Honda Aviator - Live your style bindaas

Aviator is the third scooter from the Honda camp, and in a way it is similar to Honda Activa as well as the Honda Dio; it comes installed with the same engine, so performance wise there wouldn't anything extra you can expect from it. Of course the big turn-on factor of the Aviator is its exceptional looks (again only compare it with likes of the Activa) and additional features that sets this scooting machine from the rest in its segment.



The Aviator has drawn the design philosophy from its Fireblade version, and it gives the scooter a more matured and masculine look that rightly fits its tagline 'Live Your Style' and also rightly targeted towards adult men.

Looks
If you what could be the most conspicuous feature of the Aviator that can grab attention of eyeball then it is the front panel with chrome cover, adjacent turn indicators stacked vertically to the cover and stylish halogen-powered headlamp which has oodles of elegance. The front panel looks much unique and echoes masculinity to the core. The halogen light headlight is multi-focal and therefore it ensures clear visibility during night rides. While the entire front is adorned with body color, the rear view mirrors come in black (I personally despised it though) and they still sync with the scooter lines and do not distort stylish image much.



Take a look at the rear end of the Aviator and you will be impressed again; the multi-reflector tail gets a unique shape with integrated rear indicators. The huge under seat storage compartment of about 20 litres can swallow quite some stuff to make your ride comfortable and clutter free.

The front and rear wheels are bigger with fatter tyres, and these sure provide better grip and stability to the rider. Furthermore, the rear tyre gets a tuff-up tube that enables lesser chance of puncture and so offering stress-free ride even on bad roads.



Engine, performance and mileage
The Aviator, as I mentioned earlier, comes equipped with the same engine as its siblings; and it gets a 109 cc, 4-stroke one-cylinder, air-cooled OHC engine with a V-Matic transmission that makes gear-shifting ever smoother and easier. The OHC engine of the Aviator delivers quite an impressive power of 8bhp @ 8000 rpm and a maximum torque of 0.9 Kgm @ 5500 rpm. While the front gets disc brakes the rear gets drum brakes, the drums offer greater stability upon sudden braking which is a common eventuality on Indian roads. The wide seat and the placement of foot pegs makes up for a comfortable upright seating posture while riding and the suspension system (telescopic in the front and unit swing with spring loaded hydraulic damper in the rear) offers an overall smooth riding experience. The pick-up and acceleration factors too do not let you down. In fact battery life is better than that of other Honda machines Activa and Dio.



The V-Matic transmission ensures lesser emission of noise and vibrations even at high speed, so performance-wise Aviator does not disappoint you. And the mileage of around 42-44 kmpl is also decent enough in the city riding conditions. But expect the mileage of the Aviator to become stable only after one year even if that may sound a little uncomfortable.

As regards emission Aviator meets Aviator complies with Bharat Stage III emission norms.



Colors, variants and prices
As regards color choices the Honda Aviator comes available in five superb colors: monsoon grey metallic, neo orange metallic, pearl blue, red and black comes in two different color graphics; red and blue. The front, rear and side panels along with the fuel tank and grab rail get the body color while the rear view mirrors come in black. As regards variants there are two: Aviator STD (Standard) and Aviator DLX (Deluxe). Prices of these two variants are (Ex-showroom Bangalore) Rs. 48293 and Rs. 53455, respectively.



Final verdict
The fact that the Aviator is a heavier vehicle and is an especially made scooter for men gives less choice for female riders, sorry girls about this. Else the braking system, especially the front disc brake is really good and this coupled with stylized looks and powerful engine makes up for the pros of why buy an Aviator. But most riders will end up comparing Aviator with the Activa (that includes me too), which might not be fair. In fact it is not as good as Activa and is pretty expensive compared to similar scooters in the market but the only feel-good-factor of expensive Aviator could be its trouble free riding, good mileage and good resale value. So it absolutely depends on how strongly you want to buy the Aviator.