It was a casual morning and i was scheduled to take my dad's vehicle to the service station. The Honda service station was already filling up with rides that were about to be taken in for the routine and paid servicing jobs. As it was just 7a.m, i was not fully awake and the last night's outing on my ride still kept me half asleep and physically drained for a bright morning. Amidst all the commotion happening with the customers and the service representatives, there was this stunning ride that a man probably in his mid thirties rode with so much pride and stopped on the other side of the road. It's mill appeared puny but the design department was so eye-catchy and the tail was simply sexy. I has seen this quite few times till now but this was supposed to be an upgrade to the previous versions that had badly flopped as against Honda's reputation.
The new eye-catching stunner here is all about the Honda Stunner CBF. The ride was so cool for a 125cc segment in India. It's closest competition would be the Yamaha's Gladiator. Nothing else stands close to even matching even the specs or the looks. By all means, this was perfectly named, The 'stunner' is really a stunning motorcycle to suit the needs of a youngster who wants to show-off to his crowd with a economical yet powerful mill in its class, sporty looks, the high-raise tail, the semi-fairing for touring, the underbody cowl to add more aggression, the uber-kewl headlamps and the tail lamp that sports a SBK styling and to add on, it has split seats to increase its appeal. The tank graphics are neatly placed with the Honda logo on the fairing.
With a 12Bhp powerhouse from a 125cc mill, the ride is sure to keep the adrenaline kicking during short speed dashes. With the wake of increasing and never-ending fuel price hikes, a 125cc mill would be the perfect choice when it comes to commuting and touring. After being accustomed to a 220cc milll, i still feel 125cc would be good enough to match the requirements of a economy friendly ride to commute through the city roads. The open chain adds even more aggression and when the rear mud-guard is removed, it just looks like the skirt on a woman has just been shortened. The appeal lies with the ride's high mount tail lamps that has been derived from Honda's high-end models. The 17 inch tubeless tyres with the all black alloy wheels makes the ride look far from its class.
The Stunner CBF PGM-FI is probably the best 125cc ride till date but is priced close to a 200cc mill which keeps buyers away and attracts only enthusiasts who are well-read about rides and stuff. Instead of developing bigger mills, HMSI should try and improve the features on the stunner cbf to make it a winner as the ride lacks several new-age attractions like rear discs, full fairing, projector lamps, LED tail lamps, Auto choke, Liquid cooling, Twin sparks, Under-seat exhaust, Grab rails, Fireblade style rear plates, Hydraulic forks, ABS, and so on. Even if these features are not being mounted on this ride, i can see the number increasing on Indian roads after the model was refreshed a year ago. Partly due to higher on-road prices and partly due to fuel price hikes, the stunner is slowly catching up to be a desirable ride earning respect in the maintenance department as well as the running cost. 
I happen to be getting this desire to acquire a stunner to my stable and the only thing that prevents me is the uncertainty that lies with my plans. Else, i am sure to own it and reopen the biking chapter with a stunning note. To all those who own this ride, Take wings and be a Wing rider as Honda calls it. And, to all those who desire to get one, walk into a showroom and book your ride. Who knows? If it is destined, i may end up with one soon. ;-) The Stunner CBF or the Stunner CBF PGM-Fi is the question. For a premium look and superior tourer- it is the PGM-Fi and for everyday commuting, it is the Stunner CBF.
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