Honda Livo BS6 vs Honda Shine BS6: Which One To Buy?
A stylish and fancy 110cc commuter or a rugged and powerful 125?
After teasing it last week, Honda finally went ahead and launched the Livo BS6 yesterday. It looks fresh and stylish with some bold colour options, is powered by an all-new motor and gets some new features too. But for even less cash, you can get the even more popular Honda Shine BS6 with a bigger engine. So, which one should you buy?
Design & Features
|
Honda Shine BS6 |
Honda Livo BS6 |
|
|
Engine Kill Switch |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Integrated Pass Switch |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Body-coloured Mirrors |
No |
Yes |
|
ACG Starter |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Instrumentation |
Analogue |
Semi-digital |
It might seem strange for a 125cc bike to cost less than a 110cc bike, but the difference in equipment levels justifies the gap to a certain extent. While the Shine has to make do with basic analogue instrumentation, the Livo gets a snazzy semi-digital affair that even packs in a service indicator. It also features a more upmarket appearance with neat touches like body-coloured rear-view mirrors and tank extensions.
Powertrain
|
Engine |
Air-cooled fuel-injected 124cc single-cylinder engine |
Air-cooled fuel-injected 109.51cc single-cylinder engine |
|
Bore x Stroke |
50 x 63.1 mm |
47 x 63.12 mm |
|
Compression Ratio |
10:1 |
10.1:1 |
|
Power |
8.8PS |
10.74PS |
|
Torque |
9.3Nm |
11Nm |
|
Gearbox |
4-speed |
5-speed |
The Shine has a distinct upper hand in the powertrain department and it’s not just down to a displacement advantage. With a 124cc motor, it packs in 13 per cent more cubes than the Livo but actually produces 22 per cent more power and 18 per cent more torque. It also sends drive to the rear wheel via a 5-speed gearbox compared to the Livo’s 4-speed unit, meaning that high-speed fuel efficiency should be higher on the Shine, despite the larger engine size.
Underpinnings
|
Honda Shine BS6 |
Honda Livo BS6 |
|
|
Tyres |
F: 80/100-18 R: 80/100-18 |
F: 80/100-18 R: 80/100-18 |
|
Brakes |
F: 240mm disc/130mm drum R: 130mm drum |
F: 240mm disc/130mm drum R: 130mm drum |
|
Suspension |
F: Telescopic fork R: 5-step preload adjustable twin shocks |
F: Telescopic fork R: 5-step preload adjustable twin shocks |
|
Fuel Capacity |
10.5-litres |
9-litres |
|
Kerb Weight |
115kg |
115kg |
|
Seat Height |
791mm |
790mm |
Despite the bigger motor and a fuel tank that’s a litre and a half more voluminous, the Shine actually manages to match the Livo’s kerb weight. This gives it a rather sizeable advantage when it comes to power-to-weight ratio. Aside from this, there’s not much to separate the two bikes in terms of underpinnings.
Price & Verdict
|
Bike |
Price |
|
Honda Livo BS6 |
Rs 70,056 onwards |
|
Honda Shine BS6 |
Rs 68,812 to Rs 73,512 |
With a price advantage of over a thousand rupees, the Shine seems like a bit of a no-brainer. And yes, if you live in a hilly region or if you’re carrying a pillion and/or other heavy loads on a frequent basis, then the Shine makes a whole lot more sense. It’s also the bike to go for if you intend on riding on the highway often. But for lone city dwellers looking for a stylish and feature-rich office commuter, the Livo makes a rather compelling case.
Zaran Mody
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