. A small tool kit is provided which is stored in a small cavity under the seat. The kit contains spanners for spark plug and wheel removal, a screwdriver, adjustable pliers, etc. Petrol tank can be filled only by lifting seat. I get a mileage of approximately 40 Kms to a litre. Specification: Overall length: 1768 mm Overall width: 710 mm Overall height =1120 mm Wheelbase: 1235 mm Dry wt of Scooter =107 kg
Engine oil volume = 0.7L to 0.8 L Fuel tank cap=6.0 L Transmission oil volume = 0.12 L Passenger cap=172 kgs Engine bore x stroke: 50 x 52 mm Engine Compression ratio = 9.0:1 Spark plug= P-RZ9HC (CHAMPION), Air Gap = .7 TO .8 mm Idling Speed = 1700 RPM ±100 Front / Rear Tyre size= 90/100-10 53J Battery = 1 2V-5AH Alternator cap = 0.11kw @ 5000 rpm Headlight = 12V-35/35W
Pros: Reliability Cons: lack of style
Honda Aviator Review: The Aviator was introduced in the market as the third offering from Honda in the scooter segment. Since this scooter is powered by the same engine that runs in the Activa or the Dio, there is nothing exceptionally different in its performance. However, completely new looks with some added features make the Aviator stand apart from the competition. An unusual and futuristic design philosophy, which Honda has adapted from the latest version of the Fireblade, adds a touch of muscle to the scooter and targets the
adult male buyers. This comes as the most important change in the Aviator as compared to the Activa, which is targeted more towards the female population and the Dio which is more of a youth friendly vehicle.
The tried and tested engine ensures good performance and a decent fuel economy. The trademark Honda refinement and reliability is present everywhere on this newage scooter. Another thing that sets the Aviator apart from its siblings is its suspension. Though the chassis of the Aviator is almost similar to the one offered on the Activa, it has now been equipped with inverted forks in the front. The twin telescopic front suspension offers better handling characteristics and going around corners is now a breeze. The Aviator shows great composure while taking high speed bends on roads. The new front suspension has also enhanced the ride quality significantly.
The scooter sports a peculiar wheel configuration with different wheel sizes at front and rear. While Honda has retained the rear wheel size to 10-inch, they have equipped the Aviator with a 12-inch front wheel. The change in the front wheel size has come in order to accommodate the disc brake as a 10-inch wheel would have been too small to house a capable rotor. The Aviator’s price tag is higher than any of its competitors in the market, however, the features that come packed in a parcel badged with the wing makes every penny spent worth it.
Honda Dio Review : Apart from the performance due to the presence of its 4 stroke, single cylinder, aircooled, OHC engine it is being noticed in the market for its attractive body color and appealing structure. Honda Dio Top of Form Honda Dio
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Bottom of Form Its stylish aerodynamic, sleek, wedge design body is really compatible with the body mounted multi reflector head light. Light weight of this fibre body does not only look good but also enhances riding comfort and fuel efficiency. Passenger's comfort is the assurance of its specially designed seat with enough leg
room and ample space in under seat luggage box for storing helmet, lunch box, spare parts, raincoat etc inside it. Its under seat bag hook is also very effective for holding briefcase or bags. For supporting this two wheeler, it has firm road gripping tyre with stable steering. Its wider foot board is helpful for co-passenger to keep his feet comfortably. Other features involved in it are CLIC mechanism, Tuffup tube, long front suspension, movable front fender, saree step, side stand, sporty inner box, Honda 4 stroke engine oil etc.
It is found in different colors: •
Black
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Geny Grey Metallic
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Misty Pink Metallic
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Candy Tahitian Blue
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Guarau Red
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Moon Yellow
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS OF HONDA DIO Engine Type
Displacement Max. Power Max. Torque Transmission Ignition Electricals Battery Headlamp Chassis Frame Dimensions (lxbxh) Wheel Base
4-stroke, Single cylinder, air cooled, OHC 102 cc 7 Bhp @ 7000 rpm 0.8 Kg-m @ 5500 rpm V-matic Self / Kick 12V, 5Ah 35W High rigidity Under Bone type 1760 x 710 x 1110 mm 1235 mm
Ground Clearance 145 mm Weight Distribution (front/rear 40:60 wheels) Suspension Bottom Link with spring loaded hydraulic Front damper Rear Unit swing with spring loaded hydraulic damper Tyre Size Front 3.50 - 10, 4 PR Rear 3.50 - 10, 4 PR Brakes Front Drum, 130 mm dia Rear Drum, 130 mm dia Fuel Tank Capacity 6 litres
Honda Unicorn 150cc Review: Honda set foot on the Indian bike market with the legendary Honda Unicorn. With 150cc engine and mono-suspension, it was the first of its kind in India. In one word, it can be summed up as ‘The Smart 150cc Bike.’
I went to the Honda showroom to test drive the Unicorn, but I was disappointed as they told me that there are no bikes for test drive and if booked, it will take another 6 months to arrive! Wow! This is a great pointer to the fact that the bike is selling like crazy in India. I called up one of my friend who I remembered to have owned a Unicorn and asked him whether he still uses it and if possible come to my place so that I can take some pictures and test the bike for a review on Bike Advice. He gladly accepted and the bike arrived around 5 in the evening.
As I started the bike using the self starter, the first thing I shouted was “Wow, this engine feels so smooth and silent”. While the Apache RTR roars like a panther, Unicorn is silent and powerful like a cheetah! The gear shifting was so smooth and I flew off for the test drive (because I am a Wing Rider now!). In comparison to the Apache RTR and Pulsar, it lacks in pickup. The bike does not give a sudden jolt of acceleration, but very efficiently increases the speed in a smooth fashion. The same acceleration power is retained as you go to higher speeds. Unlike other bikes which give a sudden jolt of inertia initially but sucks at higher speeds, Unicorn does a good job of constant acceleration for a long time with its 150cc engine.
After riding around 2 kms, I looked back at the road and paused to turn. The road was not very wide, I usually get down to the mud while turning with other bikes, but to my surprise, with Honda Unicorn I made a full curve without letting the tires go beyond the pavement edge. This is one thing that I absolutely appreciate… Handling! Given the fact that you need to make sharp turns constantly in Indian roads, Unicorn is very well designed for it. The brakes are not outstanding, but provides adequate friction when you put the pressure with your fingers and foot. The best part of the bike is the mono suspension. You will feel the difference only if have driven many bikes on all types of roads. But it really counts!
The bike does not have a digital console which puts it a little behind the competition, but the dials really serve the purpose. The most necessary feature of dashboard, the speedometer is put at the right place, at the center! Bold and clear, unlike other bikes which have the speedometer aligned on the sides of the dashboard.
Regarding the mileage part, let me get you some words directly from a owner.
“Since I drive mostly in highways I get around 54-55kmpl and around 49-51 in city. Some of my friends have reported more mileage of 57 kmpl it could be because of my riding style too. you will get an average mileage of any where around 52-55 kmpl. So good fuel efficiency, but make sure you fill petrol in only one bunk regularly coz this will ensure steady mileage. Riding speed should be around 50 -60 kmph for getting this mileage as I observed.” Gowtham:
Conclusion: Honda speaks for itself, Honda is a perfectionist in the automobile market. With the Unicorn successfully selling across India, it is a sure sign that Honda will launch a lot of new bikes which will eat up the competition just like that. Buy a Honda and you will NOT regret it. Pros: Honda Make, Fantastic Handling, Smooth and Silent Engine, Mono Suspension Cons: Mileage is not as good as its competition Honda Unicorn 150cc Specifications: Engine Type: 4 Stroke, Air Cooled OHC, Single Cylinder Displacement: 149.1 cc Net Power: 13.3 bhp @ 8000 rpm (9.9 KW) Torque: 1.3 Kg-m @ 5500 rpm (12.8 Nm) Carburetor: CV Type
Starting System: Self Transmission: Constant Mesh, 5 Speed gear Gear Shift Pattern: 1 Down – 4 Up Front Suspension: Telescopic Rear Suspension: Advanced Technology Mono-suspension Front Tyre: 2.75 x 18 Rear Tyre: 100 / 90 – 18 Front Brake Type: 240 mm Disc Rear Brake Type: 130 mm Drum
Honda CB Unicorn Dazzler Review: Call it a result of a lot of prayers or cursing, HMSI very recently launched the upgrade to its long time warhorse Unicorn and dubbed it as CB Unicorn Dazzler. This launch makes Dazzler the 5th bike to use the same 150cc engine in different tunings. It was first used on the Unicorn followed by Achiever, CBZ Extreme and Hunk and now on the Dazzler.
The interesting part is that all the bikes are currently on sale, either on HMSI’s or Hero Honda’s showrooms.
This new offering comes with a lot of firsts and luring features and here we take a first look at all of them: 1. LOOKS: Honda has paid special emphasis on the looks of this bike. The
bike has been laden with aggressive styling, fiery looking bikini fairing with screenless front cowl, Honda’s emblem embossed huge side cowls similar to Twister, twin tone seats, sporty half chain cover and an attractive pointed tail. 2. ENGINE: Honda has increased the power output of this bike by 0.7 bhp
with the output going up to 14bhp in contrast to 13.3bhp produced by the older mill. This makes it more powerful than Achiever and CB Unicorn but still lesser than Hunk and Extreme. The peak power is now produced 500rpm higher at 8500 compared to Unicorn’s 8000 rpm. Torque output remains constant at 12.8 Nm but again the engine produces it at a higher rpm of 6500 compared to 5500 of the older engine. All this signifies that the bike would be a higher revving bike. 3. REAR DISC: Dazzler becomes the first bike among Honda’s 150cc arsenal
to sport a 220mm rear Nissin disc brake as standard. Front remains the same 240mm Nissin rotor. 4. DIGITAL CONSOLE: Better late than never! Dazzler also becomes the
first bike among Hondas 150cc arsenal which has been endowed with a semi digital console. The assembly comprises of an analogue tachometer (which
now redlines at 9250 rpm from the 9000 for the earlier model), regular information lights and a blue backlit digital speedometer which displays speed in big bold letters, tripmeter, clock and a fuel meter. REDUCTION: Seems like Honda has understood the importance of saving every little kilogram on a bikes overall characteristics, Dazzler is a full 8 kilograms lighter than Unicorn. As a result, we might expect it to be slightly more flickable than the older version.
5. WEIGHT
6. ALTERED DIMENSIONS: All the dynamics have been made smaller on
this new bike. Length cut short to 2073mm (from 2095mm), Breadth reduces to 754mm (from 756mm) and height trimmed down to 1085mm (from 1100mm). Wheelbase also finds itself shorter at 1328mm (from 1340mm) and even the ground clearance has not been spared. The bike stands only 162mm taller to the ground as compared to the earlier 179mm. In all, Dazzler is a smaller bike as compared to CB Unicorn. This gives us a small glimpse of where has Honda gained those 8 kilograms of weight advantage from. 7. OMISSION OF KICKER: In sharp contrast to Honda’s conservative
thought process, the company has given away the kick start. A big question which struck our mind was, WHY? Others do it because their bikes have sporty riding positions and to save the rider of facing the CBZ Classic-like hassles of folding the footpeg to kick start the bike. Dazzler comes with a very commuter oriented seating posture and Honda could have easily accommodated a kicker at its original place. This would further shoo away conservative customers who still feel a machine is incomplete without a kick start. 8. HIGH FUEL EFFICIENCY: Quite akin to Unicorn, Dazzler has also been
claimed to return FE figures of 60kmpl under Indian Mode. On road, however, we feel this bike would be slightly less frugal than CB Unicorn. 9. SMALLER FUEL TANK: Unicorn boasted a huge tank with a fuel
carrying capacity of 13 liters but Dazzlers tank has been made slimmer with a loss of 1 liter in fuel carrying capacity. 10. NEW TIRES: HMSI has reverted to 17 incher broader rubbers for this bike.
Specifications for the front are 80/100 17 (from 2.75 * 18) and rear are 110/80 17 (from 100/90 18). Tuff up tubes on the Unicorn also makes way for Tubeless rubber on this machine. 11. PERFORMANCE: Though no claims have been made by HMSI we expect
this bike’s performance to be slightly better than the older Unicorn in outright performance. However, existing CB Unicorn might still remain a
better in-city tool with Dazzler performing better where higher revs are required. 12. OTHER TIDBITS: Vibrations dampeners, Maintenance Free 12Volt 4Ah
Maintenance Free Battery (The older Unicorn comes with 12V 7Ah), Viscous Air Filter etc For owning this bike customers will have to pay a premium over the existing Unicorn and why not, this bike comes loaded with so much! On road Pune, Dazzler costs Rs. 71,790 which makes it Rs 4000 costlier than the existing Unicorn (CB Unicorn costs Rs 67,708 OTR Pune). With all the added gadgets and tweaks this bike seems like a good prospect.
However, on second thoughts with the price tag lingering around the Yamaha’s FZ (FZ 16 costs Rs 73k OTR Pune), a comparison between these two becomes inevitable.
Dazzler doesn’t have FZ like ground breaking looks, nor does it carry insane power like the Apache, nor the homogonous torque of the FZ but what it carries over is the decent-looker better mileage factor. So does it make a good buy at the increased price? Wait for a thorough test drive as we dig deep to answer the same question!
Honda CB Twister Review: Honda’s fingers have firmly located the Indian biker’s pulse. It knows we can’t resist good-looking motorcycles. And that we must have durable quality, a reliable
engine and unmatched fuel economy, all of which has to come home attractively priced.
The 2010 Honda CB Twister turns up the heat in the Indian motorcycle market.
Enter, the 109cc CB Twister, a commuter bike that looks like no other Indian commuter bike to date and has launched with Honda saying it has perfected every aspect of its new motorcycle. Read on and allow us to bring you our opinion on Honda’s new CB Twister. Your eyes won’t believe they’re upon a commuter bike while viewing Honda’s CB Twister. Sharply styled with cues from the designed-in-Europe CB1000R, Honda’s new commuter motorcycle is cleanly styled without the clutter of many decals. Much of its mass concentrates forward and close to its center of gravity. Six ‘V’ shaped spokes frame the CB’s attractive black alloy wheels, with this same shade coating much of the bike, including its front forks, handlebar, side and rear cowls, engine and stubby silencer. Honda is offering five metallic paint shades with its new bike.
A nicely styled headlight and mini nose fairing adds some panache to the Twister commuter-cycle.
A bright headlight nestles within the Twister¹s angular front fairing, below the crest of which reside smartly laid out instruments in an eye-catching and legible format. The Twister offers a bold speedometer, and fuel level indicator. It enjoys a pair of angular, functional mirrors, and switchgear that is smooth to operate but sadly lacks a pass light flasher. Soft palm grips and nicely shaped control levers add to the feel good factor when riding this bike. The Twister’s fuel tank is muscular and attractive, providing adequate thigh support, only lacking a hinged filler-lid. This sits just behind a set of nice front cowls, which can sometimes interfere with a tall rider’s knees. The CB Twister’s side panels and seat merge seamlessly into the rear, with a design master stroke evident in the brilliant manner in which the rear grab bar integrates into the fairing. The tail is handsome, with a smartly tapered mudguard and red damper springs. Easily the best looking model in its segment, the CB Twister leads the way with excellent overall quality, perfect fit-and-finish, as well as enviable attention to detail.
The Twister is powered by a 109cc air-cooled single with a purported 9 hp.
Honda claims the CB Twister's four-stroke 109cc single-cylinder engine produces 9 bhp at 8000 rpm. Its twin-valves operate via a high-lift camshaft with a twin pocket air-jacket part of this efficient air-cooling system. A highlight to Honda’s new engine is its long intake funnel leading from the carburettor to the combustion cavity. The crankshaft sits offset in the interests of good utilization of combustion energy, and friction minimizing methods like rocker arms equipped with roller bearings are standard. The CB Twister deploys a viscous type air-filter unit for good breathing, while its silencer mounted catalytic converter launders emissions. This new Honda enjoys light clutch feel, and a well-weighted and positive-feeling gearshift quality. Shifting is in the universal, one-down, three-up pattern via the shift lever. The Twister enjoys perfectly spaced gear ratios and a soft yet healthy exhaust note that makes for enjoyable listening. Throttle response is instant, and this light (238-lb) motorcycle benefits a peppy, enthusiastic feel that belies its small-capacity engine. The powerband is wide, vibefree and silky smooth even when pushing high revs; the Twister willingly chugs away in top-gear (4th) from speeds as low as 15 mph. Performance is class leading, with the 0-36-mph dash achieved in a creditable 7.13 seconds. Top speed is adequate, a true 60 mph on a flat surface.
Our friends at Autocar India report good handling manners from the CB Twister.
The Twister comes with a different frame as seen to date on bikes by Honda for India. As with a single-downtube frame, the CB also deploys its engine as a stressed member but sends a pair of arms down from its steering head to hold the engine. Suspension is by a telescopic fork up front and a pair of hydraulic shock absorbers at the rear, along with a rectangle-section swingarm. Honda has got this bike’s ergonomics spot on, with the riding posture comfortably upright and saddle perfectly padded. The CB Twister comes with 17-inch wheels at both ends, and our test bike came shod with a pair of tubeless MRF tyres that offered excellent traction. Ride quality on this bike is set a touch towards firm, with handling taut and precise at all times. Perfect for quick manoeuvring through crowded traffic, the CB Twister steers with a neutral and light feel. Cornering manners and straight-line stability are commendable.
The Twister’s top speed is about 60 mph.
Our test bike came with an optional 240mm disc brake, which proved capable of stopping from 36 mph in 17.33 meters (56.8 feet). Brake feel from both levers was always progressive and reassuring. Honda isn’t reputed as a world leader in motorcycle technology without reason. The CB Twister managed to run 57.2 kilometres on one liter of fuel (135 mpg!) in city conditions, despite its admirable performance. It bettered this figure to 61.3/kpl (141 mpg!) on its highway run. Honda is clearly stamping its authority on our two-wheeler market. The CB Twister lends a new dimension to commuter bikes in India. Such handsome style has been unheard of in this class till now, being good enough to have even its 150cc neighbours turning a deep shade of green. Overall quality is also top notch on the Twister. Honda’s smooth new engine responds and feels surprisingly better than its rivals. The latest Honda is comfortable too, enjoying a well engineered chassis that provides nimble and light handling. The sum of which means the Autocar India crystal ball predicts this competitively priced motorcycle is one big winner on all fronts. Our big grouse is Honda already struggling to feed waiting lists building up at its two-wheeler dealerships. This needs urgent addressing, as the CB Twister is certain to further lengthen these waiting lists, while on its way to becoming a huge blockbuster for its maker.
Honda CBF Stunner 125cc Review: “Oh, my GOD!”, these were the words that I screamed when I entered the Honda showroom today. Anyone would have done the same thing when they see more than 20 Honda CBF Stunner bikes packed into a small showroom. I thought that these guys were really confident in selling off these 125cc machines, that they bought out a bulk of it from the manufacturer. If there are already 20 bikes in the showroom, think of how much they have stacked up in the godown!
CBF Stunner’s Styling: Honda says that many people thought that it was a 180cc bike in the first look. And some thought it was a 250cc one. The bike is quite large for its engine size. The big flaring in front definitely adds a super cool status to the bike. Major part of the Stunner story is its looks. With alloy wheels, Karizma like head lamps, split seats, Honda has made it look like a sports bike for sure. Park the Unicorn and Stunner together and a baby can tell that it wants the Stunner. We Indians give so much importance to looks and Honda has identified it right. CBF Stunner’s Performance: No one can tell that the CBF is the twin brother of
Honda Shine, Unless they look into the specifications. I would say that the bike is better suited for city riding than highway cruising. With jump start pickups at lower speeds, the college guy will definitely look like a cool dude on this bike, compared to the guy who drives a Passion Plus, struggling to catch up with Stunner.The bike gives out 11 bhp at 8000 rpm with its 124.7 cc engine. It does not give me enough pleasure at 80 kmph because the bike is not smooth enough compared to the higher cc counter parts. You would push the engine to the limits only when someone is chasing you, not otherwise!
The engine’s performance has nothing to do with being really sporty. If you want a good looking bike without compromising the mileage, this bike is for you. The handling is impressive. You can turn the bikes with the slightest force because there is no dead weight of the dash board and headlamps in clinging to the handle bar. The tires are pretty thick and the brakes are excellent. Even when you squeeze just the front brakes, the bike does not lose its balance, Honda has done a good job of weight distribution. If you are crazy about the digital speedometer thing, I am sorry, CBF Stunner will disappoint you with complete analog dashboard as shown below…The left dial has the speedometer, ODO meter and the trip meter while the right dial incorporates the fuel indicator. On the center it has a high beam indicator and single signal indicator for both the left and right signals.
The on-road price of Honda CBF Stunner ranges from Rs.54,000 to 60,000 in south India. You have options of having disc brakes and self start. The mileage claimed by users is 66 kmpl. Pros: Styling, Pickup, Brakes Cons: Small engine for a big bike Honda CBF Stunner Specifications: Displacement: 124.7cc Engine: 4 Stroke, Air Cooled, OHC Single Cylinder Maximum Power: 11Bhp@8000rpm Maximum Torque: 11Nm@6500rpm Gears: 5 Speed Weight: 129.00 kg Ground Clearance: 173.00 mm Fuel Tank: 10.00 ltrs Suspension(Front): Telescopic front fork suspension Suspension(Rear): 3 step spring loaded hydraulic shock absorber Brakes (Front): 240mm Disc Brakes(Rear): 130mm Drum
Honda Stunner PGM-Fi Review: With the market getting hotter from every nook and corner with some sizzling products in offering, it is important that we move ahead in the technology department as well and not just a permutation and combination of the same old tech implementations on different versions. In the same bid, Honda launched a scintillating looking Fuel Injected version of Stunner a few months back which was unveiled at a grand function where two bigwigs also made to the curtains, the naked monster CB1000R and the super sexy streetfighter CBR1000RR
With the presence of such massively accorded bikes many would feel a small 125cc bike would get overshadowed, but contrary to this perceived notion, it held onto its own with a distinct appeal and a glorious aura. Lets dig out what difference had a Fuel Injector made to the overall behavior of the bike from its elder sibling. STYLING, BUILD AND DESIGN: I am yet to come across a sane man who doesn’t like the looks of the carbed Stunner and then what better when it comes in different and more appealing clothes. Essentially, Stunner PGM-Fi remains the same old body with changes in the overall designing and colors. The linearity of the whole bike is maintained with lines flowing in a particular well defined manner. Even the contours are pretty well sorted out. The uniformity of the design, right from the fiery front fairing all the way uptill an upswept tail surely reflects the detailed eye which went into the making of the bike.
The bike comes in two tone paint scheme borrowed from the liter class sibling CBR Fireblade and needless to say they look simply superb. The front fairing is indeed the best looking perfect fit on any semi faired bike in India and doenst look an odd fitting as is the case with some of the bikes in the market. Honda has decided to deploy two color tones of the CBR series, the CBR Red and CBR Silver Metallic on this 125 cc machine and the bike certainly oozes out style in both of these color tones especially the metallic red complements the overall theme pretty well.
The rear shock absorbers are also painted red which, incidentally, look good. Seating posture is sporty with those rear set footpegs but even after continuous long runs the bike feels relatively comfortable. The seating is split type and broad enough to accommodate even fatter butts comfortably. Handle bars are the same high placed ones as the older stunner which also aids to the comfortable seating posture. The engine gets a golden treatment which lets the bike exude a lot of class. The bike now sports a half chain cover to add to the sporty feel along with a premium key and a maintenance free battery. Build quality is top notch with very little to complain about. Paint quality is one of the best we have seen on Indian bikes and the fit and finish is just awesome. As a design element, the bike also gets a silver finish heat shield instead of the chrome plated one on the carbed Stunner. Overall, we would class this bike as one of the best looking bikes in the country. Styling, Build and Design – 8/10
RIDE & HANDLING: The bike runs on the same Diamond frame as the earlier Stunner. The overall chassis and suspension setup remains the same which means that this bike also handles like a dream and cornering is a cake walk on this fantastic setup. On the contrary, ride quality of the bike is not as plush as some others in this engine segment (read Yamaha Gladiator) but still is pretty decent. What we would like Bajaj to learn from Honda is how they design their knee recesses. On the Pulsar 220, driver’s knees have a hard time with that semi fairing, as it touches them causing a displeasing irk especially on long runs for people who are a little long on scale. On the contrary, Stunners knee recess has been so well sculpted that it can accommodate any normal to large knees with absolute perfection.
Zipping through the traffic on this bike is not as easy as (say) its other sibling, Honda Shine, but manages pretty well but the best on any half or full faired bike in India. The worse part we found was that some bikes had TVS Tyres. We really don’t understand why, even after taking such a premium, Honda doesn’t provide them with MRF Zappers, or better still soft compound tyres. This is the only deterrent to a knee scratching cornering abilities of this bike. Just that TVS tyres do not feel as attached to the road as some good quality tyres. As has been the major complaint with earlier Stunners (and Shines), the vibrations, which creep in at mid and higher rpms, have been taken care by Honda. The bike now sports end handle bars to reduce those saddening vibes. Second, the bike has
taller gearing which means that the bike runs at lower revs in turn helping in reducing the vibs. Compared head-on with the earlier Stunner, the vibrations are still there but a lot lesser and don’t come between the fun factor which this bike returns. Ride, Handling – 7.5/10 PERFORMANCE, BRAKING & FUEL EFFICIENCY: With an increase in power by almost half a bhp from its earlier sibling, the bike is expected to be faster. Let us, at first, inform you that there is not a very noticeable difference between the two bikes. The FI surely has a better and crispier throttle response majorly attributed to the inclusion of a Fuel Injector. Essentially, both the bikes are near about similar on figures with this FI being less than half a second faster to 60 kmph clock ticking a tad over 6.5 seconds. When we checked out the top speed of the bike, speedo showed us 105 kmph after which the bike was totally dead. Compare this with the 102 kmph we managed for the carbed stunner. But the way this bike reaches that top speed is way better than the carbed one.
The carbed Stunner runs out of steam at anything over 85 kmph and after that it’s just your time and extra road which carries it over a ton. The marginal better top speed is majorly because of the fact that Honda has shed one tooth of its rear sprocket which means that the bike is now taller geared than carbed version. We wonder how would the carbed stunner behave with the same sprocket (Hope you understand what we mean!). However, the mid and top range of both the bikes did not leave us impressed very much, just that the FI is little bettered. Talk about low end and we would rate both of these as the best in this 125cc segment.
Many of you might be wondering about the addition of the much famed PGM-Fi on this bike and how has it improved this one and here we talk about the fuel efficiency figures of the bike! There is a definite improvement of at least 5 kmpl over the carbed version. Expect this bike to return very good f uel efficiency figures of 65-70 kmpl under normal city riding and anything in excess of 70 on long highways. This bike runs on the same braking set up as the earlier version and overall braking is very good and the braking certainly instills a lot of confidence just that the TVS tyres are little let down (we repeat, Honda please provide this bike with soft compound tyres only). Performance, braking and fuel efficiency – 7/10 TIDBITS: The best thing Honda has done is to remove that oddly placed choke knob. Switchgear is almost identical and doesn’t have an engine kill switch (still!). Neither does the bike sport a tachometer, which we feel is a must these days especially when you are selling your product as a premium in the market. The bike has a bank angle sensor, which shuts off the fuel supply once you roll over a particular dangerous angle just to avoid any internal engine damage. Instrumentation is also similar with the FI getting a malfunction indicator just beside the neutral light on the console.
VERDICT: If you have read the full review and have any plans of considering this as a prospect bike, let us shatter them! The bike retails at a monstrous (and unjustified) price tag of Rs 73,000 which is over 16k than the carbed Stunner and way over any other 125cc bike. With positive changes to the designing and paint theme, an addition of FI we would have loved this bike to be priced sensibly but Honda seems to be a little over optimistic about their bike.
Very little performance gain, nothing out of the ordinary gizmos (like the Yamaha R15 has), this bike is not recommended unless you are a Honda showroom owner! Probably a 5k increase would have made this bike a worthy upgrade or a Unicorn engine would have made this bike a roll on success at this price but sadly, Honda seems to be in a tune of their own. If you have as many rupees and are bent on buying an FI bike (only), buy the Apache RTR 160 Fi!
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