Honda CB Twister
Late 2009 Honda brought in a 109cc motorcycle that definitely re-wrote the rules of the segment. The segment dominated by manufacturers pushing their machines for more fuel efficiency now suddenly had to worry about looks. Quite easily we have already established that the CB Twister looks leagues apart from competition in a good way but how does it perform in the real world and is the CB Twister that elusive daily commute bike that has it all – looks, efficiency and fun to ride? We put the CB Twister through the IAMABIKER review. Read on as we explore the CB Twister and all that it has to offer.
Engine and Performance
Slot it into first and get going and do not be surprised if you find the front wheel 5 inches off the ground. This 109cc engine producing 9bhp is incredibly short geared and even with a pillion on-board this super light motorcycle weighing in at just 108 kgs will get off the line quick and clean. The gearing is such that even in second gear you can get going with a pillion with no fuss at all. You can potter around the city in top gear at speeds as low as 20kmph with no fuss. The engine feels much more powerful than what it really is and the CB Twister just invites you to keep pushing it, and it does it in a smooth and refined way. Its a breeze to ride it around in traffic due its light weight and the quick acceleration. In open stretches you often end up searching for that 5th gear as you almost feel that his bike still has a lot more juice left. The CB Twister reached a top speed of 103kmph, which is good but then not a major selling point for buyers in this category.
Look and Feel and Build Quality
With sharp design lines, alloys and an engine that come in the currently trending all black treatment, a short stubby exhaust and bright red rear suspensions makes sure that you would not miss the CB Twister if it went past. The quality of plastic used around the motorcycle is pretty decent. The CB Twister would look perfectly proportionate if not for the empty space around the engine. From the front it might deceive you into believing it is a motorcycle from the 150cc segment. The instrument console and the switch gear on the CB Twister are probably the only mismatch in the entire package, quite a bland and boring looking console and low quality switch gears. We were quite surprised to find the bike coming with an open chain set-up, Yes, it might add to the over all sporty looks but a pain in terms of maintenance, especially considering the fact that the customers in this segment look for a ‘fill it and forget it’ bike and cannot be bothered about lubing the chains every few hundreds of kilometres. Check out the Honda CB Twister detailed gallery for a part by part view.
Handling and Braking
The CB Twister is extremely light at 108 kilograms, which makes it easy to manoeuvre through traffic. The suspension is quite soft and will save your back from almost everything that comes your way. Even if you decide to push the bike and have some fun the CB Twister complies with sharp handling and good control, although that is when you realise the real skinny tyres to be inadequate. The braking department quite severely needs a disc brake at the front and that is available as an optional extra. With the way this bike builds up speed in the first few gears a disc brake makes for a perfect companion.
Accessories and Key features
The Honda CB Twister is bike with a pretty basic set of accessories and features. The under seat area is easy to access via the lock provided at the rear. The under seat space is definitely nothing to boast about, it can hold your documents and the provided tool kit. The tool kit is pretty basic too. The 35W headlights are pretty good and have a good throw but lacks a pilot lamp. Another interesting welcome addition is the tubeless tyres. The indicators are of the flexible type and new for a Honda. The seats are extremely comfortable and the pillion gets a very usable strong grab-rail to hold on to.
Value for Money
Honda claims a mileage of 70kmpl and our figures were not exactly close at 53kmpl in the city and 60kmpl on the highways, but again we were not exactly going easy on the throttle. A light hand on the throttle with constant speeds of about 40-50kmph would definitely give you numbers closer to the claimed, but that is not going to be easy on this bike. We come back to the open chain here as it definitely will wear out the chain sprocket set fast considering our dusty conditions. The addition of a viscous air-filter does help bring down replacement intervals and thus maintenance costs. The CB Twister also gets a maintenance free battery.
Final Verdict
The Honda CB Twister changes the conventional rules of a commuter segment bike. The combined package of looks and efficiency help make the CB Twister appealing to all age groups. The CB Twister is available in six colour options. Priced at Rs 45,140/- for the basic version, Rs 48,032/- for the self-start version and Rs 51,175/- for self start and front disc version (all prices ex-showroom Delhi) the CB Twister as you can see is quite competitively priced. We are definitely in love with the CB Twister and it is a reminder that small capacity units can still be a lot of fun.
Specifications Sheet
ENGINE
| Design | 4-stroke, Air cooled |
|---|---|
| Displacement | 109 cm³ |
| Torque | 9 Nm @ 6000 RPM |
| Power | 9 BHP @ 8,000 RPM |
| Starting aid | Kick / Electric (optional) |
| Transmission | 4 speed, 1 down 3 up |
CHASSIS
| Frame | Twin pipe type |
|---|---|
| Front Suspension | Telescopic hydraulic forks |
| Rear Shock absorber | Spring shockabsorber |
| Brake system Front | Drum brake – Disc optional |
| Brake system Rear | Drum brake |
| Brake drum – diameter front | 110 mm |
| Brake disc – diameter front | 240 mm |
| Brake drum – diameter rear | 130 mm |
| Wheel base | 1,262 mm |
| Ground clearance (unloaded) | 180 mm |
| Height | 1075 mm |
| Total fuel tank capacity approx. | 8 L Normal unleaded petrol |
| Kerb Weight | 108 kg |
| Battery | 12 Volt 3 Amp maintenance free |
| Head lights | 12V 35/35 W H4 |
Motorcycle Courtesy: 
Test Riders
Nijish
Avin
Sudeep
Manohar
I want to know only about the millage of CB Twister in the city ride. if any starting issue about the bike. Please tell me clear .
As mentioned in the review, we got about 53 kmpl :)
Hi sir, open chain will cause any problem,will we get a chain cover and changing Tyre will reduce mileage.pls guide
Open chain usually is not good, but with regular cleaning and maintenance about every 400-500kms it should be fine. Depends on what type of tyre you are putting, if its a wider tyre with a larger profile then you might see a drop in performance and mileage.
i like this bike and i m going to buy it very soon.
I’m buying this bike, your review made me have clear mind about buying.
thanks lot, nice review. The only confusion I have is which color helmet to buy ???
white or black ??
Keep the good work going !!!!
Thank you.
do i need to replace the Tyre of this as i heard that this bike slips a lot ? pls suggest
Well the stock tyres are a bit too low profile, but are light and thin so that you get the best mileage out of the bike. You can go for a slightly larger profile of tyre. We have see many people shifting to slightly larger ones from MRF.
I like ur ratings very much!!!!!!!