Good things come in small packages

one for me

Chota bike” or “Compact Bike” are the first words that are usually uttered from anybody as soon as they see the Honda Navi on the road. Is it a battery-operated vehicle? Is it a bike? These are the other queries asked by onlookers to the rider.

One has to confirm to them that this is not a bike with gears, nor a typical gearless scooter made for short people, girls or women. With attractive looks and colours, the Navi is completely a new design among Indian two-wheelers, a sort of a ‘crossover’ or ‘hybrid’ between a gearless scooter and a motorcycle design, aimed at a discerning and captivated customer base, which also wants to have fun. Though the ‘mini-bike’ was launched only months ago, there is a sizeable presence of the Navi in traffic, with many dashing colours like orange and fluorescent to flaunt.

The lightly-built Navi is a suitable two-wheeler for those who demand a lighter bike. Compact, the Navi offers A-Z requirements of the perfect scooter, but build like a smart motorcycle. Honda calls this smart revelation ‘motorette’.

Seated on a small toy-like bike, cruising into traffic asserting their right for space on the road abuzz with other vehicles of various shapes and size through narrow roads, is the perfect way to enjoy riding the Navi. It’s a tailor-made machine for the city, especially in those roads with a high traffic density. With no burden of shifting gears nor applying the clutch at every juncture, the Navi is a true traffic-cutter that makes you love your ride.

The motorette’s 110cc-engine is equal to Honda’s own Activa, which is already the market leader in India’s scooter space. What is special about Navi is the cute compact look, that makes one to instantly fall in love with it. A little bigger radius tyres from a normal scooter, and the tubeless tyres are the plus-point in the Navi, made for Indian roads.

Fancy features

The handle-lock in the handle-bar, fuel tank in the front, crash guard, foot rests on the sides, and the fuel control are the special attractions for Navi. However, the company claims that it has adopted Royal Enfield’s feature in the handle-lock. A rider can actually get a bike feel on the road with all these features.

A mono suspension is another surprising feature found on the Navi. The single suspension plays a significant role for the pillion-rider to enjoy the ride, even on the worst road conditions.

Besides the rider, Navi designers kept the pillion rider in mind. With the spacious single seat, foot rest, and single suspension, it is a complete package for two people. As with almost every two-wheeler sold in India, a saree guard is also included in the accessories list.

In terms of utility spaces, the Navi has lots of it on board. Unlike motorcycles, which have their engines tucked away below the fuel tank, this ‘chota bike’ has a large utility space in the same place. A box to fit this space is also included in the list of vehicle accessories. With this, the Honda Navi also serves the purpose of customers who give importance to utility spaces in their vehicles.