UPDATE - done 70km since service, I thought the shell ax5 was smooth, this oil seems smoother!! The scoot revs (ok don't laugh i know this is just a scoot!) much more freely now, and the engine sound has become a bit quieter. my fingers are crossed, and i hope there are no nasty surprises for me. For now this looks like a good oil to use for regular city usage, let me see if i can take it on a long ride to see if this holds up as well as the ax5.

Activa's filter is paper type?? i know is some sort of cylindrical shaped thing....
i dont trust honda svc and just do servicing at local mechanic...just changed the engine oil myself today(for the very first time)

the drain bolt was intially tight but i managed to open...now when i fit it back..the bolt seemed tight but kept on rotating...strange...i didnt tighten more feeling i might over tighten and damage the bolt

even removed and cleaned the oil strainer

i keep the scooter on for a minute or two and didnt find any leakage...let it stay on centre stand with engine ODD and didnt find any leakage...so i guess i'm fine now..

the engine has mild tappet noise i believe when i twist the accelerator more...that is sudden acceleration from low speeds...but then the sewin machine type noise subsides in 2-3 seconds...yes i get the noise only for that much time...any guesses what could be the problem?

will try the castrol oil next time....

the oil which i drained seemed to be thick enough and also clean(i changed the oil after 8 months...however the scooter might have done a maximum of 1.5-2k kms in that period)

The old model activa/dio's came with a dry paper type filter which is yellow in color (yes its cylindrical in shape, but the material used is paper) - later models started coming with the
'viscous type' filter that was 'oiled' and was supposed to only be replaced at set intervals as per the manual & doesn't require cleaning.
regarding the oil drain bolt - i think you have damaged the threads during removal, that is the reason you weren't able to tighten it and it kept rotating. now you need to check if you have stripped the threads on the crankcase side or just damaged it on the bolt side. If its just the bolt you can get a new one, but if its the crankcase, you will need to re thread it.

difficult to judge the noise by just reading what you posted.

i have myself used the shell ax5 for around 6 months and approx 3200km, and it was still ok for regular city use. (after around 2500km the scoot loses its smoothness if ridden continuously for more than 15km-20km), but i never had any oil consumption issues. The point here to note is that the scoot was used each and everyday for atleast 5-10km and never kept idle. So coming to your case, though you mention it was only max 2k in 8 months, was the bike used regularly or did it have long periods of non usage ? But either way i wouldn't advise keeping the oil for 8 months.

the scoot was regularly used for 4 months(about 10kms every day) and then i got myself a new bike so it was used maximum once or twice a week...

was quite lazy to change the oil or give it to service...but it performed well every time. there's just some tuning issue...

the oil drain bolt was turning but didnt turn freely..it felt i was tightening it...but it kept on rotating..and i thought i should stop now or will tighten it too much...

damn these bolts are sometimes tricky....

Have to give the activa for service..may be i'll give it after a few weeks...next month...will ask my mechanic about the bolt..but i dont trust them much....even if there is no problem they might fake a problem and extract money out of me...

I am new to the forum please forgive me if any mistake

my activa old(2005) model head light focus is very bad and the headlight bulb is of 35w can i put a 60 w or 55w bulb in my activa with out any mods and if any mods what should i do ??
please help

there is a screw under the headlight to adjust the position, and i don't think you can put in a 55w bulb without doing harm to the electricals. But i would suggest you replace the stock bulb with a 35w mico halogen bulb (costs around 60rs). while you are at it also get the bulb holder checked and clean the contacts with some kerosene or wd40.

thank u @s1d got the screw.....made some adjustments and ya it worked


i am planing a short trip to a dam which is about 80 kms away (one way) bhandardara dam what should i take with me to avoid any kind of problem....its my first trip so i am just curious and worried...

Talk about a ride to a dam!! I myself have done it a few times (The Nagarjun Sagar dam) on my Dio. Mind you this is around 170km (one way) - This was done with a pillion. And i used shell ax5 and was able to run non stop for 2hrs/120km a few times without any issues.
I do not know the condition of your scoot (mine is well maintained and still performs like almost new with me nearing 40k km on the odo). Anyway the basic stuff are:

1. Proper riding gear - at least a helmet(full face), gloves and shoes.
2. Bike checkup - Brakes (including cables to avoid any bad surprises), engine oil topped up to the correct level and same for the gear box oil, throttle for free play and smooth operation, clean air filter, check tires for any embedded nails/objects and get it fixed(trust me i've noticed nails embedded without much loss of air, hopefully you are running on the oem tuff up tubes), carry a spare tube just in case and the basic tool kit that comes with the bike which is sufficient for most DIY repairs. Also make sure the electricals are working properly - lights/self start/horn/indicators & make sure you have your rear view mirrors.
3. Carry proper bike documents.
4. Since this is your first trip, i suggest you stop every 30km and take a breather and also take a look at the bike to spot any oil leaks etc..
5. Do not hold the throttle constant on the highway, keep varying it + or - 10kmph every few minutes.
6. Don't try to set any speed/time records ... remember - slow and steady finishes the race (you don't win anything on the roads)

thank you s1d

very use full info....btw i have installed iridium sparkplugs, pulsar 180 jet (117.5) and a k&n filter (rc 1060) in my activa.....everything is working fine....i think i will just need to top up the oil both of them.......

just asked a mechanic about the head light problem he gave a suggestion of converting the stock ac into dc current and install hid type or projector headlamps.....though they cost more....

asking out of curiosity, kitna deta hai ?
and on the extensive electrical mods, I am happy with the stock setup. If the guy doing this mod doesnt know his job well, get ready for a screw up. and of course if you have the money and patience to play around, go ahead

Yaa man avrage is poor gives sum what 33-34 kmpl in city and the max I got on highway was 45.......but the scoot has done more than 48500 kms now........!!!

Jus like the way it roars....!!


And ya.....no money wid me man.......I am a 12 student did all those mods by saving my pocket money...hehee...

guys what brand and type of gear oil must we use in the activa? some say put the same 20W40 oil...but i dont get the logic...if the same oil is supposed to be used why would they have seperate section for engine and tranmission oil? some say ep90 greade gear oil...what should i use?

Which is the best soft suspension for Honda activa to get a good ride

Stick to the ep90 gear oil. this is what is recommended by Honda and i have been using it for the past 6 years with no issues. I replace the gear oil at every service(which is between 2000-3000km or 4-5 months) though the gear oil change interval can be extended by at least up to 10000km. It is cheap (and takes approx 120ml only) so why the heck cringe
You can buy this oil at any oil store (some sell local brands in packets of 250ml), but I would suggest you get a 'branded oil' 500ml bottle from a petrol bunk (just ask for 90 gear oil), cost's around 90rs for 500ml and will last you at least 3 oil changes. Don't ever @#$%! change it at an ASC because:
1. you never know what oil they pour in
2. they charge a bomb, like almost 100rs for just the oil !! (labor extra i guess)

And coming to your question on why they have separate 'section' for engine and transmission oil is because these scooters engines are different from motorcycles and they come with a 'dry' clutch. you do not have an elaborate gear mechanism like a motorcycle, but just a couple of small gears housed in the gearbox that transfer power to the rear wheel.


the stock one! if you want cushioning for your B, get the seat padded up with extra foam and more important > MAINTAIN THE RECOMMENDED TIRE PRESSURE ! I have seen ppl fill up 34psi on the front which makes the front like a rock on every little bump! The ideal pressure for the front is around 28psi max and 34-36psi for the rear. (from my experience)

come on guys, the suspension of the activa is good enough (though some ppl complain its not the 'telescopic' kind). It is very capable of handling our roads and handles like a charm in city traffic and potholed roads.

Does anybody know what should be the OTR price for Activa 2013(HET) in Bangalore. Also, what accessories should I go for?