Honda CBF Stunner Ownership Review by Sourav

Hi, I’m Sourav, a 22 year old guy, doing my Post-Graduate in Zoology in CSJM University, living in West Bengal. I am here to review my bike for all the readers. Today I’m reviewing Honda CBF Stunner – a bike which rocks the 125cc segment of Indian market. Last year I become proud owner of this machine (Purchase date : 28/12/2010) but I’m not going to give out my review based on the facts of my bike but this review will be based on my closest friend’s ‘Stunner’ .

I am reviewing my friend’s bike because I was solely attached to his bike for the last 5 months. This attachment inspired me to get a new one for myself.

Honda CBF Stunner (Upgraded version) A Small Intro

Well, to be very honest, I think that the launch of this demon gave out a new definition to 125cc segment of Indian market. Some companies were left astonished and tried to roll out similar bikes; one example is the Bajaj 135.

Honda did not stop there & launched an upgrade this mean-machine (Stunner) that took it to the whole new level in the competition. The upgraded version consists of some exciting new features, they are:

  • Tachometer (Finally)
  • Maintenance Free Battery
  • Viscous Air Filter
  • New Graphics
  • Black Coated Engine
  • Engine Belly
  • New Sporty Mirror Set
  • Half Chain Cover
  • No kick all self-starters.

Some basic specs:

  • 125CC
  • 11Bhp
  • Rear set foot pegs and sporty position
  • Kerb Weight of 129 Kg
  • Fuel Tank Capacity of 10 Litres
  • Tubeless tyers

Looks & Styling

Now, according to me it’s a controversial area because different people have different opinion about looks & styling but one thing is for sure that youngster like me (aged 18 to 29) would definitely like this machine & also it had the power to turn heads.

Personally I feel the head-light, Half-fairing Handle-bar, Muscular & Sportier fuel-tank & Sportier upright back-finish makes it a commuter-sport bike with packed in performance. The split sit & the Engine guard makes it more attractive & isolated from other bikes. The baby would be more attractive, If LED tail lamp & twin pilot lamps could also find a place.

Comfort

Split seats, Half-Fairing Handlebar, Telescopic front fork suspension & 3 step spring loaded hydraulic shock absorber in rear make it a real joy in terms of handling & comfort. Some felt a gas-charged rear suspension should b there, but the ‘3 step spring loaded with hydraulic shock absorbers’ is doing its jobs Perfectly (much much better than that of ‘Bajaj’s gas-charged absorbers ).

According to me a mono-shock, if added, would be much better addition in rear. The Knee position is wonderful. I’m a 5’10” tall guy & I feel very comfortable during riding, no matter how long the trip is.

Console

Honda CBF Stunner sports a Speedometer with trip & odo meter. It also has a fuel & tachometer (both fuel & tachometer r merged together & looks fantastic). The machine also has High-beam Indicator, side Indicator & Neutral Indicator.

The switches are even more synchronized. You have a Self-starter crank on the right handlebar. While horn, upper-dipper, side-indicator & pass switches find their place on the left handle-bar.

Electrical

It is kind off sad that the machine doesn’t have a DC electrical system. On the contrary, Stunner has got a very powerful battery. The light beams are very sharp with much required brightness. The Horn needs a special mention because of its brilliant dynamo. The pass switch (has got DC treatment) comes handy. The Battery is maintenance free.

Engine & Transmission

It has a 124.7cc engine with 5 speed gear-box. The Engine is smooth & noise free (typical Honda style must say) but only in initial stages. The pick-up is GOOD andthe torque while riding on lower rpm is also Very good.

One thing that may upset you is that the engine starts making noises and vibrates whenever one tries to accelerate over 70Km/hr, this is because of the low end torque. However, one can touch a top speed of 90 Kmph (after which I realized that acceleration can go up to 90 too). The time interval in shifting gears is also not good enough, one has to shift down to 5th gear before even touching 40Kmph.

No doubt that the gear shift is very smooth (tread-mark of Honda). However, I got a distinct problem with it i.e. the gear shifting gives me a false impression of breakdown when shifting from 5’th to 4’th, in both the stunners (my friends 5 month old & also in my new one).

Let us Now explore the optimistic side of the Engine:

  • The machine touches 60 km/h like a 150cc machine which is indeed Very impressive.
  • The Engine is noise free when you ride it under 65 km/h
  • Excellent Pick-Up & great low-end torque. One can drive 20 km/hr with a pillion in 5th gear – That’s True & Truly Amazing.
  • Everything seems under-control when you drive it within 65 to 70km/hr but don’t expect a performance like 150cc. Its amazing Pick-up & low-end torque makes you want to show off in front of Girls.

I just want to say that this might not be one most deeper down technical apprisals of Stunner’s engine but I am sure you are now able to understand the most important aspects of Engine and transmission.

Performance

All I can say is that Honda CBF Stunner is a blend of a commuter & a performance bike . In other words, Stunner is a performer with commuter abilities. If you read the ‘Engine & Transmission’ paragraph carefully you can able to understand its Performance.

I felt something lacking in its performance i.e. the engine doesn’t possess that much of juice (in higher rpm). I also do not really seem to like the gear shifting ratio, this is the reason that makes some people think that the bike should also have a 6th gear. I feel that all those performance problems are due to the 125cc engine. If Honda had fitted Stunner with a 135cc or a150cc engine then it would be a piece of hot cake.

Mileage

I got two types of result in two conditions, so I divided it in two categories …:)

  • Driving it between 45 to 50 km/h with smooth acceleration & braking will give you a mileage of 60+ kmpl.
  • Driving it above 60 km/h with Harsh acceleration & braking will give you a mileage of less than 45 kmpl

All I can say is that the “Choice is yours”.

Braking

The bike has Disc-Brakes in front & drums in rear (130mm Drum).Yeah, the over-all breaking system is very SOLID & RELIABLE. The Disc-Brakes (240mm Disc) are VERY GOOD and best in its class. The ‘MRF Zapper FS’ (Remember one thing,

Honda provides tyres in ‘Stunner’ from two companies, one is from MRF & the another is from TVS, so check the tyres carefully before buying, same thing happen with me & my friend, where I got MRF and he got TVS) stick perfectly to the ground and provide the biker with much needed stability and confidence.

Last Words

I tried to write as much passionately as I could. I love my Honda CBF Stunner a lot & every-one should do the same. You can read user-reviews in BikeAdvice.in & MouthShut for “Honda CBF Stunner”. You can even read the 125cc comparison article (where Stunner scores 41 & stands no.1 in the rank) here in ‘BikeAdvice.in’.

I am one of the proud owners of this mean machine and I want you bikers to judge my bike all by yourself. At last I want to say that no product is 100% perfect. In the end it’s entirely your choice that maters. I choose “Stunner” and I’m Very Happy with my decision.

If you have any questions, please feel free to comment below. Any feedback and suggestions also appreciated 🙂

Regards,
Sourav

Read More User Reviews of Honda Stunner