Scooters are in trend now-a-days. Their sales are booming, now. Their numbers are constantly rising on the streets. But the bulk of the scooter sales have been confined to the 110cc segment. Isn’t it? However, with youngsters coming into the fight, the demand for faster and exciting scooters has seen a rise. This has resulted in manufacturers stepping up their game from 110 to 125cc. The latest to get on this war is TVS, with its new Ntorq 125cc scooter. It is the first 125cc offering from TVS and today we’re going to share our thoughts on it with you.
STYLING
TVS says that the styling of Ntorq has been inspired by a stealth aircraft and that it can be seen in its sharp and angular lines. Its front is somewhat similar to the Yamaha Ray-Z . The handlebar is a quite chunky and the silver-finish bar-ends are just cosmetic. It also gets a large, all-digital console. The Ntorq 125 is the first locally built scooter ever, to feature an engine kill-switch. You’ll also get other features like pass light switch, under-seat light, reserve fuel light, power and eco mode indicator, USB charger and parking brake. The Ntorq 125 also gets an external fuel-filler cap; but we would have liked it, if it could be unlocked via the conventional key slot. Despite having a decent 22-litre under-seat storage space, it can’t accommodate a premium full-face helmet.
The Smart Scooter
Manufacturer claims that there are more than 30 parameters that can be displayed on the 5-inch console. The interesting elements are a lap timer, a 0-60kph acceleration recorder, a top speed recorder, engine temperature, average speed and service reminder. The Ntorq 125 also gets ‘Smart Xonnect’, which uses Bluetooth to sync the instrument console with your smartphone. Woow!. Through the TVS Ntorq app, the owner or the rider can view various details like incoming call alerts, SMS alerts, missed call alerts, high speed alert, phone battery and signal strength, trip report and last parked location too. The owner can also customise the app according to his need to send out an auto reply message when you are riding and also have the ‘Do Not Disturb’ option. TVS has also partnered with MapmyIndia to provide navigation assistance, which relays directions on the console. You can also view estimated time of arrival and distance remaining. If by chance you cross your destination, the app will automatically reroute until you reach the selected destination, something like google maps? You can also share all the above parameters with your friends via WhatsApp or other popular social messaging apps – fancy yaay?
The thing which you’ll probably notice about the new 125cc motor is its refinement. We were riding at speeds of around 70-80kph with hardly any vibrations. Only when you cross 90kph, you’ll feel a minor buzz starting from the footboard but that’s negligible. TVS engineers should be appraised for their efforts, as the Ntorq’s motor is a big step forward in terms of NVH, as compared to the Jupiter’s power plant. The engine of the scooter gets 3-valve technology with two intake ports and one exhaust port. One of the intake valves is a swirl-type and the other is a tumble-type. According to TVS this move will help in improving the mileage.
No claimed mileage figures have been announced, according to officials, it’s at par with rivals like Honda Grazia. We would have liked a bit of zing in acceleration as the Ntorq’s initial throttle response lacks that urgency you’d expect from its sporty look. TVS claims a top speed of 95 kph, we managed to clock 93 kph (as the speedo indicated) – which isn’t bad.
The frame of the Ntorq is the same as seen on the Jupiter. But the 110cc offering gets the circular tube, but the new offering gets a rectangular unit. According to the engineers, this decision was made to add more stiffness to the frame. Despite employing plastic panels, the scooter weighs 116 kg which is significantly higher than its rivals as Grazia offers 107 kg and Access 125 has 102 kgs. So does the extra mass make it dull around corners? No, not at all! The handling dynamics are likeable and it feels planted around corners. It isn’t that sporty like Aprilia SR 150; but it goes about its way in a fuss-free manner!
We liked the tight turning radius of the Ntorq and the tall handlebar meant that your knees weren’t brushing against the handle, which will be appreciated by tall riders and especially the riders with long legs. The telescopic fork diameter and the springs of the monoshock unit at the back are larger than the TVS Jupiter; and the ride quality is just awesome– it’s not stiff, nor is it too soft, which would make you allow while taking corners at high speed. Another element that TVS got right on the new 125cc scooter is the foam density of the saddle. Even after sitting for more than an hour, the seat didn’t ‘sink‘ similar to Jupiter again. The Ntorq is also the only scooter in the segment to get petal disc brakes at the front, while at the rear it gets a drum unit.
Final Verdict
So this is the new Ntorq 125. It’s fuss-free, well built and is smart too. TVS offers a good balance of practicality and configurability. It will give tough competition to other scooters too. Cherry on the cake is its brilliant pricing of Rs 58,750 (ex-showroom, Delhi) which is incredible value, no matter how you see it. So if you’re looking to buy a fast, comfortable and a smart scooter then Ntorq is for you. The only dilemma which you will face is while selecting the colour of your new Ntorq 125.
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