Thread: Honda Aviator DLX

IT'S BEEN SOME TIME SINCE I got the Honda Aviator and now it's time to part ways. As with people, it also happens with vehicles, things that you don't like in the start and would choose to avoid any contact with slowly start growing on you. I remember the time when I first went to pick up the Honda Aviator from the showroom. I was not particularly excited about it.

I still had the lovely TVS Apache RTR 180 with me, which I had to pass on. Coming from a bike to a scooter was not that great a feeling. You cannot take a scooter on a winter morning for a ride to Lonavala if you feel like. It confines you to the city. Or to do any spirited riding. The Aviator was parked outside the dealership all washed and waiting to be picked up. Now I am not a big fan of its looks. But I really liked its bright orange metallic colour. So that was a reason enough to like the Aviator.



Now to give you more insight into my obsession for anything orange let me tell you that I solely support Holland in all FIFA World Cup series with a singular reason that their official FIFA colour is orange. The Aviator's seat is comfortable and feels as wide as my couch. The height of the handle bar and that of the seat works for people like me, the ones with broad shoulders. It gave me a comfortable riding position which I had never experienced on a scooter before. This was the second important thing I liked about the scooter.

As days went by the Aviator started growing on me. It surely could not take a corner at high speeds the way a bike does. And I wasn't inclined on taking it on highway as you can't cruise at triple digit speed. But since the Aviator was a breeze in traffic and a good city runabout. I would ride around the city, catch on with the latest movie and then go out for some for breakfast. With a huge storage compartment, carrying the helmet around like a conjoined twin was never an issue. It could be easily slipped in the space below the rider's seat. The disk-brakes were handy and never showed any signs of fading like the way drums do. The combi-brake are an added bonus and help the rider on stop and go riding. Riding the Aviator and having it as a long-termer was great fun.

There is some simplicity about it which really grows on you. It can't do three digits speeds or manoeuvre like the RTR. But it surely shows you a side of a low-paced life which is sweet and loveable in its own way. Quick trip to the fruits and veggie cart is childs play for the Aviator. No gears to change, the 110cc Aviator does not get stuck in traffic. From a distance, this headlight will look like the eye of a Japanese robot. The orange scooter gets its first taste of Mumbais crazy monsoon. Garage overflowing with cars and bikes. Looks like a used car dealership.