Motorcycles in India are seeing a decline in sales figures. Scooters, on the other hand, are still on a very stable path.
5 Best Scooters
The Indian two-wheeler market has been pretty busy for quite sometime now. There are way too many motorcycles in India. However, people are now realising the comfort and convenience of a scooter even more. Manufacturers too are more confident of their scooters than motorcycles. This puts a buyer in a very tricky place. MotorBeam clears the confusion for you with the best scooters you can buy for under Rs. 80,000/- (all prices, ex-showroom).
Suzuki Burgman Street
Suzuki showcased the Burgman Street at the 2018 Auto Expo and launched it in July 2018 itself. The Burgman Street gets a maxi-scooter like styling with a large windscreen and LED headlamps laid out on the front apron. It might not be a proper maxi-scooter but is surely one of the largest in the segment. It gets several maxi-scooter inspired elements not only in terms of design but space as well. The exposed handlebars, distinctive front apron, 21.5-litres of storage space and large floorboard just helps the cause even more.
The Suzuki Burgman Street derives power from the same 125cc engine seen on the Access 125. This engine is mated to a CVT gearbox and develops 8.7 PS of peak power and a peak torque of 10.2 Nm. The scooter gets telescopic front forks and a monoshock unit at the rear and a 12-inch front and 10-inch rear alloy wheels. The Braking setup includes a disc brake up front and drum unit at the rear along with Combined Braking System. The Suzuki Burgman costs Rs. 72,000/- and is available in only one variant.
TVS NTorq
When TVS launched the NTorq, it brought along with it several segment first features and managed very well to connect to young buyers. The TVS NTorq is one of the most sporty scooters in India. The NTorq’s design is very sporty with really sharp headlights and tail lights. The NTorq is offered in a choice of 6 standard colours while TVS added a special edition NTorq with unique red paint scheme to mark 1 lakh NTorq sales. The scooter is not only sporty but offers a comfortable riding position and good fuel economy. All these have led the TVS NTorq to be one of the most popular scooters in India.
The NTorq gets its power from an all-new 124.79cc single-cylinder, air-cooled motor that is mated to a CVT gearbox. This setup delivers 9.4 PS of power and 10.5 Nm of torque. The NTorq gets an all-new chassis suspended upon telescopic forks at the front and a gas-charged monoshock at the rear. It features a 220 mm petal disc at the front and a 130 mm drum unit at the rear for braking duties. Moreover, the scooter also gets a really intuitive LCD instrument cluster that offers close to 55 features including smartphone connectivity through Bluetooth. The TVS NTorq costs Rs. 64,000/-.
Honda Grazia
Honda launched the Grazia as a more premium alternative to the Activa 125 in 2017. The scooter features better quality materials and a very good looking design for the same cause. With the Grazia, Honda aimed at youngsters and urban buyers. It did succeed in pulling buyers to Honda showrooms thanks to its modern styling and rich equipment list. Some of the features on offer include AHO LED headlamps, a fully-digital instrument cluster and a USB mobile charger among others.
The Honda Grazia gets the same 124.9cc air-cooled, 4-stroke single-cylinder engine that does duty on the Activa 125. This engine is mated to a CVT gearbox and develops 8.52 PS of peak power and a peak torque of 10.54 Nm. Moreover, the scooters also comes with the company’s tried and tested Honda Eco Technology (HET) that reduces friction in the engine and also aids in improved fuel efficiency. The Grazia feels very punchy to ride while being pretty fuel efficient. In fact, Honda claims an average of 60 km/l for the Honda Grazia. The Honda Grazia costs between Rs. 61,000/- to Rs. 67,000/- depending on the variant.
Hero Destini
Hero MotoCorp launched the Destini 125 in October, 2018. It is Hero’s first-ever 125cc scooter to hit the market. The Destini 125 is a family-oriented scooter and gets a simple design with soft lines and curves to serve the purpose. However, the Destini 125 is a very loaded scooter in terms of equipment. It is equipped with an external fuel filler cap, a mobile charging port, a boot lamp, a remote key as well as a semi-digital instrument console with a side stand indicator as well as service-due indicator. Moreover, it is the first scooter in India to feature the idle start-stop system called the ‘i3s’ system. This system essentially shuts off the engine when the scooter is halted for 30 seconds. Just a pull of the brake restarts the engine and it helps conserve fuel in everyday traffic conditions.
Powering the Hero Destini 125 is a 124.6cc engine mated to a CVT gearbox. This setup delivers 8.6 PS of power and a peak torque of 10.2 Nm. It gets an optional front disc brake on the top-spec variant. The scooter also gets CBS as standard. It is available in 2 variants and 4 colour options. Prices for the Hero Destini start at Rs. 58,500/- for the LX varaiant. The top spec variant of the Destini 125 gets few extra features like a boot light, mobile charging socket, additional chrome garnish on the body, dual-tone seats and alloy wheels. This commands a premium for the VX variant as it costs Rs. 62,000/-.
Aprilia SR 150
The Aprilia SR 150 is a mean looking scooter that combines style of a motorcycle and comfort of a scooter. The Aprilia SR 150 is designed like larger displacement European Aprilia scooters. This has worked very well for the Indian market. Ever since the SR 150 was launched, the scooter became a sensation, especially among the younger buyers. The scooter is pretty fast, to say the least and is also very sharp around corners. This easily makes SR 150 the most dynamically strong scooter in the segment.
Powering the Aprilia SR 150 is the same 154.8cc, air cooled, single cylinder engine seen on the 150cc Vespa scooters. It is mated to a CVT gearbox and manages 10.5 PS of power and 11.4 Nm of torque. Features on offer are also pretty decent. Some of these include a pass switch, aggressive headlights, pointed tail lights, split grab rails, sporty body decals and dual-tone seat. The Aprilia SR 150 is available in three variants while prices for it start at 75,000/- (ex-showroom, India).