During the 2016 Auto Expo, I was completely immersed in the chaotic delight of running around, drooling over and clicking eclectic exotic machines proudly displayed by various manufacturers. Amidst all that, I came to know that Honda had displayed something really quirky and everyone started talking about it. I went over to see what the hype was all about. It was the Navi, the love child of a scooter and a motorcycle! And boy what a delight it was to see the Navi in different forms and functions! Fast forwarding to the present, the Navi has finally hit the streets. Does this quirky little thing actually work? Let’s find out.
Yes, this baby is that hot!
We, at ZigWheels forum recently got our hands on a ‘Patriot Red’ Navi. To start of with, the amount of attention it gets is bonkers! “Does it run on CNG?”, “Is it an electric vehicle?”, “Is this a bike or a scooter?” “Where is the engine?”- these are some of the curious questions I got every time I pulled over. The first question was asked by the guy at the fuel station after he filled my bike with 150 bucks worth of petrol! Crazy, right?
Design and Features:
In India, Honda has generally stayed very conservative when it comes to their products’ looks. Some of their highest selling vehicles like the Activa and the Unicorn are true testament to their design philosophy. But every now and then they come with really interesting designs. Case in point- the Dio and now, the Navi. Brownie points for Honda for coming up with such a quirky design!
The Navi has the rough silhouette of a motorcycle but the engine is located at the back, just like you see in scooters. And the area where the engine is ‘supposed’ to be is actually a storage bay to keep your knick knacks.
Look ma! No engine! Note that there is no hook. Which is quite stupid, if you ask me. You will have to balance your knick-knacks with your foot.
Headlamp cluster looks like Grom's little brother.
Speedo is simple and note there is no lock feature in the key slot
The hexagonal headlight is reminiscent of the Grom although NikilSJ doesn’t seem to agree with me. :P The headlamp has a matte silver plastic shroud and is flanked by two indicators. The Honda sticker adorns the top of the headlamp unit. The instrument panel mounted above the headlight has a speedometer, odometer, high beam indicator and a turn signal indicator. The key slot is situated right next to the speedometer. Personally, I feel with a little re-arrangement, the instrument cluster could have easily accommodated a fuel gauge.
It is a little confusing as everything is clustered on the left side of the handlebar
The ignition switch could have been designed better
The flatland-like handlebar looks right at home in the Navi! Switchgear is pretty basic and is the same unit used in a range of Honda products, from the Shine to the CBR 150 R. As usual, it is left-biased with the indicator stalk, high beam-low beam shifter button, choke lever and light switch all located on the left. Only the electric starter button is on the right. The switchgear looks crude, but feels sturdy.
This is one cute design everyone likes
The black telescopic forks at the front also comes with a neat shocker cover and the plastic front fender gels well with the 12 inch steel wheel, also finished in black. Overall, the front end looks pretty solid.
Plastic is used generously in the Navi. This has helped in keeping both cost and the weight down. Plastic panelling on the sides, extending from the fuel tank, up until the rear monoshock mount makes it look like a V-shaped linkage joint. The grey panelling at the centre also accentuates the design. I quite like this design element as it completes the quirky look.
The rear looks high-set but is not when you swing your leg over it
The rear is where it gets a little busy owing to the drive, monoshock, engine components, air filter on the left and exhaust on the right. The tail light is lifted from the Stunner, presumably to keep costs down. It doesn’t look bad either. The rear comes with a smaller ten inch wheel, though.
The overall design manages to grab eyeballs like Kate Middleton’s ‘Marilyn Moment’ picture did. The only difference is it’s not in an offensive way, but instead people’s minds are filled with curiosity when they see the Navi. Every time I pull up at a signal, fellow riders actually flip up their visors to get a better look! It then follows with the mandatory questions like mileage and price figures.
The best thing is, the Navi ignites curiosity and desire in the hearts and minds of people of all ages! I have been bombarded with questions by people ranging from high school kids to 40-something year old men. Not to mention the ‘awww’ , ‘it’s so cute’ and ‘can I take it for a spin please?’ requests from the fairer sex. :P So yeah, this is something that is loved by everyone for its uniqueness.
Performance and Fuel Efficiency:
This is where the Navi manages to shine gloriously! The engine is borrowed from the Activa 3G. So, the 110cc H.E.T. (Honda Eco Technology) engine without the bulky body like the Activa, makes the Navi surprisingly sprightly! Peak power of 8PS comes in at 7,000rpm and the engine gives out a peak torque of 8.96Nm at 5,500 rpm. Nerd talks aside, the Navi accelerates effortlessly up to 60kph. Post that, it does feel a little lethargic. But trust me, you’d never end up wanting for more from this engine. Twist the throttle and you’d whizz past traffic in a trice! The performance is ample for a bike of this size. Wow, that rhymed!
The fit and finish could have been improved. Hate to see such cluttered wires!
The variomatic transmission works seamlessly well with the already butter-smooth engine. The vibrations are minimal and continue to stay that way even at high speeds. Not even once did I find it to be distractingly intrusive. The motor just whirrs away nicely. Speaking of whirring, there is no distinct exhaust note. It just whirrs. I think it is perfectly okay to not have any distinct exhaust note sometimes. If you want to know about the Navi’s top speed, I touched 85kph at full throttle. That’s pretty much how fast it can go. If you ask me, the performance is more than enough for our cities.
They see me zippin', they hatin'
The motor is amazingly efficient as well. I got a combined efficiency of 59.09 kmpl and that too with fairly generous throttle inputs. This translates to more than 200km range from the puny 3.8 litre fuel tank. Expect the Navi to easily give 60 + kmpl if you stay within the economy zone (30kph -50 kph). Despite this, I had range anxiety. That is probably because I am spoilt with the 20 litre fuel tank capacity on my Thunderbird.
Ride and Handling:
The Navi’s chassis is finely balanced and allows it to be highly agile. You can just zip through traffic with a wide smile on your face. It is really gratifying to zoom through all the stuck cars and go ahead of the pack. The ground clearance is also ample, but one thing that is a bit disappointing is the suspension. The front telescopic forks have very little travel and bottom out at the slightest provocation. There is literally only around 4-5 inches of travel. Rebound? Never heard of it.
Half the travel is gone while you sit on the bike. You only have the remaining few inches to play around with. Pardon the pun.
The rear monoshock is a spring loaded hydraulic unit. The problem is, the front has little damping effect while there is more travel at the rear and the rebound is harsh enough to try to launch you in the air every time you go over a speed bump. Honda could have improved the rebound of the rear and the travel at the front. On the brighter side, high speed handling is pretty good and the bike feels planted even at around 70kmph on smooth roads. However, going over bumps at high speeds makes the Navi twitchy.
The rear offset monoshock is at least better than the front forks
Comfort-wise, since the bike is already small, the seat offers adequate space only for one person. Riding with a pillion is best suited for short distances. The handlebars are low set, and reminds you of the Chetaks of yore. The riding position is upright and is ergonomic enough for cities. The forward-set footpegs and the motorcycle-like riding position will make you search for the foot controls, though. :P Speaking of controls, the Navi is exactly like a scooter. The front and rear brakes are on the right and left side of the handlebar respectively. The throttle is simple twist-and-go action. There is a parking brake feature as well.
Coming to the brakes, the bite is pretty strong from the 130mm front and rear drums. The Navi retains its composure even when braking aggressively. Half of the credit goes to the grippy 90/90 front and 90/100 rear MRF tubeless tyres as they do a good job in keeping the rubber side down.
Verdict:
The Navi is something that manages to make everyone feel lively and inspires them to own one, irrespective of their age, occupation or even their riding style. The Navi is that cute and cheerful little girl in the society whose presence just brightens up everyone’s day.
The Navi is the ultimate tool for going through Indian traffic and is the best option if you want to go grocery shopping or just potter around the streets in style. At Rs 39,648 ex-showroom, Delhi, it offers excellent value for money. Sure, the quality could have been improved. But hey, you can’t have the cake and eat it, right?
After my stint with this small wonder from Honda, I had to give it back to the dealer. With a heavy heart, I parted ways with it and going back to my umm, ‘traditional’ motorcycle is when I realised the Navi has showed me how simple life can be.
Additional detailed pictures are posted in the next post in the same thread:
Yes, this baby is that hot!
We, at ZigWheels forum recently got our hands on a ‘Patriot Red’ Navi. To start of with, the amount of attention it gets is bonkers! “Does it run on CNG?”, “Is it an electric vehicle?”, “Is this a bike or a scooter?” “Where is the engine?”- these are some of the curious questions I got every time I pulled over. The first question was asked by the guy at the fuel station after he filled my bike with 150 bucks worth of petrol! Crazy, right?
Design and Features:
In India, Honda has generally stayed very conservative when it comes to their products’ looks. Some of their highest selling vehicles like the Activa and the Unicorn are true testament to their design philosophy. But every now and then they come with really interesting designs. Case in point- the Dio and now, the Navi. Brownie points for Honda for coming up with such a quirky design!
The Navi has the rough silhouette of a motorcycle but the engine is located at the back, just like you see in scooters. And the area where the engine is ‘supposed’ to be is actually a storage bay to keep your knick knacks.
Look ma! No engine! Note that there is no hook. Which is quite stupid, if you ask me. You will have to balance your knick-knacks with your foot.
Headlamp cluster looks like Grom's little brother.
Speedo is simple and note there is no lock feature in the key slot
The hexagonal headlight is reminiscent of the Grom although NikilSJ doesn’t seem to agree with me. :P The headlamp has a matte silver plastic shroud and is flanked by two indicators. The Honda sticker adorns the top of the headlamp unit. The instrument panel mounted above the headlight has a speedometer, odometer, high beam indicator and a turn signal indicator. The key slot is situated right next to the speedometer. Personally, I feel with a little re-arrangement, the instrument cluster could have easily accommodated a fuel gauge.
It is a little confusing as everything is clustered on the left side of the handlebar
The ignition switch could have been designed better
The flatland-like handlebar looks right at home in the Navi! Switchgear is pretty basic and is the same unit used in a range of Honda products, from the Shine to the CBR 150 R. As usual, it is left-biased with the indicator stalk, high beam-low beam shifter button, choke lever and light switch all located on the left. Only the electric starter button is on the right. The switchgear looks crude, but feels sturdy.
This is one cute design everyone likes
The black telescopic forks at the front also comes with a neat shocker cover and the plastic front fender gels well with the 12 inch steel wheel, also finished in black. Overall, the front end looks pretty solid.
Plastic is used generously in the Navi. This has helped in keeping both cost and the weight down. Plastic panelling on the sides, extending from the fuel tank, up until the rear monoshock mount makes it look like a V-shaped linkage joint. The grey panelling at the centre also accentuates the design. I quite like this design element as it completes the quirky look.
The rear looks high-set but is not when you swing your leg over it
The rear is where it gets a little busy owing to the drive, monoshock, engine components, air filter on the left and exhaust on the right. The tail light is lifted from the Stunner, presumably to keep costs down. It doesn’t look bad either. The rear comes with a smaller ten inch wheel, though.
The overall design manages to grab eyeballs like Kate Middleton’s ‘Marilyn Moment’ picture did. The only difference is it’s not in an offensive way, but instead people’s minds are filled with curiosity when they see the Navi. Every time I pull up at a signal, fellow riders actually flip up their visors to get a better look! It then follows with the mandatory questions like mileage and price figures.
The best thing is, the Navi ignites curiosity and desire in the hearts and minds of people of all ages! I have been bombarded with questions by people ranging from high school kids to 40-something year old men. Not to mention the ‘awww’ , ‘it’s so cute’ and ‘can I take it for a spin please?’ requests from the fairer sex. :P So yeah, this is something that is loved by everyone for its uniqueness.
Performance and Fuel Efficiency:
This is where the Navi manages to shine gloriously! The engine is borrowed from the Activa 3G. So, the 110cc H.E.T. (Honda Eco Technology) engine without the bulky body like the Activa, makes the Navi surprisingly sprightly! Peak power of 8PS comes in at 7,000rpm and the engine gives out a peak torque of 8.96Nm at 5,500 rpm. Nerd talks aside, the Navi accelerates effortlessly up to 60kph. Post that, it does feel a little lethargic. But trust me, you’d never end up wanting for more from this engine. Twist the throttle and you’d whizz past traffic in a trice! The performance is ample for a bike of this size. Wow, that rhymed!
The fit and finish could have been improved. Hate to see such cluttered wires!
The variomatic transmission works seamlessly well with the already butter-smooth engine. The vibrations are minimal and continue to stay that way even at high speeds. Not even once did I find it to be distractingly intrusive. The motor just whirrs away nicely. Speaking of whirring, there is no distinct exhaust note. It just whirrs. I think it is perfectly okay to not have any distinct exhaust note sometimes. If you want to know about the Navi’s top speed, I touched 85kph at full throttle. That’s pretty much how fast it can go. If you ask me, the performance is more than enough for our cities.
They see me zippin', they hatin'
The motor is amazingly efficient as well. I got a combined efficiency of 59.09 kmpl and that too with fairly generous throttle inputs. This translates to more than 200km range from the puny 3.8 litre fuel tank. Expect the Navi to easily give 60 + kmpl if you stay within the economy zone (30kph -50 kph). Despite this, I had range anxiety. That is probably because I am spoilt with the 20 litre fuel tank capacity on my Thunderbird.
Ride and Handling:
The Navi’s chassis is finely balanced and allows it to be highly agile. You can just zip through traffic with a wide smile on your face. It is really gratifying to zoom through all the stuck cars and go ahead of the pack. The ground clearance is also ample, but one thing that is a bit disappointing is the suspension. The front telescopic forks have very little travel and bottom out at the slightest provocation. There is literally only around 4-5 inches of travel. Rebound? Never heard of it.
Half the travel is gone while you sit on the bike. You only have the remaining few inches to play around with. Pardon the pun.
The rear monoshock is a spring loaded hydraulic unit. The problem is, the front has little damping effect while there is more travel at the rear and the rebound is harsh enough to try to launch you in the air every time you go over a speed bump. Honda could have improved the rebound of the rear and the travel at the front. On the brighter side, high speed handling is pretty good and the bike feels planted even at around 70kmph on smooth roads. However, going over bumps at high speeds makes the Navi twitchy.
The rear offset monoshock is at least better than the front forks
Comfort-wise, since the bike is already small, the seat offers adequate space only for one person. Riding with a pillion is best suited for short distances. The handlebars are low set, and reminds you of the Chetaks of yore. The riding position is upright and is ergonomic enough for cities. The forward-set footpegs and the motorcycle-like riding position will make you search for the foot controls, though. :P Speaking of controls, the Navi is exactly like a scooter. The front and rear brakes are on the right and left side of the handlebar respectively. The throttle is simple twist-and-go action. There is a parking brake feature as well.
Coming to the brakes, the bite is pretty strong from the 130mm front and rear drums. The Navi retains its composure even when braking aggressively. Half of the credit goes to the grippy 90/90 front and 90/100 rear MRF tubeless tyres as they do a good job in keeping the rubber side down.
Verdict:
The Navi is something that manages to make everyone feel lively and inspires them to own one, irrespective of their age, occupation or even their riding style. The Navi is that cute and cheerful little girl in the society whose presence just brightens up everyone’s day.
The Navi is the ultimate tool for going through Indian traffic and is the best option if you want to go grocery shopping or just potter around the streets in style. At Rs 39,648 ex-showroom, Delhi, it offers excellent value for money. Sure, the quality could have been improved. But hey, you can’t have the cake and eat it, right?
After my stint with this small wonder from Honda, I had to give it back to the dealer. With a heavy heart, I parted ways with it and going back to my umm, ‘traditional’ motorcycle is when I realised the Navi has showed me how simple life can be.
Additional detailed pictures are posted in the next post in the same thread:
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