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S. Muralidhar

I am 47 years old and have a Bajaj Chetak geared scooter. Nowadays, I find it difficult to kick-start the scooter and experience pain in my left hand while changing gears. Hence, I am planning to buy either a Honda Activa scooter or the TVS Scooty Pep with self-starter and without the need to change gears. Which of the two vehicles will be more suitable? How do they compare in terms of performance and comfort levels? Also, what about the durability and availability of spares for these vehicles?

R. Kumar,

Karaikal, TN

It is a good decision to switch to the scooterette or automatic transmission scooter model, especially considering your age and driving habit. After riding a scooter for so long, getting used to another vehicle type can be difficult. The gearless scooter (what the market calls a scooterette) is a safe, less tiresome and a more comfortable option for both the college goer and the convenience-seeking middle-aged.

Despite the scooter's rugged build, its inherent properties make it less focussed on providing greater levels of comfort for the rider. Older scooters also tend to have tacky, stiff and jerky gear-shifts that are not kind to the rider's wrists. Further, the poor suspension in the older geared scooters passed on the effect of our pothole-riddled roads on to the rider's hands. The old scooters were probably the first purveyors of the "Carpal tunnel syndrome".

In addition to the two options that you have listed, other similar scooterettes that may also be looked at are Kinetic ZX Zoom, Kinetic Nova, Bajaj Spirit and Bajaj Saffire. Between the two scooterette options that you have chosen, the Scooty Pep is the low-end choice, in terms of engine size, power, performance and also in terms of pricing.

The Scooty Pep is powered by a 75cc four-stroke engine that generates about 4 bhp. It features continuous variomatic transmission (no gears) and a plastic body. The Scooty Pep is priced at Rs 30,000 plus, ex-showroom.

On the other hand, the Honda Activa is a high-end scooterette that is extremely focussed on value-for-money features, while offering better technology and comfort levels than the average scooterette in the market. The runaway success of the Activa bears testimony to the product's superior, customer-oriented features. The Activa is priced at Rs 36,000, ex-showroom. The Activa sports a 102cc four-stroke engine that puts out a maximum power of 7 bhp. It features self (electronic) and kick-start options, variomatic transmission and spring-loaded hydraulic damper suspension. Between the Scooty Pep and the Activa, the brakes and wheels of the latter are larger. Compared to the Activa's 130mm drum brakes, the Scooty Pep has 110mm brakes.

The Scooty Pep has a lower riding position compared to the Activa. But in Activa's favour is the metal body panels that are easier to maintain and more rugged in the long run. The Activa, that way, offers the best of both worlds — metal body, but scooterette comforts and ergonomics.

Honda does not have a dealer currently in your town, but purchases and servicing in your region will (I presume) be met by dealers in either Salem or Madurai. TVS Motor will also have to service a purchase in Karaikal from a nearby dealer outlet.

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