[ramzsys]

Originally Posted by audioholic

I was wondering if it was really costing that much.

Audioholic, not the activa, but for the Honda Dio with the 102cc engine when i asked engine replacement, they said 13k at Ananda Honda, Bangalore.

[humyum]

Originally Posted by audioholic

Does anyone have an idea of how much the entire engine of an activa costs? Forget engine, how much will a short block(or whatever it is called) cost?

The case again is of a 35k km run activa of my Aunt, but I have to confess that it is not one of the well maintained activas out there. The mechanic has suggested an overhaul it seems. However instead of reboring the block, I suggested her to replace the block, piston and also head if necessary. The service center quoted 22k for the job it seems so I was wondering if it was really costing that much.

WHAT ? 22 K ? Ask them to list the parts that they are going to replace.

To give you an example, I lived in Bangalore for 3 years from 2002-2005. My dad had got me a brand new Honda Dio in 2002 ( same engine as the Activas). Since my college was 22 kilometers too and fro along with the idhar udhar chakkars and road trips that I used to make on the Dio, I ended up with 70 thousand kilometers on the ODO in 3 years. Oil change intervals back then were 2500 kilometers but since my running was so much, I used to get the oil changed every 5 to 6 thousand kilometers. I have done a 1000 kilometer, Bangalore - Ooty, Kodaikanal, Mysore and back to Bangalore road trip on this Dio too.

After I left Bangalore, I gifted the same DIO to my Fua who used it till 1 lakh 69 thousand kilometers on the ODO, the engine overhaul only came at the 1 lakh kilometer mark and he spent 8 thousand on that. Of course, it was back in 2009, but still the price increase cannot be THIS HIGH for a 35 thousand run Activa.

Ultimately, he sold the bike at 1 lakh 70 thousand km on the ODO to someone for 15 thousand rupees and who knows it might still be running.

Moral of the story - Honda engines are BULLETPROOF reliable.

[audioholic]

Originally Posted by ramzsys

Audioholic, not the activa, but for the Honda Dio with the 102cc engine when i asked engine replacement, they said 13k at Ananda Honda, Bangalore.

Thanks for the quick reply! Since the Activa and Dio share the same underpinnings, I guess the cost should be same. What all does 13k include?

Originally Posted by humyum

WHAT ? 22 K ? Ask them to list the parts that they are going to replace.

To give you an example, I lived in Bangalore for 3 years from 2002-2005. My dad had got me a brand new Honda Dio in 2002 ( same engine as the Activas). Since my college was 22 and back to Bangalore road trip on this Dio too.

After I left Bangalore, I gifted the same DIO to my Fua who used it till 1 lakh 69 Moral of the story - Honda engines are BULLETPROOF reliable.

Having a Dio myself, yes I have no doubts on the quality of the scoot. I am not sure how they arrived at that quote but they gave a worst case estimate I think since the engine is not yet opened. As usual they(ASC) aren't the people who are bothered about informing customers about what, how much and why. They just do the job and make a bill out of it.

What I was thinking of was suppose the half engine can be brought from Honda spares, I can get it replaced with a trusted mechanic. Hence I wanted to know the cost of the same.

Suppose oil isn't changed on schedule, what kind of damage can be expected? Vaguely I can think of cylinder and piston damage. Will the head be gone too? What all will have to be replaced?

[aargee]

Originally Posted by Tommie

He mentioned that the life is just 35K km after which the engine work needs to be carried out

Utter stupidity!! Ask him if you can cross check his statement from HMSI & observe his face expressions!!

Originally Posted by Tommie

1) Is it really true that the engine life of Honda is really low =>35K
2) If the life is really low, why is the resale value pretty high even though most of the Honda 2 wheeler vehicles are activa's
3) What is your opinion about this rusting pic that I posted. Do I need to change the fork as suggested

1. I really don't know, but my Uncle has one that has done 650000+ Km without having to open the engine; it rusts though
2. Pls ask the same question to the one who said about low engine life
3. Yes; Activa rusts like hell; like you, I too have a sparingly used Activa, 2005 model run for 21K km (compared to my C250R that has run 76K km since 2011); the clutch assy is a messy job that no jokers are capable of doing to perfection. The exhaust broke once in the middle of a commute due to rust & the wheel rims are also rusted.

Otherwise, it runs like a charm

[humyum]

Originally Posted by audioholic

Having a Dio myself, yes I have no doubts on the quality of the scoot. I am not sure how they arrived at that quote but they gave a worst case estimate I think since the engine is not yet opened. As usual they(ASC) aren't the people who are bothered about informing customers about what, how much and why. They just do the job and make a bill out of it.

What I was thinking of was suppose the half engine can be brought from Honda spares, I can get it replaced with a trusted mechanic. Hence I wanted to know the cost of the same.

Suppose oil isn't changed on schedule, what kind of damage can be expected? Vaguely I can think of cylinder and piston damage. Will the head be gone too? What all will have to be replaced?

Hey, Sorry for the late reply, I somehow ended up missing this thread.

The biggest killer for a scooter is the constant shut down and start ups. In cities like Bangalore, where the mornings are cold, the maximum engine damage occurs when you start it in the morning. Since this is a carburated economy scooter, the engine tends to die during early morning starts, to compensate for the stalling, the rider ends up revving her up and driving with a hard throttle until the temperature rises and the scooter can idle properly on its own. Also since its a CVT transmission, to reach upto speeds, the engine will rev, and when you do that during a cold morning until it reaches its running temperature, its disaster for the engine

Since I knew this when I had my scooter, the first kilometer or so, I would ride with a very mild throttle and slowly. After that once the engine was warmed up, I would ride normally.

I did not change my oil according to Honda's recommendations, but that was because my bike was a highway run bike with my college being on a highway. In your case, if its a purely city run bike with frequent starts and stops, improper oil change can damage the piston rings and cylinder linings like you mention and make the scooter lose compression.

I don't know if you get a half engine assembly, but first things first, ask for a break up of parts and then only decide on the next course of action. Ask around in outside market if you can get the same original parts at a lower price. If yes, then your job is done.

[audioholic]

Thanks. I will first check the vehicle and take it to a trusted mechanic to assess the damage. Honda parts are available through white channels itself. Hence that's not an issue to deal with.

Regarding habits, yes even I take the first km or two of the day very gently. I believe that's the most crucial stage. Some people have the habit of hurrying in the morning which is very harmful to the engine.

[Sebring]

We have a 2002 Activa, and so far it's not given us much trouble except for the service aspects. So what exactly is the life of a Honda Activa, as ours is at 50K Kms now? Mind you its 16 years old. Though the paint has held up and it looks new, there are a couple of small dents - can anybody please recommend a reliable tinkerer in Bangalore? I want to brink it back to originality! Also wondering if we should we keep or dispose of this great performer? I think 'resale' values attributed to some brands like Activa or Splendor is all bunkum as when you want to sell you get about 12K. Any thoughts?

[ashwinprakas]

Originally Posted by Sebring

Any thoughts?

I'd simply suggest that you keep the motorcycle and replace the consumables.

For some unexplained reason when vehicles get old people sell them and go for new ones not because of any actual value addition but simply considering the age of their old vehicle.

Fact is as long as you replace the consumables religiously your motorcycle would even out run you.

Now when I say consumables that includes even the chassis when considering really long term ownership.

Ride Safe.
Cheers.
A.P.

[Sebring]

Chassis is rust free since we don't have that kind of issues in Bangalore. But floorboard could do with a spot of paint here n there I'm guessing. Thanks for your advise, and yes we will keep it for another 4 years! Keenly watching the electric scooter space - Ather in particular.

Originally Posted by ashwinprakas

I'd simply suggest that you keep the motorcycle and replace the consumables.

[ashwinprakas]

Originally Posted by Sebring

Chassis is rust free since we don't have that kind of issues in Bangalore.

I was thinking more along the lines of material fatigue.

[raman.aries]

I was in need of a scooter for small trips and I had 2 choices in front of me - Either buy a new scooter or restore my old battered and bruised scooter. This old scooter of mine was used for a while by my aunt(after I used it for a couple of years), and then left to ruin in her garage.
In the spirit of conservation and extracting maximum life from any asset, I decided to get my old scooter repaired. I chose an FNG half a km away from my home as it had the benefit of promoting a small local business in addition to proximity.

Following works were done to bring it up to a decent condition.

1. Repainted the whole scooter
2. Replaced the plastic fairings
3. Replaced both mirrors
4. Replaced old switches for lights, indicator and starter
5. Replaced worn out tyres
6. Repainted the rims
7. Cleaned the carburetor
8. Changed bushes and bearings at the rear side
9. Replaced battery
10. Opened and cleaned both front and rear brakes
11. Added a new side foot rest
12. Replaced accelerator cable and choke cable
13. Repaired speedometer
14. Replaced front headlights and indicators
15. Replaced drive belt
16. Replaced horn

I was charges 15k for all the works and it took around a month to get all the work done.
The engine was not opened since the scooter was starting and running fine.

[raman.aries]

Originally Posted by raman.aries

I was in need of a scooter for small trips and I had 2 choices in front of me - Either buy a new scooter or restore my old battered and bruised scooter. This old scooter of mine was used for a while by my aunt(after I used it for a couple of years), and then left to ruin in her garage.
In the spirit of conservation and extracting maximum life from any asset, I decided to get my old scooter repaired. I chose an FNG half a km away from my home as it had the benefit of promoting a small local business in addition to proximity.

Following works were done to bring it up to a decent condition.

1. Repainted the whole scooter
2. Replaced the plastic fairings
3. Replaced both mirrors
4. Replaced old switches for lights, indicator and starter
5. Replaced worn out tyres
6. Repainted the rims
7. Cleaned the carburetor
8. Changed bushes and bearings at the rear side
9. Replaced battery
10. Opened and cleaned both front and rear brakes
11. Added a new side foot rest
12. Replaced accelerator cable and choke cable
13. Repaired speedometer
14. Replaced front headlights and indicators
15. Replaced drive belt
16. Replaced horn

I was charges 15k for all the works and it took around a month to get all the work done.
The engine was not opened since the scooter was starting and running fine.

Would like to post an update. I started using the scooter on a regular basis ever since I got it repaired. It seems as though it has lost some horses with age - struggles to accelerate with 2-up.
The fuel economy seems to be decent - got 38 kmpl when I checked last (using tank refill method)
The headlight has become really dim. Need to replace bulb and check if that improves things.
Overall, I am quite happy with it.

[Mortis]

You can use a petrol additive for a few tankfuls like System G to clean out the fuel system. Ideally at slightly higher concentration to clean out the gunk better.
Also at the next oil change do a engine oil flush and if you want then you can put in an oil additive too.
I did this for the 2nd hand Activa I got along with cleaning the carb and gearbox parts and it made a fair difference

[raman.aries]

Originally Posted by raman.aries

Would like to post an update. I started using the scooter on a regular basis ever since I got it repaired. It seems as though it has lost some horses with age - struggles to accelerate with 2-up.
The fuel economy seems to be decent - got 38 kmpl when I checked last (using tank refill method)
The headlight has become really dim. Need to replace bulb and check if that improves things.
Overall, I am quite happy with it.

Another important update. The CVT was playing up and not shifting to the lower ratios and had trouble picking up speed from a stop. Took it to the mechanic. Upon inspection, it was revealed that the bushes, rollers etc for the CVT had worn out. Replaced it all - was charged around Rs 1450 for parts and labour. The scooter now runs fine.

[audioholic]

Originally Posted by raman.aries

Another important update. The CVT was playing up and not shifting to the lower ratios and had trouble picking up speed from a stop. Took it to the mechanic. Upon inspection, it was revealed that the bushes, rollers etc for the CVT had worn out. Replaced it all - was charged around Rs 1450 for parts and labour. The scooter now runs fine.

I got the same done for my Dio and now the acceleration has improved. I never realised this until we did a complete overhaul of the transmission. When the CVT is shot, the engine struggles to build up revs and pickup is slow since the CVT is in the higher ratio and will put pressure on the clutch. Now after the change, the engine revs up quick and the acceleration is also pretty improved.