The Japanese scooter "Honda Dio 27" was created in 1988. Over twenty-eight years of continuous production, six generations of the miniature vehicle have changed. The Honda Dio 27 moped does not require a driver's license, since its engine displacement is less than fifty cubic centimeters. But the running parameters of the scooter are not inferior to those of a light motorcycle. In other respects, the moped also repeats the data of its older brother, a small-class bike. Lighting equipment "Dio-27" is powerful, with halogens and three modes of operation: high beam, low beam and directional. The control of the miniature scooter is done in a completely “adult” way. The braking system is reliable, the suspension is structurally perfect, and thanks to their balance, the ride of the moped is soft and silent.
Start of production
The Honda Dio 27 model is a representative of the second generation of Dio series scooters and the main basic version for subsequent modifications. However, before it, for four years, from 1988 to 1992, AF-18/25 mopeds were produced, which became the beginning of the entire project to create a compact means of transportation in the cramped conditions of a metropolis. And although the goal of the designers of the Honda concern was an economical scooter for the city, it later turned out that it is quite possible to travel on it, ride long distances both on the highway and on country roads.
The first Honda Dio 18 scooter rolled off the assembly line in January 1988. The model immediately became popular, and it was well deserved, since the slightly futuristic design combined with good driving performance attracted buyers. The moped looked modern, the layout was convenient, and the engine never let down. Demand turned out to be high, and the manufacturer had to increase production of the debutant. European dealers began to order large quantities of Dio-18, and the scooters were sent straight from the assembly line to Asia, and from there to Western Europe.
At first, there were even some difficulties with exports, since the Japanese market also needed economical mopeds for everyday use. We had to reorient production to consumers in the Land of the Rising Sun, and with the increase in production of the model, we began to export to European countries. After placing part of the production in Taiwan, the production of mopeds increased sharply, and their shortage gradually disappeared.
Scooter Honda Dio SR
It’s amazing, but this is true - most scooters in our country are Honda Dio SR. According to some sources, a third of all Japanese motorcycles are made up of these scooters. But you may ask what is the reason for such popularity of the Honda Dio SR. This article will tell you why this Japanese scooter is so popular in Russia. These reasons are as follows: First, there is the legendary build quality of the Honda brand. By the way, the Honda Dio af 18 model was first produced in the 80s, but to this day this model remains in service. This scooter model is a clear example of amazing Japanese quality.
Secondly, this old Honda Dio SR can give a head start to most modern Chinese scooters in terms of speed, not to mention the build quality. Even if your Honda Dio breaks down, it doesn’t matter. The scooter is very easy to repair and, as a rule, this repair costs little money. In addition, the Honda Dio SR scooter can be easily tuned and you can get a completely different Honda Dio.
Production history of Honda Dio SR. The first 18th model began rolling off assembly lines back in 1988. There were two versions of the Honda Dio AF18 and Honda Dio AF18 SR, the latter was offered with disc brakes, while the former with drum brakes. This model was discontinued in 1992. Next, about the specific figures of the Honda Dio AF18 SR scooter: a single-cylinder two-stroke engine with a displacement of 49 cm3 with a forced cooling system. The gas distribution system is petal. Transmission – variator. The engine can produce a maximum of 5.5 hp, compression ratio 7.3. wheelbase - 1170 mm, height per saddle - 725 mm. Length – 1655 mm, ground clearance – 100 mm, gas tank volume 4.5 liters. The scooter weighs 62 kg.
In 1990, the Honda Dio 27 began to appear. There were 3 modifications: the usual basic version, the SR version with disc brakes, and the ZX version with a spoiler in which the brake light is located and disc brakes. Honda Dio SR scooters are an excellent option for riding in urban environments. Thanks to the unique design of the front telescopic fork, the scooter has excellent handling on asphalt. Moreover, the front suspension was created with a sporty bias. The fork travel is not great and allows the scooter to take turns at high speed while holding the road firmly. But this is only for an asphalt road, on a dirt road, the scooter feels worse and is unstable. Despite this, most people buy this scooter for dirt roads. In such a case, there will be a need to frequently replace shock absorbers or their parts. It is worth noting that shock absorbers for Honda Dio SR can always be found in car markets without any problems. Another advantage of the Honda Dio SR is good muffler protection, and the filter and air intake are located high enough to allow a lot of dust and dirt from dirt roads to get into them.
There is no need to talk about the legendary reliability of Honda Dio SR engines at all. The indestructibility of the engine can be indicated by the fact that the scooter runs on any brand of gasoline, although of course this should not be abused and filled with 95 gasoline. The engine itself picks up speed amazingly, which is very important for urban driving. Almost the entire range of Honda Dio SR scooters can accelerate to the required 60 km/h. Although, at the same time, the engine resource has a reserve and, with modifications, the engine can accelerate the scooter to 80 km/h.
Of course, it’s more convenient to ride this scooter alone, but the scooter can handle two people without any problems. It’s just that it’s not comfortable for the two of us to sit together. But such a small size of the Honda Dio SR gives the following advantages - maneuverability and low weight.
Braking system: Honda Dio SR is equipped with disc brakes. They are more efficient than drum ones, although they wear out faster. On scooters from model 34, combined brakes began to be used. When you brake with the front brake, the rear brakes are automatically applied, in a ratio of 70% to 30%. This innovation is very suitable for novice drivers.
Experiments during production
On the first model, during production, we tested different types of brakes. Initially, drum mechanisms were installed on the moped, then the wheels were equipped with disc brakes, which looked more modern. At the same time, a version of Dio-SP was created, which was produced in small batches. These mopeds differed from the basic AF-18 in their defiantly bright combined colors and a fundamentally different design of the instrument panel. Production of the first generation model was discontinued in 1992.
History of creation
The Honda Dio 27 moped was created on the basis of the predecessor of the eighteenth series and became the basis for several subsequent generations in its class. The modification was launched into mass production in 1992, but before that, Japanese designers produced scooters under the designations 18/25. The developers were faced with the task of creating a two-wheeled motor vehicle that would be convenient and economical to move around the city.
However, the released model was quite suitable for driving on country roads and over long distances. Buyers were simply fascinated by the unusual design, as well as the characteristics of the moped. Due to the great excitement, the manufacturer increased mass production. In addition, modifications are being created aimed at Western Europe and Asia.
AF-27 Super Dio
The Honda Dio 27, the photo of which is posted on the page, began to be mass-produced following the outdated AF-18 and based on it. Strictly speaking, the AF-27 model was a deep restyling of the previous scooter, maintaining the design and all engine characteristics. The AF-18E engine was not upgraded. The engine as a whole fully met the requirements of the new “twenty-seventh” model in terms of power and other parameters.
The main difference between the Honda Dio 27 and the previous model was its increased dimensions. Among the new developments on the scooter, a small trunk appeared under the steering wheel, as well as a redesigned instrument panel, it was significantly expanded and several indicator lights were added.
During the production of the Honda Dio 27, three additional modifications of the moped were created, which were subsequently produced in parallel with the basic version:
- AF-27 SR - with front disc brake, rear drum brake and a boosted engine without changing the displacement, but with increased power.
- AF-27 ZX is a modification with sporty features, with a larger diameter front disc brake, a rear spoiler with an integrated brake light and a new muffler.
- AF-27 XR Baja is a modification with pronounced sportiness and features of an enduro style, a disc front brake, a handlebar bar from a Honda XR250 Baja motorcycle and accompanying optics, an instrument panel and wind protection for hands.
Protection
In 1993, the moped began to be equipped with an anti-theft system, which was a special curtain covering the ignition switch. The number of abductions decreased sharply, since it was impossible to open the protection without a special tool. The curtain opened after entering an electronic digital code on the dashboard, which only the owner of the scooter knew. The effectiveness of such an anti-theft device was obvious. Its only drawback was that if the electronic code was forgotten, it was not possible to open the ignition switch; it was necessary to call the electronics technicians and turn off the entire system.
Engine
The Honda Dio 27 motor is a reliable, trouble-free unit, thanks to which the moped has become so popular and in demand all over the world. The miniature engine does not require any maintenance and for stable operation requires only high-quality fuel mixed in the correct proportion of gasoline and oil.
Characteristics:
- brand - AF34E;
- number of cycles - 2;
- cooling - natural atmospheric;
- cylinder displacement - 49.9 cubic cm;
- piston stroke - 39.3 mm;
- cylinder diameter - 40 mm;
- starting - electric starter or kickstarter;
- maximum power - 7.0 l. With. at 6500 rpm;
- transmission - three-speed CVT gearbox, with a switch on the steering wheel.
Honda Dio 27: characteristics
Below are the main technical parameters that the moped in question has:
- length/width/height – 1.67/0.63/0.99 meters;
- fuel tank capacity - five liters;
- maximum speed – sixty kilometers per hour;
- load capacity indicator – 150 kg;
- average fuel consumption – 1.85 liters per hundred kilometers;
- power plant - two-stroke engine type AF-34E with a volume of 49.9 cubic meters. cm, power seven horsepower;
- engine cooling – atmospheric;
- transmission unit - three-speed variator with steering switch.
It is worth noting that the scooter motor is reliable and does not require special maintenance. For stable and long-term operation of the unit, the recommended fuel and oil should be used, ensuring they are mixed in the correct proportions.
Chassis
The Honda Dio 27 scooter is distinguished by smooth gear shifting, moves without jerking, quickly picks up speed and has soft shock absorption. And its decent carrying capacity allows two people to ride. The Honda Dio 27 model, the characteristics of which fully correspond to the purpose of the moped, can be used in a variety of directions - from trips to nature to delivering pizza around the city.
Scooter chassis parameters:
- front suspension - telescopic fork with lever-type lateral shock absorber;
- rear suspension - articulated pendulum, short-stroke, with spring-hydraulic shock absorber;
- front brake - disc with single-piston caliper;
- rear brake - drum type;
- wheels, size – 3.00x10″.
Japanese electric version
Later, the Japanese company introduced another version of this scooter, but it is used only in Japan. The manufacturer decided that this modification of the model will not be exported to other countries, since it simply does not make sense. In this version, instead of the usual internal combustion engine, there is an electric motor that receives energy from alkaline batteries. Of course, you won’t find a gas tank here either, because it is in its place that the batteries are installed. The beauty of this version is that it does not require gasoline. In order to use the scooter, you simply need to charge it from a household outlet. On the one hand, this is economical and does not spoil the environment, but on the other hand, the driver does not have the opportunity to travel far from the city, or even from his home. That is why this modification took root in Japan, but not with as much success as Honda had hoped for.
It is also worth noting that you will not need training or obtain a driver’s license for the Honda Dio 27 scooter, since the engine capacity here does not exceed 50 cm 3 . This greatly simplifies the operation of this vehicle, because training for the motorcycle category will take a lot of time and money.
Buyers' opinion
Owners of the scooter note its structural reliability, ease of operation, and trouble-free engine. The Honda Dio 27, reviews of which are overwhelmingly positive, has good cross-country ability and can pass where a powerful motorcycle gets stuck. But first of all, the positive feedback from the owners concerns the unprecedented efficiency of the “Dio-27”; the car consumes a little more than one and a half liters of gasoline for every hundred kilometers. Moreover, such consumption is observed when driving at a speed close to the maximum.
