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Design
Now these are premium scooters and it is extremely important that they look the part as well. Starting with the Activa 125, the design here is more of an evolution. At first glance the Activa 125 may strike you as a dressed up Aviator, but as you notice the details, you realise it’s not and in fact comes across as quite an elegant looking scooter. It’s quite a large scooter the Activa 125 and front is dominated by a massive chrome bar which immediately reminds you of the new Honda City so you know they are from the same family. The headlight looks similar to the current Activa but a small visor above it sets it apart. The side panels are similar too but are now longer just like the seat which accommodates 2 adults quite comfortably. Thanks to the 12 inch front wheels wrapped around good looking 5-spoke alloys, it looks tall too.
The pillion also gets a nice big grab-rail which is good to look at and functional too. Another welcome addition is the speedo-console which now incorporates a small digital window which consists of the fuel gauge and the trip meter.
And then you have the Vespa S standing next to the Activa 125 in Arancio Taormina which is Italian for pastel orange as a result you barely notice the Activa. The Vespa S has the looks and then some and it looks simply smashing in those bright pastel shades. The Vespa S gets a rectangular theme which gets the scooter a retro rectangular headlight and rectangular mirrors. And then you just get mesmerised by the details. No overdose of chrome, just small important bits.
The slim gorgeously crafted seats with white piping along with that stylishly crafted exhaust and those black painted and fully exposed front alloy wheels make it the best looking scooter out there. It’s got more utility features too with handy pockets upfront and a retractable hook.
The Vespa S also gets a twin pod speedo-console. No digital gimmickry here, just plain ol’ analogue instruments. But I do feel that a small digital window just like in the honda Activa 125 would have looked cool and added more value as well.
Engine and Performance
These scooters will not only attract first time buyers but also those who are willing to change over from 100/125 cc motorcycles and as a result they have to offer at least comparable performance. Both the scooters get 125cc mills. The Activa 125’s SI engine churns out 8.7 PS @ 6500 rpm and a healthy 10.12 Nm @ 5500 rpm. In comparison the Vespa S puts out a very impressive 10.06 PS and 10.6 Nm at a comparatively higher 7500 rpm.
So while the Vespa S clearly has the advantage on paper we expected it to clearly outrun the Honda Activa 125. However the acceleration times revealed a completely different story. Gunning the Vespa S, the Italian hit 60 km/h in 10 seconds flat which we thought is a decent time for a scoot, but the Activa 125 got that corrected. The Honda blitzed its way to 60 km/h in 7.9 seconds which is over 2 seconds quicker than the Vespa S. Even the roll-ons had a similar story to tell. 30-70 km/h in the Activa took 9.7 seconds while the Vespa S took 10.9 seconds to achieve the same feat. If the Vespa S feels peppy, then the Activa 125 comes across as one of the quickest scooter in its segment.
The quick times on the Activa is courtesy the transmission which transfers power seamlessly to the rear wheels and also that the Honda makes its power much earlier. The Vespa’s gearbox feels snatchy at times and doesn’t engage as smoothly as the Honda’s. The Vespa’s engine is also more peaky because of which its feels slightly better at higher speeds.
Both these scooters offer best in segment braking as well courtesy the disc brakes upfront. The Honda Activa 125 gets a 190 mm disc along with the combi-brake set-up while the Vespa gets a slightly larger 200 mm disc. Slamming on the brakes saw both the scooter almost on par with the Activa performing slightly better thanks to the combi-brake set-up. The bite from the Activa is also slightly better compared to the Vespa’s slightly wooden feel. But discs make a world of difference as both these scooters demonstrate and should be the norm for all scooters.
Ride and Handling
When it comes to handling in scooters, it’s not how it hits the apex rather how easily it dodges traffic, takes quick U-turns and the manoeuvrability is what matters. And that’s where the Vespa S excels. It’s the only scooter that comes with a steel monocoque chassis that endows it with some brilliant handling characteristics. The suspension set up is excellent too and the single side-arm hydraulic front suspension along with the dual effect hydraulic shock absorber at the rear do a brilliant job of absorbing bumps and give the Vespa S enjoyable handling.
In comparison, the Activa 125 gets telescopic front suspension and a hydraulic loaded spring at the rear. The 12 inch wheels means the Activa can glide over potholes better than the Vespa, however it’s a little on the stiffer side. The Activa deploys a more traditional underbone chassis which gives it good stability but it does not have the fun handling abilities of the Vespa. Both scooters are well set up for city commutes but it’s the Vespa S that throws in the additional fun element.
Fuel Efficiency
Powerful engines and Variomatic transmissions are usually not a good recipe for fuel efficiency especially since they have to deal with stop and go traffic and throttle happy starts. But both the scooter do a reasonable job here. The Vespa S returned 49.4 kmpl while the Honda Activa 125 did slightly better at 50.2 kmpl. But the Vespa S holds over 8 litres of fuel compares to the Activa’s small 5.3 litre fuel tank which means you will be heading to the petrol station earlier on the Activa. What must also be noted is that the fuel efficiency in both the scooters fall alarmingly if one gets throttle happy and keeping your wrist in check will reap more fuel efficient figures.
Verdict
After riding these two back to back over a few days one realises how similar these two are but yet so different. And more than anything what sets them apart is the price tags. The Vespa S is priced at a whopping Rs. 74,400 ex-showroom Pune which makes the Honda Activa 125 look like a bargain deal at Rs. 60,277 for the top of the line deluxe variant that you see here.
Buying the Vespa is like buying an icon. It’s similar to buying the iconic VW Beetle or the new Mini Cooper. Its stylish, its retro, it turns heads like no other scooter and you will be clicking its photos every time you look at it. It’s the kind of bike that will liven up your garage. And its goes and handles exceptionally well too. But there is a big price to pay for it.
In comparison the Activa 125 goes about its business like clockwork. It looks elegant, rides decent and will embarrass most 100/110 cc motorcycles at the traffic light. Honda has done well to give it features like the digital meters, the 12 inch wheels and a seat that best accommodates 2 people. But most importantly what it has also proved that in a nutshell it is the best 125cc scooter money can buy.
Source: Zeegnition
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