Honda Livo: First Review

The commuter segment is among the most important market for any two-wheeler manufacturer in the country. As it is this segment that contributes the highest volume in the overall sales. Despite this fact, that commuter segment is among the toughest market for any manufacturer to crack. Honda commenced their operations in the commuter segment in the form of the CB Twister. The bike was pitched as a premium commuter motorcycle and was endowed with a sharp and edgy styling. Despite the early success, the Honda CB Twister never garnered the numbers as expected by the Japanese two-wheeler giant. Honda knows that to thwart Hero MotoCorp from the numero uno position, it needs to garner volumes from the commuter segment. For this purpose it has launched the new Livo in India. The new Honda Livo is the replacement for the CB Twister as a premium commuter in its portfolio.

Styling:

Since the Honda Livo has been marketed as an aspirational commuter motorcycle it gets a dash of aggressive styling to set it apart from the standard entry-level motorcycles. The Livo gets a sharp looking headlamp that seems inspired from the Honda Unicorn 160. The headlamp has been neatly integrated into an edgy bikini fairing. Another interesting design detail on the Honda Livo is the sculpted fuel tank with jagged tank extensions that gives the design a dash of muscle. The overall design is devoid of any body graphics but an accessory graphics package is available to further sport up the simple, yet elegant looks of the bike. The instrument cluster is a basic analogue unit but what sets it apart is the hexagonal design that makes it unique. It houses a speedometer, fuel gauge, odometer and various tell-tale lights. The switch gear is basic but reek of good quality and overall build quality is nice.

Engine:

Providing firepower is the same 110cc four-stroke motor as found on the Honda Dream series of motorcycles. The single-cylinder, air-cooled engine produces 8.3PS at 7,500rpm and 8.6Nm at 5,500rpm. Having ridden the Dream series we can safely assume that the Livo will be a reliable and easy to maintain motorcycle. Power is transmitted to the rear-wheel via a 4-speed constant mesh gearbox. Honda has also equipped the Livo powerplant with its patented Honda Eco Technology (HET) which is said to increase combustion efficiency. Talking about mileage, Honda claims the Livo will run 74km in a litre of petrol which is decent.

Ride and Handling:

The Honda Livo isn’t an entirely new motorcycle but is based on the Dream series of commuter bikes. It employs a diamond type frame with a wheelbase of 1,285mm. This should endow the motorcycle with agile handling dynamics. The Honda Livo employs the same suspension layout as its 110cc siblings – telescopic front forks and twin hydraulic shock absorbers at the rear.  Braking is done by drum brake at front and rear while disc brake is an optional extra. The bike rides on 18-inch wheels and tips the scale at 111kg for the disc brake variant. Riding dynamics is typical to that of any commuter bike which is upright and comfortable.

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Price and Rivals:

The Honda Livo will be available in two variants – drum and disc brake. The base variant of the Honda Livo has been priced at Rs 52,989 and the disc brake model carries a sticker price of Rs 55,489. Being a premium motorcycle, the Honda Livo isn’t a value for money proposition for a commuter bike. Talking about rivals, the Livo will compete against the Hero Passion XPro, Bajaj Discover 100M and Mahindra Centuro.