Honda Dio detailed ownership review: Useful and reliable scooter

The fuel economy is impressive. The instrument console shows an average between 52-55 kmpl.

BHPian TheStalwart recently shared this with other enthusiasts:

Hello BHPians,

I thought it would be helpful if I shared the ownership experience of my little workhorse (BS6 Honda Dio), which I purchased in March 2020.

If you look around, there is a lot of dependency on scooters for daily usage. It may vary from office commute, dropping kids to school/college, getting groceries or vegetables, running some quick errands nearby, etc. At the start of 2020, I too had the necessity of getting home a gearless two-wheeler.

Requirements:

• Should be easy to maintain
• Must have enough options for the service network
• Lightweight scooter that is easy to ride
• Fuel economy should be good
• Should be comfortable for my parents to ride pillion
• Should be easy to use for my better half
• A decent resale value

Scooters Considered:

I was sure it had to be from the Honda stable since Honda had been leading in scooter sales for quite a while. Because of this, I did not even consider other brands like TVS, Suzuki, Hero, etc.

• Grazia - The Grazia was not that popular and I had barely seen any on the road. The design was also not to my liking. I didn't need a 125cc scooter and was fine to settle with the 110cc scooters.
• Activa 125 - It was very bulky since most of the panels were of metal and it too had a 125cc engine. I could live with it, but wasn't sure if it would be easy to use for my better half in future.
• Activa 6G - Many of my friends and relatives already owned an Activa. It is one of the most reliable scooters available in the market. The price difference between the Activa and Dio was just Rs.500. Even though the Activa was also bulky, I kept it as an option purely because of its reliability. I have seen people abuse it, but it still ran like nothing ever happened. It is a low maintenance scooter, which is why its sales numbers are high every year.
• Dio- With BS6 norms kicking in, Honda had just updated the design of the Dio. It looked much better than the outgoing BS4 model. It had the exact same features as the Activa 6G and that was more than enough for my need. It was very light, and the design connected well with what young adults like me would prefer.

Decision & Booking Experience:

Since the BS6 Dio had just launched, I hadn't seen any on the road. Until that point, I was in a dilemma whether to choose the Activa or the Dio. I decided to visit the Honda showroom, check out the vehicles in person and then select one. I went to the City Honda showroom on St.John's Road and enquired about both the scooters. Both were readily available, with all the colour options in stock.

There were not many visual changes from the Activa 5G to 6G and it looked familiar. The Dio on the other hand had quite a few changes compared to the previous version and the design language felt to be more in line with the market trends. I was convinced with what the Dio had to offer and chose it over the Activa 6G.

The Dio came in 2 variants. The standard (STD) and the deluxe (DLX). Both the versions were the same mechanically and the differences were just cosmetic. The DLX version had LED headlights, digital instrument console and golden steel wheels while the STD version had halogen headlights, analogue instrument console and black steel wheels. Each of the variants had different colour options with Matte Axis Grey being the only common colour across both variants. The price difference between the STD and DLX versions was between 3-4K.

The SA took me to the topmost floor of the showroom where they had stored all the new vehicles and asked me to take a look at the colour options. I picked the Matte Axis Grey since it was plain/simple as per my liking.

The on-road price was around 92k including the accessories. The SA told me that it would take a couple of days for my cheque to get processed, after which they would send the vehicle for registration. I could take the delivery of the scooter as soon as the payment was complete.

Accessories Opted:

• Side stand with engine inhibitor
• Premium seat cover
• Floor mat

Delivery:

Within 2 days of booking, I got a call from the SA that the vehicle was ready for delivery. I visited the showroom on 19th March 2020 to take the delivery of my new scooter. The delivery process was simple and neatly organized. The accessories were installed as informed. The dealership would get my vehicle's HSRP in a week and they would inform me accordingly so that I could get them installed. I collected all the necessary documents and headed straight to a temple to get the Pooja done.

Once the HSRP was available at the dealership, I visited them and got it installed. Rivets were used instead of screws, to secure the number plates.

Features & Observations:

• Just 2 days after taking the delivery, the COVID outburst increased a lot and I couldn't use the scooter regularly for nearly another year and a half. Thankfully, almost all the automotive brands eased down their service timelines and even extended the warranties.
• My usage initially ranged between 5-10Kms a day, within my locality. I would occasionally take it out for a spin since the roads were empty at that time. Off late, the usage is between 5-15Kms on weekdays and 30-50Kms during weekends. It is our go-to scooter for almost every errand and commute within the city. I was also lucky enough to take it to Mysore via the BME, just 1 day before they banned two wheelers on the expressway. It was very comfortable to cruise constantly at 80Kmph. That is the only long distance ride I have done on the Dio till date and it was absolutely stress free. The ergonomics are really good.
• The silent start is a really good feature that was introduced on the BS6 Dio. Even when the vehicle sat for a couple of months, it would start with just 1 press of a button. That is a big improvement from the BS4 model. Also, since BS6 norms mandated fuel injection, there is no 'Choke' knob/switch.
• The engine is very refined and smooth. It was very peppy initially and adequate for city commutes. It was easy to overtake and maneuver in traffic. A year ago, when I shifted my residence, I gave it for service at a different service station. From then on, there is an initial lag that I have noticed. Until it reaches 35Kmph, it feels so underpowered and breathless. But once it crosses 35Kmph it pulls through effortlessly. I went back to the previous service center and got it checked. They said there was nothing wrong with the vehicle. Not sure why this change in behaviour though. I have got used to it, but since I know the vehicle performed much better initially, I feel a little disappointed. Nobody is able to diagnose why the performance changed. Any help in this regard is appreciated.
• After riding the scooter for around an hour, there is heat that is generated. The rider can feel it on the left foot and the pillion can feel it at the tip of the left toe. It is only felt when you are at standstill while the engine is on. It is just a mild sensation though and is bearable.
• I normally get my Dio serviced once every 3 months. The service cost lies between 1-1.5k.
• The fuel economy is impressive. The instrument console shows an average between 52-55Kmpl, which is almost accurate and nearly matches my calculations based on full-to-full method.
• The BS6 model gets telescopic suspension in the front which contributes to a much better ride quality and handling.

• The rear suspension remains the same as the previous gen. It has 3 adjustments, with the default set to the 2nd position.

• The ground clearance is 160mm. I have scraped the underbody once on a very bad road, because of my misjudgment, but otherwise the ground clearance is more than sufficient.

• There are drum brakes both at the front and rear. The braking is good enough and the combi-brake system works just fine.

• My Dio got Maxxis tyres, which do the job well and offer enough grip on both wet and dry conditions. The front tyre size is 90/90 - 12 and the rear tyre size is 90/100 - 10. Both the tyres are tubeless.
• The key slot has 4 positions - Lock, Off, Fuel/Seat and On.

• There is a small storage pocket in the front, in which you can keep your phone, a small water bottle, or folded cloth bags if you're going groceries/vegetables shopping. It might not offer much space but is definitely useful.

• The under seat storage can house a medium-sized helmet. There are slots to tuck in some documents and a tool kit too. The switch to open the boot is next to the key slot. Turn the key to fuel/seat mode and press the switch downwards to open the boot. To lock the seat again, just close it and press at the middle of the seat.

• The fuel flap is provided at the back of the scooter, just above the tail lights. To open the fuel flap, turn the key to fuel/seat mode and press the switch upwards. The flap opens up and you can then access the fuel lid. To lock it, just close the fuel lid and press the flap shut.

• The mirrors are the same as the previous gen and offer enough view of what's behind.

• The instrument console has a white backlight with black text. It is easy to read on the go. It shows the time on top, fuel level on the left and speed in the center, at all times. On the right side, a small spanner icon appears whenever the vehicle is due for a service. On the bottom, we can switch between a few options - Odometer, trip meter, current fuel economy, average fuel economy and range - there is a button provided at the bottom of the console to change what is being displayed. There are 3 green LEDs at the top of the console which automatically light up when the vehicle is running in economy. It also displays other indicators like high beam, turn signals, engine malfunction, side stand etc.

• The switch gear is of good quality and looks durable. Even after a couple of years, the colour or marker icons haven't faded much and the feedback of all the buttons is the same as it was on day 1.
• There is a red engine kill switch on the right, with the starter function integrated to it. To start the vehicle, you'll have to turn the switch on and then press again while the key is in ignition. Also, since the headlights are always on, there is no dedicated button to toggle the headlights.

• There is a headlight dimmer switch on the left, with the pass function integrated to it. To use the pass switch, the operation is similar to that of the starter switch. There is an indicator switch below the headlight dimmer switch and there is a horn button further below.

• While the DLX variant gets LED headlights and DRL, the indicators and tail lights are halogens.

• The floor board is enough to keep a couple of filled grocery bags. There are 2 luggage hooks provided to hang covers/bags, which is useful in preventing the bags from opening up or moving around.

• Unlike the previous gen Dio, the pillion foot rests are not integrated to the body. They are retractable foot pegs with rubber coverings. There is also a sturdy side foot step should the pillion choose to sit sideways.

• The exhaust gets a metal cover, which is more tough and durable as opposed to the flimsy plastic exhaust cover in the previous gen.

Shortcomings:

• There are no alloys offered even on the DLX version. The later iterations got alloys though.
• There is no front disc brake available as an option. The 110cc Dio still doesn't get front disc brake, but the 125cc Dio gets front disc brake.
• Even when the brakes are adjusted properly, the freeplay is a little too much and it sometimes scrapes the headlight casing.

• The LED headlights could have offered a better throw. There are many other scooters in the same segment which have a better headlight throw.
• Since the pillion foot pegs are retractable, they tend to get loose with usage over time. Also, the area around it is prone to scratches.

• The split grab rail is slightly pointing upwards and might sometimes hit the pillion's leg while they're trying to get on the scooter.

• The fuel tank opening is at an angle and hence, fuel filling might be troublesome. You'll have to park the scooter a little ahead of the petrol booth, while the operator struggles to insert the nozzle into the fuel tank. There are chances of a minimal fuel spillage sometimes.
• The previous gen Dio had an option to get an under seat charging point as an accessory, which is not available in my Dio.

A few more shots

Verdict:

The BS6 Dio is a really useful and highly reliable scooter. Some of the shortcomings are addressed in the later iterations. While I agree that there are other options out there which offer more as a package and seem VFM, if you want a simple, easy to maintain, hassle free, trustworthy scooter, this little gem from the Honda stable is a great option. I have seen the Dio evolve from the first gen to the latest one. It has come a long way and I'm happy with the way it did. It is the perfect addition to my family and I am content with it!

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