Aprilia SR150: 3 things we liked & 3 things we didn’t

The positives:

1, Performance:

A scooter in India is mostly seen as option for commuting from point A to B. Despite the ever growing popularity we still didn’t have a fun to ride scooter and to address this issue Aprilia rode in the SR150. One look at the spec sheet and you wouldn’t be much impressed because it shares the same powerplant as seen on the Vespa 150 and it isn’t a particularly fast scooter. But numbers never tell you the real picture, the tuning of the engine is different despite producing similar power and torque figures of 11.5PS and 11.5Nm respectively. The CVT takes some time to get engaged but once set the performance is impressive.

There is a strong pull in the mid-range and the Aprilia SR150 just keeps on gathering momentum. Many journalists managed to max out the scooter at 120kmph while Aprilia has been conservative at a claimed top speed of 95kmph. There is no doubt in my mind the Aprilia SR150 is the fastest locally manufactured scooter on sale!

2, Styling & Handling:

Another aspect where the Aprilia SR150 really impresses is styling. The overall design approach for the scooter is very modern with sharp lines and the overall design approach is similar to scooter offerings in the European market. While the 14-inch wheels give the scooter a raised stance and many people feel that it looks like an electric scooter but there is a purpose behind those large wheels.

Get latest updates on
the automobile community

Login Now

The 14-inch dia wheels shod with Vee Rubber tyres from Thailand endow the scooter with brilliant handling dynamics. I was able to take some corners at 80kmph and the SR150 feels like a motorcycle rather than a scooter while cornering. Also the large wheels have aided in high-speed stability something standard scooters struggle at. 

3, Aprilia at Rs 65,000!

I must confess that Aprilia took me and many other scribes by surprise when it announced the pricing. Being an offering from the iconic Italian brand we were expecting it to be priced in the range of Rs 80,000 and above. Aprilia has been successful in pricing the SR150 so aggressively because it has achieved over 90 per cent localisation for its components. The fact that it has a fibre body instead of metal meant they could make it the cheapest Aprilia two-wheeler offering in our country. The Rs 65,000 ex-showroom price though is introductory and is expected to increase in few months from launch. 

The negatives:

1, Stiff suspension:

Uncle Ben in Spiderman said, “with great powers come great responsibility” and the same applies for handling. While the Aprilia SR150 is a hoot around corners it can be literally a pain in your bottom. For the SR150 to corner like a dream, Aprilia engineers have stiffened up the suspension which means ride quality isn’t the forte of the scooter. So if you were in the hunt for a comfortable scooter and were considering the SR150 please make an about-turn. 

2, Lack of features:

While it looks the part and the performance to match the Aprilia badge there are shortcomings. The feature list has been skimped for aggressive pricing and as a result we see an analogue console instead of a digital unit. Barring the pass light switch there are no additions like mobile charger, external fuel filler cap, parking brakes and even the under seat storage is shallow and could hardly squeeze a half face helmet. 

3, Mileage & Build Quality:

Performance and mileage are like sworn in enemies. With the performance on offer, the Aprilia SR150 isn’t the scooter that you will like to ride sedately. This also means that the SR150 has a great appetite for petrol and running cost will be comparatively higher with respect to a standard scooter. Aprilia hasn’t claimed any official figure but the officials said that the SR150 will return around 40kmpl overall which with its 7 litre tank capacity translates to a range of 280km. Switch gear quality along with the plastic quality around the console could be better. Also the fit and finish levels have a scope for improvement with tighter panel gaps and neater graphics.