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S. Muralidhar

I am 52 and have been using a 100cc Bajaj Scooter for the last few years. I plan to buy one of the new generation scooterettes. Which of the three — Honda Activa, TVS Scooty Pep and Kinetic Zing 80 — will be better on parameters such as maintenance, initial investment, mileage and trouble free operation. My usage will be limited to 50-100 km per month.

M. PALANIAPPAN

Our recommendation would be the Honda Activa for its more practical and conservative styling, ease of use, better ride quality and the excellent 102cc engine. The Activa is also built to be a family two-wheeler and features higher load carrying capacity than the other two scooterettes.

The Honda Activa also offers the kick- and self-start options and variomatic transmission. The Activa's 102cc, four-stroke engine is more powerful and pumps out about 7 bhp of peak power at 7,000 rpm. The chassis is high rigidity under bone type and the body panels are moulded steel sheet. The Activa's suspension is spring-loaded hydraulic damper both in the front and the rear. These are features that will go on to help the scooterette retain long-term value and also aid its excellent on-road performance.

The Activa also incorporates features that better rider comfort and includes the puncture-resistant "tuff-up" tyre and tube combination, the low riding height and the low noise 4-cycle Honda engine. The Activa is also clearly a notch higher in terms of fit and finish quality compared to the smaller scooterettes such as the Kinetic Zing 80 and the TVS Scooty Pep (though the Scooty Pep has done quite a bit of catching up with the Activa).

The Kinetic Zing 80 is as such not a very serious contender in the midst of the Honda scooterette and even the Scooty Pep. So, unless you are on a shoestring budget and are not too worried by the vehicle's potential resale value, the Zing 80 would not be the right choice.

The Honda Activa will cost about Rs 40,000, on road and will be able to offer a mileage number of about 45 km per litre in the long run. In comparison, the TVS Scooty Pep will cost about Rs 34,500, on road and may be an option worth considering especially if you are looking for a more stylish two-wheeler or if the scooterette will also be used by a younger rider in your family.

In the past, you have stated that the TVS Scooty Pep is the better choice for ladies. I am a student and would like to know which will be the best buy for my category of users.

KUMARESH K. R.

The TVS Scooty Pep will be a good choice even for students, unless, of course, the purchase has to be financed from your pocket money and the slightly higher pricing of this scooterette compared to the Kinetic Zing 80 or the Bajaj Spirit is a deterrent.

The Scooty Pep is a trendy, easy to handle and fairly fuel efficient four-stroke two-wheeler that can be an ideal transporter for students. This TVS scooterette's convenience and comfort features such as auto reserve fuel tap, auto choke for quick starts, the innovative side stand alarm, the unique power and economy riding mode for maximising fuel efficiency and the puncture-resistant tyres bring it closer to the bigger scooterettes such as the Honda Activa and Kinetic Nova. Hydraulic shock absorbers in the Scooty Pep also go on to improve ride quality.

The Scooty Pep's 75cc, four-stroke engine also generates a respectable peak power of about 4.1 bhp. Its construction and handling is also more suited to carrying a pillion without affecting performance.

Other positives include the more powerful 35W headlamp; the neatly laid out instrument cluster; the broad, comfortable seat; and the better on-road mileage of about 50 km per litre, made possible due to its four-stroke engine, compared to the Zing and the Spirit, both of which feature two-strokers.

Queries may be sent to: q&a@thehindu.co.in or by post to Q&A, Business Line, 859/860, Kasturi Buildings, Anna Salai, Chennai - 600 002.

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