Beats the traffic
It’s the single most common alibi of every Filipino employee coming in to work late. Traffic congestion. The sad part is, it is true, and with all the constructions here and there, we are bound to be more late than usual. The Honda Beat’s shrimpy size allows it to easily and safely lane-split in between adequately-spaced cars while in a jam. Its excellent handling and ultra-lightweight of just 90 kilograms allows it to be driven around obstacles easily. The overall dimension of 1069mm x 676mm x 1047mm lets it snake its way in an out a gridlock, not to mention the just the right amount of centimeters in the seat height, 747mm, lets it easily be manhandled in tight situations.
Beats the fuel crisis
As of this writing, motorists are enjoying an every-so-often fuel price rollback. It is a great time to ride and drive indeed. Then again, going on a 50 kilometer trip on a car will cost you P200 precious dineros, while on the Beat, you only get to spend P40 to P50 depending on how you drive. The puny scooter can sip gas of up to 40 kilometers to a liter. I even remember Honda’s Great Northern Tour when we did a fuel economy challenge where I was able to squeeze more than 50kml, while the winner Mr. Ricci Abrina got a whopping 59.3kml. Amazing right?
Ok, as I said, it is a great time to ride because of the receding petrol prices. But what about 2 to 3 months from now? Remember the time when an unleaded gas reached up to P60 a liter? And with today’s ever unpredictable prices of commodities, I’d rather be saving the sooner the better. You can do that with the Honda Beat.
Beats the competition
It may not be as fast, or as torquey, heck it may not even be as ubiquitous as any other bikes, but it has the one thing every rider would want in his bike; Honda’s reliability. Any Honda bike is dubbed as bulletproof, as intentionally trashing it would be frustrating (See how Charlie Boorman trashed the Honda Cub).
With regards to performance, the Beat’s handling is nimble, as if you’re toying with a toy. Flicking is easily and calculatedly done with the scooter’s weight. Speed is not wimpy either! Although the Beat got only 108cc displacement, it can reach the 3-digit mark, though I could only make it up to 103kmh, and no more. Try as I could, the needle wouldn’t budge a line more. Ok I’m fat!
Braking is superbly done with the front’s powerful disc brake, enough to handle the bike’s speed and velocity. The rear wheel is equipped with drum brake and also more than enough to to stop the bike. I remember Honda’s teaching way back (HRA), when the front brake is just for emergency braking, which I still practice to this day. The Beat would’ve been the perfect example of not needing the front brake. Though many would not agree with me, or with Honda’s doctrine regarding braking, I still use the rear brake most of the time, and it hasn’t gotten me into any trouble yet.
Beats the odds
I will not try to beat (yey pun) the bush around convincing everyone why the Honda Beat is not just a village bike. With the convenience of a twist-and-go bike and the length of road it can yield you with just a miniscule amount moolah, it is a great touring bike. I used to have by the way a Honda Beat before, and sold it to my friend Maynard Marcelo. As to why did I sell it? (wait for it…) Beats me! And with a price tag of just P65,000.00, it’s an affordable machine that can beat odds.
Specifications:
ENGINE TYPE: 4-stroke OHC air-cooled
DISPLACEMENT: 108cc
MAX. POWER: 8.16hp @ 8000rpm
MAX. TORQUE: 6.09lb-ft @ 6000rpm
TRANSMISSION: CVT
SEAT HEIGHT: 747mm
FUEL CAPACITY: 3.5liters
DRY WEIGHT: 90kgs
TOP SPEED: 90kmh
PRICE: PhP65,000.00