Honda Wave Dash

For underbones on a budget like the Honda Wave Dash, a lot of sportiness comes from the styling. And the Dash scores big points here. Although after such a long time in the Malaysian market, it does look dated. The front fascia has the same pointy indicators on the fairing and the headlight with the split down the middle. The side profile did bring in some sporty appeal thanks to the striking graphics. The new exhaust cover also brings in some aggression. The overall shape and the build quality of the bike, however, stays the same and that is not a bad thing at all.

The stance and shape of the bike is perfect for its size. Measuring 1907 mm in length, 709 mm in width, and 1080 mm in height, it cuts a compact picture, perfect for today’s tight traffic. The 17-inch five-spoke alloy wheels with 70/90 front and 80/90 rear wheels complete the bike’s look. The instrument display is analogue as expected but it does come with a gear position indicator.

The underbone frame of the Wave Dash uses telescopic front forks and twin shock absorbers at the rear. With the kerb weights of both the versions just tipping the scales at over 100 kg (102 kg for the S, and 104 kg for the R), the rider can squeeze out some spirited performance from the tiny engine. The small wheelbase of 1227 mm makes it very easy to filter through the traffic. The front end is lightweight and may take some getting used to. The seat height is accommodating, and the handlebars make for a comfortable riding posture. The engine does tend to vibrate a lot at high revs and some better footpegs would have solved this issue. But for everyday operation, you would not even notice this.

Powering the Honda Wave Dash is an updated engine that delivers sporty performance along with good fuel economy. Indeed, it is a certified Energy Efficient Vehicle (EEV) along with being Euro3 compliant. It is a 109 cc, SOHC, air-cooled engine. Fuel is transmitted through Honda’s ‘Programmed Fuel Injection (PGM-Fi). Producing 8.6 hp at 7500 rpm (a 2% increase over the previous model) and 8.4 Nm of torque at 5500 rpm, it performed consistently better than its previous model. The more important figures of fuel efficiency, however, are much more astonishing. Delivering 61.1 kmpl, it definitely earns its EEV tag. The 4-litre fuel tank makes the most of this and gives the Wave Dash a range of close to 250 km. Honda provides both an electric and a kick starter for the Wave Dash.

The S version of the Honda Wave Dash comes equipped with a single disc brake for the front and a drum brake for the rear. The R version, however, comes with a dual disc brake setup. Both setups will do the job of braking just fine as these bikes very little.

For its price, the Honda Wave Dash delivers just the right amount of style and performance as expected from the segment. No wonder Malaysian buyers embraced the Wave Dash and bought it in large numbers. The new model has some big shoes to fill.