Honda CB Hornet 160R vs TVS Zest 110

The Honda Hornet 160R is the Japanese two wheeler maker's third attempt at luring in the young. It tried with the Dazzler and then with the Trigger, but both bikes were half-baked attempts. The Dazzler completely lacked appeal and the Trigger was just a Unicorn in fancier clothing. With the Hornet 160R, however, Honda has set out not just to play catch up with success like the Yamaha FZ-S and the Suzuki Gixxer but to blow past them. And what better place to start than one that truly defines this class of 150cc motorcycles: Style. The Hornet 160R might be the Unicorn 160 underneath with the engine and chassis borrowed from the latter, but Honda has done enough to create the much needed differentiation. 

With this matte series, the manufacturer is looking to add some freshness to the trendy little scooter. We find out how successful they have been in doing that.

Petite. Pretty. Light. And likable. That’s the TVS Scooty Zest for you. A scooter targeted at the fairer sex, but one that I have been enjoying immensely. However, now it’s time to say good-bye, but not without recapping our few months with this peppy little thing.   

In the last report we brought you up to speed with what the TVS Scooty Zest 110 was all about: a light, small scooter marketed for the fairer sex. We appreciated that it was easy to ride, could carry stuff around, and even in dense traffic and with a careless right wrist, it still managed to return over 40kmpl. The claimed, of course, is over 60kmpl. So does it then work for college going girls as Ms Anushka Sharma so smilingly claims in the TV ad?