Honda Activa 125 BS6: Review In Images

How different does India’s first BS6 scooter feel?

Honda has brought us India’s first BS6-compliant scooter well ahead of April 1, 2020, deadline in the form of the new Activa 125 BS6. It’s packed to the brim with technology like fuel injection, a silent start feature and a stop-start system. But all this has resulted in a massive price hike, with the new Activa 125 now selling for Rs 74,490 (ex-showroom Delhi). So is it worth the premium? Scroll down to find out or check out our full-blown review here.

The Activa is a premium and handsome looking scooter overall. The black wheels, exhaust system and front screen add a nice element of contrast. 

Chrome has been used tastefully on the front apron and side panels, and this combined with the silver on the rear grab rail, pillion footpegs and fork legs goes a long way in breaking up what could have been an otherwise monotonous design.

Another area where the Activa’s premiumness shines through is build quality. This scooter feels diligently put together and fit-and-finish levels are class-leading. The switchgear operates in a plush, damped manner that is unprecedented in this segment while the panel gaps are tight and consistent. Even the paint quality is superb. We heard absolutely no squeaks or rattles during our time with the Honda.

The digi-analogue unit on the Activa displays relevant and useful information such as instantaneous and average fuel economy and a distance-to-empty readout.

This new Activa gets fuel injection, an ACG (alternating current generator) starting system and a stop-start system. The motor feels extremely smooth and refined, but lacks grunt. Output stands at 8.29PS and 10.3Nm, and the Activa feels quite sluggish on the move.

The Activa gets a soft, spacious seat and a relaxed, comfortable riding position. However, slightly low handlebars can foul with your knees when the steering is at full lock, and the seating position isn’t quite as upright as something like a Suzuki Access.

Storage space on the floorboard and under the seat is quite healthy, and Honda has thrown in a front glovebox as well, which is an extremely convenient and easily accessible location to store your mobile phone or other little knick-knacks.

With a lightweight solo rider on board, the Activa’s suspension setup feels plush and comfortable, steamrolling over most road imperfections with ease. Sharp edges are filtered out well by the telescopic fork/monoshock setup and the rider is well isolated from the road surface.

However, with a heavier rider on board or when travelling two-up, the Activa’s soft setup fails to contain secondary motion satisfactorily and the scooter can end up feeling a bit wallowy over large undulations.

the Activa is a light steering and quick-handling scooter. Unfortunately, the lack of suspension stiffness means that the Honda can feel a bit vague and imprecise when going through corners.

The Activa’s CBS-equipped Nissin braking setup is capable and feels relatively sharp, and this is the among the quickest stopping 125cc scooters we’ve tested.