comparison – Mileage Reviews

Yamaha Ray Z Vs Honda Activa

With the launch of the Ray Z, Yamaha has created a variant of the Ray 110cc scooter targeted at men. This scooter is extremely similar to the original Ray and comes with more ‘masculine’ features that includes new exterior shades. One of the biggest competitors to Yamaha in this segment is the evergreen Activa from Honda. This is a scooter that has been in the market since 2000 and has seen consistent new upgrades and improvements made over time. In this article, we will review the features and mileage of the Yamaha Ray Z and the Honda Activa to see which has a better deal. Read on.

Technical Specifications Comparison

Both the scooters we are studying today fall in the 110cc segment. The Honda Activa has a 109cc single cylinder 4-stroke engine that is capable of delivering close to 8.1 PS power and a torque of close to 9 Nm. In comparison, the Ray Z comes with a larger 113 cc single cylinder engine that delivers a power of just about 7.1 PS at 7500 RPM and a torque that is close to 8.1 Nm. So as you can see, there is a very visible difference in the power that these two scooters can generate. The price of the Ray Z too is slightly on the higher side – the ex-showroom price at Delhi is around Rs. 49105 whereas the corresponding price of the Activa is Rs. 47254.

Spec	Ray Z	Activa
Displacement	113cc	109cc
Max Power	7.1 PS	8.1 PS
Max Torque	8.1 Nm	9 Nm
Price (ex-Delhi)	Rs. 49105	Rs. 47254

Mileage Comparison

With the launch of the new Activa, Honda claims that they can deliver 15% more mileage as compared to what the Activa traditionally delivered. In absolute terms, this means a figure of around 66.7 kmpl. Do note that this is under standard testing conditions where the roads are all hunky dory unlike the real world road and traffic that you as the customer would be riding on. The Ray Z doesn’t seem like a great deal even from the perspective of the company’s mileage claim. According to Yamaha, the Ray Z should deliver around 53 kmpl under similar test conditions.

What about the fuel efficiency in the real world? Let us start with the reviews on MouthShut; the user reviews website. There has been no new review since the last time I checked. According to the one customer who has reviewed the bike, the Ray Z should be delivering around 41-42 kmpl mileage. Do note that this report was made just after 300 kilometers of ride before the first servicing. So there must have been a visible improvement after this. In comparison to Ray Z, there are more than 350 reviews of the Activa – admittedly most of them are of the earlier models. But checking for the reviews from recent buyers, the generally reported figure lies in the range 45-55 kmpl. This is slightly better than Ray Z but not good enough.

Let us next look at MaxAbout. On the Ray Z review page, the website notes that the bike does look appealing to the male audience with their “sharp and aggressive” body lines. On city roads, the reviewer was able to see just about 40 kmpl whereas on the highways, the FE shot up to around 62 kmpl. However, Activa despite a better claim on fuel consumption fares no better according to the MaxAbout review. The website reports a city mileage of 40 kmpl again on the Activa. The difference is stark on the highways where the reviewer says he was only able to see around 45 kmpl.

The Yamaha Ray Z has also been reviewed by a couple of other websites like the BikeWale and IamaBiker. Both the websites report a number close to 43 kmpl on city roads. This is not very different to the reports from other sources. In comparison, the reports on Activa are pretty varied (and mostly better). Reviews on websites like BikeSpace, MyIndiaGuide, IndiaMart and BharathAutos are all mostly positive and they all report a city mileage of over 50+ kmpl on Activa. ZigWheels in their review though report a lower, yet respectable figure of 46.8 kmpl on the new Activa.

There are a few outlying reports though. An example is the report on the IndiaGarage forums where the reported mileage is only about 35 kmpl. Most other reviews conform to the range defined by sellers on Olx where the reported FE is between 40-50 kmpl.

The comparison between the two scooters is tabulated below.

Source	Ray Z	Activa
Official	53	66.7
BharathAutos	–	53.5
BikeSpace	–	54
BikeWale	43	—
IamaBiker	43	—
IndiaGarage	–	35
IndiaMart	–	55
MaxAbout	40	40
MouthShut	41-42	45-55
MyIndiaGuide	–	52.2
Olx	–	40-50
ZigWheels	–	46.8

The verdict is clear. The Ray Z performs only as good, if not worse than the Activa on all common points of reference. From sources that do not have reviews of both the scooters, the Activa seems to perform better. Also, given the fact that Activa has a marked higher power compared to the Ray Z, I would pick the scooter from Honda over the one from Yamaha in this comparison.

Yamaha SZ-R Vs. Honda CB Shine

Yamaha SZ-R and the Honda CB Shine are bikes in two entirely different engine ranges. However, I decided to put this comparison up here because I noticed a lot of people looking for this specific comparison. The Yamaha SZ-R is just slightly different from the Yamaha SZX – except for a few changes in the way the bikes look and the accessories made available, both bikes come with a 153cc four stroke air-cooled engine, a power of around 12.1 PS at 7500 RPM and a max torque of 12.8 Nm at 4500 RPM. In comparison to these specs, the Honda CB Shine comes with a 124.7cc engine that delivers 10.3 PS power and a torque of 10.54 Nm.

Specs	Yamaha SZ-R	Honda Shine
Engine displacement	153cc	124.7cc
Max Power	12.1 PS	10.3 PS
Max Torque	12.8 Nm	10.54 Nm
Price (Ex-Delhi)	Rs. 57500	Rs. 54782

Mileage Comparison

The manufacturer claim on mileage is always to be taken on an optimistic note. That’s evident because these claims are tested under “standard test road conditions” which are very different from the regular city roads and traffic we actually ride the bike on. According to Yamaha, the SZ-R is capable of delivering 62.4 kmpl FE. In comparison, the Honda CB Shine with a lower engine displacement is claimed to deliver 65 kmpl. It doesn’t seem like a big difference considering that the power offered by the Shine is noticeably different from SZ-R.

To see what the bikes actually deliver on city roads, let us look at the various test-ride and customer feedback reports. On the IndiaGarage forum, the SZ-R customers report a decent fuel consumption of between 43-55 kmpl. In comparison, the Shine customers on the same forum report 50-55 kmpl on city roads and 58-62 kmpl on highways. So as we can see, the city road performance of both the bikes is not very different.

Let us take a look at the MaxAbout reviews. The website claims that the SZ-R has a pretty good performance on city roads. They claim a figure of between 55-60 kmpl on the Yamaha bike. The report on CB Shine is not too different either and they report 58 kmpl on city roads.

The similarity in mileage delivered on the two bikes is also noticeable on the BikeAdvice reports. A report from one of the SZ-R customers on the website reports a city FE of around 45-49 kmpl. Another reader, who owns a CB Shine reports 50 kmpl – marginally better but not enough difference to make a 125cc value for money compared to the 150cc alternative.

MouthShut has always been a popular place to check out user reviews of bikes. For the SZR, the customers posting on the site report a city fuel consumption of anywhere between 40-52 kmpl. This is a huge range and is not sufficient to draw a conclusion on the bike performance. In comparison, the reviews for the Honda CB Shine are at a more consistent range of 50-55 kmpl. I guess this is the only comparison that makes the CB Shine look like a better bike from a mileage perspective compared to the SZR.

There are several other reports for both the bikes. For the SZR, MotorBeam reports a city figure of 55 kmpl while for the CB Shine, the Yahoo user reviews, the reported number is between 55-60 kmpl. All the reported figures from various sources are tabulated below.

Source	Yamaha SZ-R (kmpl)	Honda CB Shine (kmpl)
Official	62.4	65
IndiaGarage	43-55	50-55
MaxAbout	55-60	58
BikeAdvice	45-49	50
MotorBeam	55	—
MouthShut	40-52	50-55
Yahoo	–	55-60

Overall, I think the mileage delivered by both the bikes is more or less comparable. Honda CB Shine is slightly better. But given that at a price of around Rs. 3000 more, you can get a higher cc engine with much better power and torque, the SZ-R seems to be a better choice. What do you think?

Yamaha Ray Z Vs. Honda Dio

Both the scooters compared in this article are newer variants of scooter models that have been sold in the Indian market for a while now. While Ray Z is an improvement upon the 110cc Yamaha Ray, the new Honda Dio comes with a slightly larger engine and improved fuel efficiency compared to the older 102cc Dio that has been available for years. Let us take a look at the tech specs of these two scooters first.

First the engine. The Ray Z comes with a 113cc single cylinder 4-stroke engine that delivers a power of 7.1 PS at 7500 RPM. In terms of torque, this engine offers 8.1 Nm at 5000 RPM. In comparison, the Dio is a 109cc engine that cranks up 8.1 PS at 7500 RPM and 8.74 Nm torque at 5500 RPM. Clearly, the Dio is the more powerful of the two scooters. In terms of dimensions, the Ray Z is slightly longer (1835mm vs. 1788mm) whereas the Dio is a little wider (707mm vs 675mm) which I think will give Dio riders a much better balance and control over their scooters compared to the Ray Z. The Dio, at 110 kg, is also heavier than Ray Z by 6 kgs. The bikes are priced in the same bracket. While the Delhi ex-showroom price of Ray Z is Rs. 49105, the Dio is available at Rs. 47928.

Mileage Comparison

The new Ray Z is a model that is targeted at the male audience and given that Dio is a heavier bike, this is popular among men as well. According to Honda, the new Dio not only comes with a larger engine compared to the earlier model, but also offers 15% better FE. They claim that under standard conditions, one should be able to see 55 kmpl. The Ray Z on the other hand has a slightly lower manufacturer claim. Unlike the 62.1 kmpl claimed on the original Yamaha Ray, the male-targeted variant is expected to deliver 53 kmpl under standard road conditions.

As any one following this blog will know, the standard condition mileage reports are mostly for bragging rights and the fuel consumption on actual roads are starkly different in many cases. So let us take a look at what various test rides and customer feedback reports have got to say. We do not have too many common points of reference but MaxAbout has reviewed both these scooters and notes that the Dio 110cc can provide its customers an FE of between 40-43 kmpl on city roads. In comparison, the Ray Z will give 40 kmpl. There doesn’t seem much to choose from here.

Next up, the user reviews site, MouthShut. The customer who reviewed Ray Z on this website rated the bike 3/5 in terms of FE. He reports 41-42 kmpl pre-servicing. There are not too many reviews of mileage for the new Dio either but the user who did report this on MouthShut says he was able to see just around 30-35 kmpl. That is very likely an outlier and do not base your purchasing decision based on this number.

The Yamaha Ray Z has also been reviewed by a couple of other websites like BikeWale and IamaBiker. Both these bikes unanimously report a figure of around 43 kmpl on city roads for this scooter from Yamaha. The Dio on the other hand has received fuel reports from websites like ZigWheels, Top Gear and BikeDekho. ZigWheels reports a number close to what MaxAbout had quoted: around 40-43 kmpl. BikeDekho on the other hand reports the highest figure of over 50 kmpl under city conditions which I think is extremely optimistic. Top Gear reports a lower, still positive rating of 48.5 kmpl on city roads. It is not a good idea to trust customer reports on websites like Olx and Quikr since the sellers here have an incentive to crank up the actual mileage offered. Surprisingly, Dio owners here quote a number between 40-45 kmpl on city roads.

The bottomline is that except for a couple of websites like ZigWheels, most reports of mileage hover between 40-45 kmpl for both the scooters. I have tabulated all the reported figures below.

Source	Honda Dio 110 (kmpl)	Yamaha Ray Z (kmpl)
Official	55	53
BikeDekho	50+	—
BikeWale	–	43
IamaBiker	–	43
MaxAbout	40-43	40
MouthShut	30-35	41-42
Olx/Quikr	40-45	—
Top Gear	48.5	—
ZigWheels	40-43	—

Overall, all other factors like after-sales and personal preferences being the same, I think Dio is a slightly better scooter than Ray Z. It is priced a little lower, has a much more balanced framework and offers a mileage that seems slightly better than the Ray Z. What do you think?

Honda Aviator Vs. Honda Activa

The Aviator has been in the market for a relatively shorter period of time as compared to the Activa. While Honda Motorcycles launched the Activa way back in 2000, the Aviator has been here only since 2009. Both scooters belong to the 109cc segment with similar tech specifications and framework with one major difference being that the Aviator comes with a lot of add-ons like disc brakes that do not exist on the Activa. In this article, we will first take you through the specifications of both the scooters and then compare the mileages as delivered by the two models. This will help us arrive at a better judgement of which of the two is a better scooter.

Tech Specs Comparison

As noted earlier, both the scooters have a similar engine configuration. They both come with a 109cc engine that can deliver a max power of 8.1PS and a max torque of around 8.7 Nm. The Aviator is slightly bigger though. While the Activa measures 1761 x 710 x 1147, the Aviator on the other hand measures 1802 x 697 x 1162. The Activa is wider although the Aviator has a larger wheelbase providing a much higher stability while driving. The Aviator is also geared for longer drives with a fuel tank capacity of 6 liters whereas the Activa can only hold 5.3 liters. Here is a side by side comparison of the major tech specs of both the scooters. The ex-showroom price of the Standard variant of Aviator is slightly higher than Activa although there is also a Deluxe variant that is priced much higher.

Specification	Honda Activa	Honda Aviator
Engine Disp.	109cc	109cc
Max Power	8.1 PS @ 7500	8.1 PS @ 7000
Max Torque	8.74 Nm @ 5500	8.77 Nm @ 5500
Dimension	1761 x 710 x 1147	1802 x 697 x 1162
Wheelbase	1238mm	1256mm
Ground Clearance	153mm	145mm
Fuel tank capacity	5.3L	6L
Underseat storage	18L	20L
Kerb weight	111kg	102.3kg
Price (ex-Delhi)	Rs. 47204	Rs. 48229

Mileage Comparison

Although both the Activa and Aviator have similar engine components, there are so many things different spec-wise on the two scooters that make it a given that these two models simply cannot offer the same mileage. However, Honda probably does not want to cannibalize the sale of one over the other due to the fuel economy component. The company claims the latest model of both the scooters to offer around 66.7 kmpl under standard test conditions. Again, this is not a mileage you could be seeing on your office ride because the tests are conducted under extremely favourable conditions that you may not be able to simulate on a city road.

In order to arrive a better judgement, let us now look at what third party reviews and test rides tell us with respect to the mileage. Let us start with MouthShut; the popular user reviews site. There are plenty of reviews for both the scooters. While the average claim made by customers lies in the range of 45-55kmpl for the Activa, the corresponding figure for Aviator is just between 30-46 kmpl. The numbers for Aviator do not get much support from other sources either. Except for a review from ScootyPrice that claims around 45-48 kmpl on the Aviator, the mileage reported on other reviews we noted from sites like BikeAdvice and ConsumerComplaints are in the range of 30-40 kmpl only.

In comparison, the Activa has pretty rave reviews from a number of sources. A couple of reviewers on IndiaGarage have reported a 35kmpl FE. That apart, reviews on most sources have been positive. BikeSpace reports 54kmpl while IndiaMart reports 55 kmpl. Most of the other sources including MyIndiaGuide, BharathAutos, ZigWheels, MaxAbout and Olx report a number between 40-53 kmpl which is much better than what the Aviator offers.

The specific number from the various sources are tabulated below. But I guess the bottomline is clear – the Aviator seems built more efficiently for a female audience as compared to the Activa. But that is just a minor improvement that does not warrant a drop in mileage as it seems to be from the various reviews. My suggestion would be to go with the Activa – it’s priced cheap, makes your commuter cheaper and has a great resale value too. What do you think?

Source	Honda Activa (kmpl)	Honda Aviator (kmpl)
Official	66.7	66.7
BharathAutos	53.5	—
BikeAdvice	–	30-40
BikeSpace	54	—
ConsumerComplaints	–	33-35
IndiaGarage	35	—
IndiaMart	55	—
MaxAbout	40	—
MouthShut	45-55	30-46
MyIndiaGuide	52.2	—
Olx	40-50	—
ScootyPrice	–	45-48
ZigWheels	46.8	—

Bajaj Discover 125 ST Vs. Honda CB Shine

Today we will compare two bikes in the 125cc engine category – the Discover 125ST from Bajaj and Honda CB Shine. The Discover 125ST is the more recent entrant to the market having made its way only in the mid of last year while Honda Shine has been around for around 3 years now. While both bikes are in the 125cc segment, Bajaj has had the luxury to extensively study the market before launching their new 125cc Discover. Consequently, they have been able to offer quite a few better specs in comparison to the peers.

The Discover 125ST arguably offers the best power in the 125cc bike segment. According to company brochures, the Discover 125ST delivers close to 13PS max power at 9000 RPM whereas the CB Shine only offers around 10.3PS @7500 RPM. The difference is not much in terms of torque though. While the Discover 125ST claims to offer a max net torque of 10.8 Nm at 7000 RPM, the corresponding value for the CB Shine is 10.54Nm at 5500RPM. The price of the lowest available variant on CB Shine is Rs. 54,782 while the price of Discover 125ST is Rs. 55,500 – both ex-Delhi. So as you can see, no one winner here. I shall tabulate all the major specs for a side-by-side comparison below.

Spec	Bajaj Discover 125ST	Honda CB Shine
Displacement	124.6cc	124.7cc
Max Power	13PS @9000	10.3PS @7500
Max Torque	10.8Nm @ 7000	10.54Nm @ 5500
Kerb Weight	124.5kg	120kg
Fuel Tank Capacity	10L	10.5L
Ground clearance	170mm	157mm
Price (ex-Delhi)	Rs. 55500	Rs. 54782

Mileage Comparison
Let us first start with the manufacturer claims. According to Honda Motorcycles, the CB Shine can deliver about 65 kmpl under standard test road conditions. In comparison, the Discover 125ST delivers around 67.5 kmpl under similar conditions. Do note that the fuel economy that you derive on real world conditions may be vastly different.

To check how the two bikes fare on city roads, let us look at what third party blog and customer reviews have got to say. On MouthShut, both bikes have received a 4/5 rating for fuel consumption. The reviews have been extremely positive for Discover 125ST with the lowest reported mileage around 48kmpl and the highest over 60kmpl. The average is around 55kmpl. In comparison, the lowest reported figure for CB Shine is around 42kmpl while the average reported figure lies between 50-55kmpl. So the Discover wins by a slight margin on this one.

We do not have many other common sources that have reviewed both the bikes. Let us first take a look at websites that have reviewed the Discover 125ST. MotorBeam in their test reports around 55kmpl on city roads that goes up to 60kmpl on highways. ZigWheels reports a much better experience having seen around 62kmpl just on the city roads. The highway mileage is reported to be 77kmpl which seems quite unbelievable and I would term this is an exception and not a rule. BikeDekho in their review report a much lower figure. On city roads, the reviewer was able to see only around 50 kmpl although on highways this was much better at 65kmpl.

With Honda CB Shine, the story is not very different. The official review on BikeAdvice notes that the fuel consumption could improve after servicing although in their test, the reported figure was around 50 kmpl on city roads. The figures are slightly better on the Yahoo user reviews where the number lies between 55-60 kmpl on an average. The FE on highways though was noted to be higher at 62kmpl.

There were a couple of more sources that reviewed the CB Shine from a fuel economy perspective. IndiaGarage users claim to be seeing between 50-55 kmpl on city roads and 58-62kmpl on highways whereas the reviewer on MaxAbout reports 58kmpl on city roads and a massive 73kmpl on highways – again, this appears to be an outlier and do not expect your bike to reach this level of efficiency.

Here is a snapshot of what various reviewers of these two bikes have said. From the outset, the fuel consumption do not appear to be too different on both the bikes. Considering that the prices are not vastly different either, I would pick the Discover 125ST over CB Shine considering a better power on this bike for the same economy. What will be your pick?

Source	Bajaj Discover 125ST	Honda CB Shine
Official	65-70	65
BikeAdvice	–	50
BikeDekho	50	—
IndiaGarage	–	50-55
MaxAbout	–	58
MotorBeam	55	—
MouthShut	55	50-55
Yahoo	–	55-60
ZigWheels	62	—

Bajaj Pulsar 180 vs. TVS Apache RTR 180 / ABS

There are not too many 180cc bike models in the Indian bike industry at the moment. The two most extremely popular models are the Bajaj Pulsar 180cc and the TVS Apache RTR 180 (and its ABS variant). We have already reviewed all three bikes separately here, here and here. We have indepth study of the mileage as well as specs for each of these bikes in the links above. Anyway, I will try to be as comprehensive as possible while comparing all these three bikes together in this article.

Tech Specs Comparison

First up, let’s compare the technical specifications of the Pulsar and put it against the two RTR 180 models.The Pulsar is built with an engine that is just slightly bigger than the RTR 180. This again gives the bike a very slight advantage over the Apache bikes in terms of power. The max power on the Pulsar 180 is 17.02 PS whereas the corresponding figure for the Apache is 17 PS. The RTR scores in terms of torque though. You can expect a max torque of close to 15.5Nm @ 6500 RPM whereas the Pulsar only delivers close to 14.22 Nm at the same rev.

The TVS model has other advantages too like better navigation under rough terrain considering a ground clearance of nearly 15mm over what’s offered on Pulsar. But then, Pulsar is a little more easier on the wallet being available around 3000 bucks lower than RTR 180 and nearly 14,000 lower than the RTR 180 ABS. I’ve tabulated all the major specs and price (ex-showroom, Delhi) here below.

Spec	Pulsar 180	Apache RTR 180	Apache RTR 180 ABS
Displacement	178.6cc	177.4cc	177.4cc
Max Power	17.02PS @8500	17PS @8500	17PS @8500
Max Torque	14.22Nm @6500	15.5Nm @6500	15.5Nm @6500
Wheelbase	1345mm	1300mm	1326mm
Kerb weight	147kg	139kg	139kg
Ground clearance	150mm	165mm	165mm
Price (ex-Delhi)	Rs. 70321	Rs. 73365	Rs. 84180

Mileage Comparison

Frankly I think you should not be paying much heed to this section of the article. Bikes in the 180cc or above are purchased for their power and style and not for the economy. In any case, if you are having trouble deciding among the three based on the specs, features and price alone, maybe a fuel economy comparison could do the tie-breaker.

Let us first look into what the manufacturer claim is. According to Bajaj Auto, the Pulsar 180 should deliver 58.1 kmpl under standard testing conditions. As I have often observed in the past, these tests are conducted under extremely favourable road conditions and so if anything, the actual economy that you notice on city roads would be lower than this. But for a perspective, the corresponding figure quoted by TVS Motors for both the Apache RTR 180 and RTR 180 ABS is around 56 kmpl.

MaxAbout has comprehensively reviewed all three of these bikes. In their review of the Pulsar 180, MaxAbout calls the bike “well-built with a lot of bulk”. Their test reported an FE of around 38 kmpl on city roads that can go as high as 45-50 kmpl on highways. For the Apache RTR 180, MaxAbout says it’s basically a ‘carbon copy’ of the RTR 160 with a terrific pickup from 0-60 kmph. The mileage reported by their review for both the RTR 180 and the ABS variant is 38-40 kmpl on city roads but on the highways, while the ABS variant delivered 39 kmpl, the non-ABS model reported 42-46 kmpl.

BikeAdvice has been one of our other favourite sources. In their review, they note that the Pulsar delivers a much better economy on their 180cc compared to the Apache alternative. For city roads, the reported mileage for the Pulsar 180 and Apache RTR 180 are 41-46 kmpl and 39-44 kmpl respectively. However given the wide range, I still think there is no one winner to pick from the review. On highways though, the Pulsar wins with a reported 46-51 kmpl figure as compared to 43-48 kmpl on the RTR 180.

Let us now look at the reviews from BikeDekho. On this website, the reviewer calls the latest variant of the Pulsar 180 a ‘perfect blend’ of the vibrant contours of the older variant and the muscular build of the 2009 model. If you compare the reported mileage of all the bikes, you find the Pulsar to be a clear winner. The reported number for this bike is 43.4 kmpl while the corresponding number for RTR 180 is 35-40 kmpl.

On MouthShut again, there is much more love for the Pulsar compared to the Apache. While both bikes have got a 4/5 rating for fuel consumption overall, with respected to the reported fuel economy, the figure for Pulsar is between 43-50 kmpl while the same for Apache RTR 180 is around 40-45 kmpl.

So there you go. I have tabulated all the reported mileage on city roads for the three bikes (actually two, since both the RTR 180 and RTR 180 ABS have the same reported numbers) for you to pick. What’s your choice between the two bikes? Tell us in the comments.

Source	Bajaj Pulsar 180	Apache RTR 180 (ABS)
Official	58.1	56
MaxAbout	38	38-40
BikeDekho	43.4	35-40
BikeAdvice	41-46	39-44
MouthShut	43-50	40-45

Best Scooter In India For Girls

There are over a dozen scooters that we have reviewed on MileageInfo till date. A few of these are targeted at the male customers while the entire rest is either unisex or are targeted exclusively at the female buyers. So if you are a woman looking for the best scooter from a mileage perspective, read on.

First and foremost, scooters are pretty fuel-inefficient. Most of the scooters available in the market cost between Rs. 30,000 and Rs. 50,000 and come with a good 100cc engine. Despite this, the mileage they offer is quite lower than what motorbikes in the same engine and price range have on offer. So for this article, we will first compare the basic tech-specs of the various female-targeted scooters, then look at their prices (ex-showroom Delhi) and finally compare the mileage as reviewed by some major sources.

Tech Specs Comparison

The engine displacement has a huge effect on the power you can derive from any bike. However it needs to be remembered that power comes with burning fuel and so a higher powered engine often consumes more fuel and consequently has a lower mileage. At the end of the day, it comes down to individual preference – what’s more important to you; the power or mileage? Or a good balance of both of them? Take that and the price of the scooters into consideration while making the purchasing decision. So first off, let’s compare the tech specs of the dozen scooters in contention. We will be comparing the engine displacement, power, torque and kerb weight of these scooters in the table below.

Scooter	Engine cc	Max Power	Max Torque	Weight
Piaggio Vespa LX	125cc	10.06PS	10.6Nm	114kg
Suzuki Access	124cc	8.6PS	9.8Nm	115kg
Suzuki Swish	124cc	8.6PS	9.8Nm	110kg
Mahindra Rodeo RZ	125cc	8.2PS	9Nm	106kg
Kinetic Sym Flyte	124.6cc	8.1PS	9.1Nm	106kg
Honda Activa	109cc	8.1PS	9Nm	111kg
Honda Aviator	109cc	8.1PS	8.74Nm	102kg
Honda Dio	110cc	8.1PS	8.66Nm	110.2kg
TVS Wego	109.7cc	8PS	8Nm	105kg
Yamaha Ray	113cc	7.1PS	8.1Nm	104kg
Hero Pleasure	102cc	6.8PS	7.85Nm	104kg
TVS Scooty Streak	87.8cc	5.1PS	5.8Nm	96kg
TVS Scooty Pep Plus	87.8cc	5PS	5.8Nm	95kg

So there you have quite a few 125cc scooters that offer a better power. But also note that a lot of these scooters weigh over 110kg and if you will find it heavy, you should be going for something that weighs lower. Honda Aviator is a good choice in my opinion – it doesn’t weigh a lot but still manages to offer the same power as the 125c Sym Flyte or Rodeo RZ.

Next up, let us compare the fuel economy delivered by the various scooters. Traditionally, we take our readers through mileage as reported by the manufacturer as well as what has been reported by various independent third party test rides and customer reviews. However, since this could get complicated if we are to go through several sources, what we will do is mention the manufacturer claim as well as the median city road mileage as reported on our individual studies. If you want to read in depth for any of the scooters, do go through our scooter list here.

Model	Manufacturer claim (kmpl)	Median City Mileage (kmpl)
Hero Pleasure	55	48.5
Honda Activa	66.7	46.8
Yamaha Ray	62.1	46.5
TVS Scooty Pep+	68	45
TVS Scooty Streak	68	45
Mahindra Rodeo RZ	59.38	45
Honda Dio	55	43
TVS Wego	50	42.5
Piaggio Vespa LX	60	41
Suzuki Swish	60	38
Kinetic Sym Flyte	45	37.5
Honda Aviator	52	34
Suzuki Access	50.22	30

The scooters are ranked according to the median mileage in the above table. However, do note that this is just a general trend and may not be scientifically correct. That’s because the numbers are pulled from various overlapping and sometimes mutually exclusive sources. Also, the reported numbers are by different people each of whom could weigh different (and which has an effect on the overall mileage) and so you may see a different mileage from what is offered here. However, this should give you an idea of what’s better and what’s not.

As I see it, Honda Activa definitely looks to be the best bet considering that it offers sufficient power at a significantly good economy. However, if you are looking for a lighter scooter under 110kg, then you could probably pick Yamaha Ray or Mahindra Rodeo RZ – both these bikes offer decent mileage and weigh just around 104kg so which is good.

What will be your choice? Tell us in the comments.

Honda Dream Yuga vs. Honda CB Shine

I don’t recall a comparison between two bikes of varying engine displacement levels previously. However, this article follows the comparison requested by MileageInfo reader Nik in his comment here. Dream Yuga is the least expensive Honda that is currently in the market and is a 109cc bike whereas the CB Shine belongs to the 125cc segment that is priced around 8,000 rupees higher than Dream Yuga.

So first off, let’s take a look at the tech specs of both these bikes.

Specification	Honda Dream Yuga	Honda CB Shine
Displacement	109cc	124.7cc
Net Power	8.6 PS @7500	10.3 PS @7500
Max Torque	8.91 Nm @5500	10.54 Nm @5500
Kerb Weight	108kg	120kg
Wheelbase	1285mm	157mm
Ground Clearance	161mm	157mm
Fuel Tank	8 liters	10.5 liters
Price (ex-Delhi)	Rs. 46150	Rs. 54782

So from a specifications standpoint, it is clear that you get additional value for the extra money you shell out on CB Shine. From a mileage perspective, the first view I get is that the Dream Yuga should be a better bet because the higher power as well as the higher kerb weight on the CB Shine makes it less fuel efficient compared to the Dream Yuga. That is of course assuming both these bikes have similar engines which they are not.

Mileage Comparison

The official figures are strongly stacked in favour of the Yuga. According to Honda, this 109cc bike can deliver close to 72kmpl under standard testing condition. You can say these conditions to what you have on the highways. Under city conditions this is bound to be lower. However, even under these conditions, the CB Shine has a lower stated mileage of only around 65 kmpl.

Let us take a look at what other third party reviews have got to say. While we have not had any common source that has reviewed both these bikes alike (except from the user review site, MouthShut, of course), we have around 4 sources for the Dream Yuga and five other for the CB Shine.

MotorBeam in their review report that they were able to extract 58-60 kmpl on city roads with the Dream Yuga. On highway roads, this went up to 65kmpl on their test ride. BikeDekho did not have a similar experience. Their test only delivered around 55kmpl on city roads although on highways, the experience was better than what MotorBeam experienced at 70kmpl. OverDrive relatively had the worst experience of all. They report a 47kmpl fuel economy on city roads with the Dream Yuga.

In comparison, CB Shine has a relatively more consistent report. On IndiaGarage, users together report fuel consumption of between 50-55kmpl on city roads and between 58-62kmpl on highway roads. BikeAdvice says that although the average expected economy is around 50kmpl, you can still make it better through regular servicing and air checks. While the report on Yahoo Autos calls for users to expect between 55-60kmpl, the MaxAbout report averages out their test ride mileage at around 58kmpl which is almost similar to what Yahoo has noted.

On MouthShut, there is a more diverse reporting on the Dream Yuga. The customers there have reported numbers on a pretty wide range between 50-65kmpl. On the contrary, the customers who have used a CB Shine report a more consistent number of between 50-55 kmpl on city roads.

Let’s tabulate these numbers for easy comparison.

Source	Dream Yuga (kmpl)	CB Shine (kmpl)
Official	72	65
BikeAdvice	–	50
BikeDekho	55	—
IndiaGarage	–	50-55
MaxAbout	–	58
MotorBeam	58-60	—
MouthShut	50-65	50-55
OverDrive	47	—
Yahoo	–	55-60

As I see it, there is little to choose between the two bikes when it comes to the actual mileage delivered on city roads. The Dream Yuga is a little inconsistent with a wider reported range while the CB Shine delivers a pretty consistent figure between 50-55kmpl. So my take is that if you have those additional 8000 rupees to spend, why not go with the CB Shine? At least, you can enjoy a better power and performance at a similar mileage. What’s your take on this? Do tell us in the comments.

Bajaj Discover 100T Vs. Hero HF Dawn

Bajaj Discover 100T and Hero HF Dawn are two of the most popularly searched bikes on MileageInfo.com. Both these bikes are in the 100cc category and they are a terrific value for money. However, the Discover 100T is priced almost 16,000 higher than the HF Dawn. While you can get a Dawn 100cc ex-Delhi at a price of Rs. 34,500, the corresponding price for Discover 100T is Rs. 50,500.

Let us first talk about the technical specifications of both these bikes. First up, the engine – the Hero HF Dawn is built with a 97.2cc 4 stroke single cylinder engine that delivers a maximum power of 7.8PS and a corresponding torque of 8.04Nm. The Discover 100T on the other hand is equipped with a 102cc 4-valve DTS-i technology engine that delivers 10.2PS power and 9.2Nm torque. While the Discover offers a better power, it also comes heavier. The 100T kerb weighs 121kg while the HF Dawn is much lighter at just 109kg. The basic fuel tank of both the bikes are similar though with a capacity of around 10 liters although the 100T has a higher reserve at around 3.5 liters. Let’s tabulate all of this below for easier reference.

Specification	Discover 100T	HF Dawn
Displacement	102cc	97.2cc
Max Power	10.2PS @9000	7.8PS @7500
Max Torque	9.2Nm @6500	8.04Nm @4500
Kerb Weight	121kg	109kg
Wheelbase	1305mm	1235mm
Fuel Tank	10 liters	10.5 liters
Reserve	3.5 liters	1.8 liters
Price (ex-Delhi)	Rs. 50500	Rs. 34500

Fuel Comparison

While both the HF Dawn and Discover 100T are both targeted at the entry level audience and hence are both focused heavily on mileage, the price-tag of Discover 100T may suggest that this bike is positioned at the younger college demographic who demand more stylish features. According to the manufacturers, the Discover 100T can deliver 87kmpl while the HF Dawn can deliver 82.91kmpl. Both these claims are made under standard test riding conditions which are very different from the every day city road conditions these bikes may otherwise subjected to. The mileage that you see on these bikes may hence be vastly different.

Let us now look at what reviewers have got to say with respect to the fuel efficiency offered by both these bikes. I was unable to get a source that has reviewed both these bikes. For the HF Dawn (earlier known as Hero Honda CD Dawn), members of IndiaGarage have together rated the economy to be somewhere between 55-60 kmpl. The best figure comes from two source – Wheelmela and AutomobileIndia. Both these sources claim a mileage of around 75 kmpl on the HF Dawn. InfiBeam too concurs on this number although they say out of the box, the bike only offers 65kmpl that increases by 10 units after the first servicing.

Customer reviews have not been so kind though. MouthShut users together rate the fuel consumption of the bike to be somewhere between 55-60 kmpl. Olx, the popular classifieds site has quite a few HF Dawn bikes on sale where the listed efficiency is between 60-70 kmpl. Take this number with a pinch of salt though considering that these users are trying to sell their bike and wouldn’t be saying bad things about it.

There have not been as many reviews for the Discover 100T though. MaxAbout claims a city mileage of around 65 kmpl on the 100cc bike. While xBHP claims a similar figure, reviewers at MotorBeam paint a more optimistic 70kmpl on the 100T. Overall I would say that although the number is pretty similar to what the HF Dawn seems to offer,we still do not have enough real customer reviews here to understand what the actual city road figure might be.

So there you have it. Here’s a tabulated listing of mileages as offered by various sources.

Source	Hero HF Dawn (kmpl)	Bajaj Discover 100T (kmpl)
Official	82.91	87
IndiaGarage	55-60	—
WheelMela	75	—
MotorBeam	–	70
InfiBeam	65 (75 after servicing)	—
AutomobileIndia	75	—
MaxAbout	–	65
MouthShut	55-60	—
Olx	60-70	—
xBHP	–	65

It’s a difficult proposition to have a pick between these two bikes based on mileage alone. I would suggest customers looking to purchase a bike to look into the other features offered by the Discover 100T and see if it justifies the Rs.16000 extra cost. Don’t forget that 100T is a new brand that should be seen favourably too. All in all, this is a decision that is not easy to make for me. What would you pick between the two?

Hero Glamour vs. Hero Glamour PGM FI

The Glamour has been one of Hero Motocorp’s highly visible motorbike brands. The Glamour is a 125cc 4 stroke engine bike that comes in two variants – one with the advanced microprocessor based ignition system and the other PGM FI model that comes with a full transistorized fuel injection technology ignition. Fuel injection is a much more efficient way to burn gas and as a result of this, the latter variant can offer a better fuel efficiency compared to the former. This increase in efficiency comes at a cost though – the Hero Glamour is priced at Rs.52525 ex-Delhi while the PGM FI comes at a price of Rs.61650 ex-Delhi.

Tech Specs

Before we compare the fuel consumption of both the bikes, let’s look into the specifications and features both these bikes have to offer. The Glamour has a 124.7cc engine while the PGM FI has a 124.8cc engine. Both bikes deliver a max power of 9.1PS @ 7000 RPM with a corresponding max torque of 10.35Nm at 4000 RPM. Except for the ignition system, most of the other specifications are comparable. The bikes weigh around 125kg on dry mass with the kick-start variant while the self-start variants weigh around 129kg. The fuel tanks have a capacity of 12 liters with an additional 1.5 liters in the reserve.

Fuel Efficiency Comparison

Let us now look at how both these bikes compare with respect to their fuel efficiency. According to Hero Motocorp, the PGM FI is built with a technology that offers a more optimal fuel consumption system that will ensure the mileage offered is better than what is delivered by Hero Glamour. So that’s a given. What needs to be seen now is how much better is the PGM FI compared to the Glamour to see if this justifies the extra cost of the bike.

Let us start with the review on MaxAbout. The site notes that the latest variant of the PGM FI has these tinted visor with sleek cowl that make it that much more alluring. As for the mileage, the PGM FI is reported to be offering 5-6 kmpl more than the 60-65 kmpl offered on the Hero Glamour.

BikeAdvice is not happy about the graphics and the power output from the engine. However, on the mileage front, the Glamour FI makes every bit of justice to the additional price. According to the review, teh Glamour FI could deliver close to 75kmpl on city roads which is way more than the 50-60 kmpl offered by Hero Glamour.

MouthShut, the popular user reviews site has had mixed reviews of the Glamour FI. While some reviewers are extremely happy with the 70-80 kmpl mileage they have noted on their bike, others report a paltry 40-55 kmpl. With the Hero Glamour, the reviewers on MouthShut report between 60-70 kmpl of fuel consumption.

There have been other reviews too. For Hero Glamour, the Infibeam reports a mileage of around 55.2 kmpl. For the Hero Glamour FI, we have BikeDekho that reports around 60 kmpl of fuel economy. Again, IndiaGarage, a bikers forum reports between 60-65 kmpl which is good but not as great as what a few other reviews have made the bike to be.

Here is a tabulated list of fuel consumption as reported by various news sources:

Source	Hero Glamour	Hero Glamour PGM FI	Difference in kmpl
Official	81.1	81.1	—
MaxAbout	60-65	65-70	5
BikeDekho	–	60	—
BikeAdvice	50-60	75	15
Infibeam	55.2	–	—
MouthShut	60-70	40-55 / 70-80	10
IndiaGarage	–	60-65	—

Should you go for the PGM FI?

Technically, the fuel injection based Glamour should offer a better mileage. This is because fuel injection atomizes fuel and outputs a better air fuel mix to the engine. This should increase both the power and fuel economy by around 5-10%. From our review of mileages from various sources, we see that the PGM FI on an average increases the mileage by around 10 kmpl.

To be on the conservative side, let us assume 6kmpl to be the average gain in mileage going for the Glamour FI. Let’s now see how long it takes to recover the additional cost of the bike from these savings.

Average cost of Petrol/liter	Rs. 75
Additional cost of the PGM FI bike	Rs. 9125
Increase in distance covered from 1 liter of petrol	6km
Avg mileage on Hero Glamour	60kmpl
Savings on every liter of petrol	6/60*75= Rs. 7.5
Fuel taken to recover additional cost of bike	9125/7.5 = 1216 liters

So by the time you fuel 1216 liters of petrol, you have recovered the additional cost spent on the Glamour FI. 1216 liters contributes close to 72,000 kilometers. So if you are someone who is going to travel so much with the bike, you should be definitely going for this bike. In any case, better fuel consumption is good for the environment and so it’s always good to go for a bike that offers better mileage although it comes with a cost.

So what would you be going for?