UNECONOMICAL . Review on Honda Eterno

I had purchased a Honda Eterno, on 11 May 2005 (Akshay Tritiya day) thinking with its good fuel efficiency it will be like Gold for me. Prior to purchasing I did quite a lot of surveys on the products efficiency and all of them stated above 60 Km/L. Earlier I had an LML Vespa scooter, which used to give me an average of 46-48 Km/L and that too with less maintenance. Immediately after purchase of vehicle I got an average of 45 Km/L which I reported to the dealer LUTHRA HONDA, in NASIK but was given an assurance that it will improve after 1st service.They were right as average improved to 48 km/L however still lesser than 60 Km advertisement which I carry on the back of my spare wheel.

Now I have been using this scooter for more than a year but the average has never crossed 50-52 Km (I got this figure from dealership during average test trial of my scooter), Barring an exception of 56Km/l when I complained HMSI regarding average and got my average setting adjusted by dealer people. However this increase of 4Km average got my scooter to make noises as an autorickshaw. Moreover after giving vehcile for servicing after this adjustment the noise was gone and so was the 4Km increase.

I am surprised to see reviews stating 60plus average , but the dealer people say that the average should be in range of 45 -60 Km/L and since I am getting 50-52 It is in the normal range.

There are some more problems associated with this scooter:

1)Poor illumination of Head lights - After purchase of scooters my scooters headlights were illuminating other people infront of me rather than focussing on roads. I got them adjusted but still I feel that the illumination is poor.

2) Side Stand Rattling:- There has been a constant problem of side foot stand rattling. Told to dealer but no permanant resolution.

3) No Fuel indication:- This plays an important role when your vehicle gives you an average in the range of 40-50 Km/l.

4) Width of Scooter:- One has to be a Gymnast to climb and sit on the back seat of this scooter. As rightly mentioned by Srini, the scooter is wide...terribly wide. Its a nightmare for elderly peole who have to sit on back seat. Again it is a pain for those people who are in a habit of wearing tight jeans/ women who sit cross legs on bikes.

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I have developed a resolution for this problem which I want to share with mouthshut community:- Tell those people to get on scooter from drivers seat sliding backwards. This way they will not get pain in their Gluteus muscles and would be comfortable for people wearing tight jeans as well.

5) Rusting of nuts which fasten rear view mirrors:- Please lift the rubber grommets which cover the nuts which fasten your rearview mirrors to the scooter body. People who purchased scooters in the same period as I did should find them rusted. Even the junction of mirror and rod attached to it is getting rusted.

6) Back Kick:- As it is 4 stroke, it gives you very hard kick.

7) Noisy changing of gears:- it appears that something is broken/breaking while changing gears. Tak Tak noise comes.

8) Shock absorbers/Suspension:- Very Stiff. I keep bouncing on rough roads.

9) Indicators getting switched off while application of rear brake:- Whenever I stand on a traffic signal with indicators on and having my scooter in neutral gear; the moment I apply rear brake the indicators fail to function. I am not able to understand this. I had told to dealer but still it happens.

10) Tank capacity :- This again plays role when you get average in range of 40s

Though on other fronts the scooter appear to be well designed and robust but it has become a termite on my money as I am getting an average much less than what others are getting.

Manan Gupta