Honda Livo vs TVS Sport: Commuters from Japan and India battle it out

With the Honda Livo getting a slew of new features in its latest update, we find out if it’s ready to take on the TVS Sport.

• The Honda Livo is the more powerful of the two
• The TVS Sport, meanwhile, is the lighter of the two
• It also promises to slightly more rugged than the Honda Livo

With new manufacturers entering the performance bike segment and international players coming to Indian shores, enthusiasts have had a lot to cheer about over the past few years. Furthermore, it has opened up the market like never before, as motorcycle enthusiasts are now somewhat spoilt for choice. While sales of these types of offerings are undoubtedly increasing, the commuter class of motorcycles continues to dominate the Indian two-wheeler market.

Honda Livo vs TVS Sport: Engine & Gearbox

The Honda Livo’s extra grunt on tap is noticeable from the word go. It’s not only toquier but by making the power lower down the rev range, its engine is an extremely tractable one. The bike can do 30kmph in the top gear all day long with no knocking whatsoever. The typical Honda fashion, the Livo’s is a butter-smooth engine, one that’s accompanied by a relatively slick gearbox. 

The TVS Sport, meanwhile, packs a fun motor too. While it’s not as fun as the Honda, you can have quite some fun on it, especially with its potent chassis. In terms of tractability too, while it’s not as good as the Honda, it’s fairly tractable in its own terms. But the upside of the slightly duller motor is in terms of its fuel efficiency. 

TVS previously announced that the TVS Sport achieved an on-road mileage record of 110.12km per litre. Pavitra Patro accomplished this feat by covering a total distance of 1021.90 km in 54 laps with a fuel consumption of 9.28 litres. He began this ride as part of the United India Ride Series on August 8, 2020, and finished it on August 13, 2020. This really is tremendous, especially considering how important fuel efficiency is in this segment.

Honda Livo vs TVS Sport: Suspension, Tyres & Brakes

Honda pulls ahead of the TVS Sport, by providing better hardware. You get an optional disc brake up front, while packing bigger, 18-inch wheels, which should ideally handle our bumpy roads better. The Livo's suspension is handled by a telescopic fork and standard hydraulic springs. 

The setup is stiffer than the Sport, and the ride quality isn't as good, with larger bumps sending an angry message to your back. This, however, ensures that the Livo remains composed while cornering. In fact, despite having larger 18-inch wheels, riding conditions on the Livo are easier than on the Sport.

While the TVS Sport does offer CBS (Combined Braking System), the lack of a disc brake means its braking distances won’t be as good as the Livo’s. That said, the 17-inch wheels promise a much sportier ride around the town, and they should translate to more flickablility and fun in the corners, but it’s not the case, as we said earlier.

Honda Livo vs TVS Sport: Dimensions

The Livo’s significantly larger wheelbase makes it quite the more stable one, especially in mid-corners. That, coupled with its stiffer suspension setup and slightly more weight makes it a lot more stable on high speeds in straighter lines as well. That said, none of the bikes are really made for high speeds and are meant for the urban jungle. 

Where the TVS Sport packs slightly more practicality is more ground clearance, a larger fuel tank and slightly less weight. That said, the weight difference isn’t significant enough to be felt when riding the bikes back to back and the Honda Livo, in no way, feels bulky or heavy when compared to the TVS Sport. 

Honda Livo vs TVS Sport: Price

The premium of the two commuters, Honda Livo range starts with Rs 75,820 (ex-showroom Delhi). Moreover, the TVS Sport grabs attention with its meaty onward price tag of Rs 64,050 (ex-showroom Delhi). The two bikes share a variance in price of nearly Rs 12,000. 

Conclusion

The TVS Sport, like in all other aspects, falls just short of the Honda Livo in this aspect too, and that’s a good thing here. The near Rs 12,000 difference in prices is a massive one, especially in this segment. While the Livo does come out on top in a lot of aspects, the TVS isn’t too far behind either. The Livo, while being ahead of the TVS, isn’t that much better to justify the Rs 75,820 price tag. 

So if you’re looking for a do-it-all commuter, the TVS Sport, with its more enticing price tag, makes for quite an inviting deal. However, if you are looking for a slightly more premium experience and are a fan of Japanese bikes offering a butter smooth engine with more features, things that you don’t mind paying for as well, the Honda Livo is something you can consider, in the current 110cc segment.