Introduction
Honda is gunning for the Splendor and Passion combo with the Dream Yuga. But, is the new contender up to the task? AUTO BILD INDIA rides it to find out.
It’s a tough ask, but Honda believes it must be done. Not that other bike makers haven’t tried; in fact, they have tried nearly everything from offering more powerful and better equipped options at lower prices to alternatives that sport radical technologies. But, Hero’s Splendor and Passion combo continue to reign supreme, and are the default choice of entry-level bike buyers, even years after their debut.
So what has Honda done to take on the might of the Hero duo? It has gone ahead and roped in Bollywood star Akshay Kumar and then followed it up with a generic, almost boring looking 110cc bike. The bike might have an attention grabbing name – Dream Yuga – but it looks quite ordinary and one can easily confuse it with Honda’s own Shine.
So, not the best step forward then? Actually, it is. You see, because it is so generic, the Dream won’t polarise opinion. And, when you are looking at big sales numbers to come from all across the country, you’d rather have a simple and palatable dish. Nonetheless, it’s a very well put together bike. The quality of the plastics and the paint is class leading. The finish too —be it for the engine or the chain-guard or even the levers — is right up there with the best in the segment.
The Drive
Moreover, the moment you sit on the bike, the seat’s width and firmness as well as the feel of the handlebar grips is just right and the ergonomics spot on too. The distance and the height of the handlebar and the positioning of the pegs feel natural and comfortable. Plus, the ergonomics makes the bike feel compact (as opposed to puny), and therefore, easy to manoeuvre.
Easy to ride in traffic, particularly at slow speeds, the Dream certainly is. It feels light and flickable and the effort required to get it to change directions is almost zilch. Additionally, it has light and progressive controls which holds true for the clutch as well as the throttle. The brakes of course are drums at both ends, and the brake feel and bite is poor.
What’s endearing about the Dream though, is its performance. There’s clearly no purchase at the top end and hitting 90kmph is an achievement. However, in the low and mid range, it feels perky, like a small dog ready to jump and get going every time you let the clutch go from a standstill. In fact, the Dream should be the quickest entry-level motorcycle on sale currently. The enthusiasm stays till about 80kmph beyond which the performance tapers off perceptibly and vibes begin to surface. The 4-speed gearbox works well and the shifts are positive and short, and it doesn’t require much effort to click into place either.
Verdict
Verdict
Clearly Honda has taken a straightforward approach with the Dream. It hasn’t gone ahead and tried to reinvent the wheel like many other bike makers in the entry-level segment have, instead it has gone ahead and bettered the design. The Dream for its segment is outstanding. It doesn’t offer more quantitatively, but qualitatively, it almost redefines the segment. Be it ergonomics, quality, the riding experience or even the outright performance and manoeuvrability, it is right up there with the best in the segment. But then, to take on the Splendor and the Passion, nothing less would have done.
Gallery
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