New Scooter Launches In 2017

Yamaha Nmax

The Yamaha Nmax has been developed as a global scooter and was launched in Indonesia first. The styling of the Yamaha Nmax is similar to a maxi scooter and features a European-style step-thru design. It was showcased at the 2016 Auto Expo and was among the most popular scooter offering displayed at the show. Powering the new Yamaha scooter is a 155cc, liquid-cooled motor producing 15PS of power and 14.4 Nm of torque. Power is transmitted to the rear wheel via a CVT transmission. There’s also a 125cc variant that delivers 12.2PS and 11.7Nm of peak torque, which is likely to be launched in India. The Yamaha Nmax sports Blue Core technology that reduces friction between mating parts thereby returning better fuel efficiency. Talking about features, the scooter features a smoked-out headlamp, digital instrument console, external fuel cap, telescopic forks, and 13-inch alloy wheels. Braking is done by disc brakes at front and rear while ABS is standard, which will be dropped on the India-spec model for cost cutting.

Expected Launch Date: Late 2017

Expected Price: Around Rs 1 lakh

Pic for representation

TVS Jupiter 125:

The 125cc scooter segment has witnessed good jump in sales, with the Honda Activa 125 and the Suzuki Access 125 doing good numbers. TVS will be entering the fray with the new Jupiter 125. The styling of the new scooter will maintain the Jupiter DNA but will have slightly sportier design and larger dimensions. The Jupiter 125 will most likely be powered by a bored-out version of the 110cc motor that will deliver around 8.8PS and 10.5Nm of peak torque. It might be equipped with features like semi-digital instrument console, external fuel filler cap and mobile charger. Suspension duties will be handled by telescopic front forks and a monoshock unit at the back while disc brake at the front will be optional. 

Expected Launch Date: Mid 2017

Expected Price: Around Rs 55,000

Honda PCX 150

Honda rules the roost when it comes to the scooter segment in the Indian market. The Honda Activa 125 has garnered good sales and the Japanese two-wheeler giant wants to take a step further and will bring in its first 150cc scooter offering, the Honda PCX 150. Honda had showcased the PCX 125 at the 2014 Auto Expo and it generated lot of curiosity among the consumers but the 150cc variant is most likely to make its way to India. The Honda PCX 150 gets a European scooter design language which comes as a fresh breath of air amid the rather monotonous design adopted by scooters in India. Powering the Honda PCX 150 is a single-cylinder, fuel-injected 153cc motor producing 13.5PS of power and 14Nm of torque. Whether Honda ditches fuel injection for cost purpose remains to be seen, and it has already imported the PCX 150 in India for R&D purpose. With consumers slowly shifting to powerful scooters, the PCX 150 can be a great option for someone in the hunt for a good looking and fast scooter. 

Expected Launch Date: Late 2017

Expected Price: Around Rs 90,000

Get latest updates on
the automobile community

Login Now

Bajaj Chetak

Long before the Honda Activa became a household name, it was the Bajaj Chetak that was the undisputed scooter king of the Indian market. It was the most popular two-wheeler on sale in its heyday but sales declined with the advent of economical and easy to ride commuter bikes. The final nail in the coffin for the Chetak was the popularity of gearless scooters, which dropped its sales drastically. And Bajaj Auto decided to cease its production and also announced that it wouldn’t be playing in the scooter space anymore. But the surge in scooter sales coupled with the measly growth of motorcycle sales means that Bajaj has given in and will relaunch the iconic Chetak in the Indian market. 

It has applied for the Chetak name copyright and with the patent images leaked recently, Chetak fans sure are excited. In terms of styling, there will be no design elements shared with its predecessor and it will have a neo-modern design which is very European. The incorporation of the hook in the red tanned seat hints that Bajaj has focused well on minute details. It will also sport brushed aluminium grab rails and LED turn indicators and brake lights. No details on the powerplant have been given out but we expect it to be powered by a 125cc motor. 

Expected Launch Date: Late 2017

Expected Price: Around Rs 55,000

Aprilia SR125

The Aprilia SR150 has to be the most exciting scooter to be launched in 2016 and it also holds the distinction of being among the fastest scooter on sale. The SR150 also was the first Aprilia two-wheeler to be manufactured in India and the Italian two-wheeler manufacturer calls it a moto-scooter. Given the fact that the SR150 has received a good response, Aprilia is gearing up to launch a new addition in the SR family. At the Vespa 946 launch, the Piaggio group boss hinted that they will launch a peppier version of the SR150 and we can expect the new scooter to be the SR125. 

The styling of the SR125 will be similar to the SR150, which is sporty and sharp, save for redesigned graphics to distinguish the scooters visually. The powerplant will be based on the Vespa 125 and the air-cooled, single-cylinder motor will deliver around 10PS and 11Nm of peak torque. The engine though will be tuned for better performance, as was the case with its elder sibling. The chassis, brakes and suspension components will be carried forward from the SR150 as well. We expect the new Aprilia SR125 to make its debut by the first half of 2017, and it will compete against the Suzuki Access 125 and the Honda Activa 125. 

Expected Launch Date: Early 2017

Expected Price: Around Rs 60,000

Hero Dare

Demand for 125cc scooters has risen steadily and Hero MotoCorp will also enter this segment with the Dare 125cc scooter. The Hero Dare was first showcased at the 2014 Auto Expo but after an over two year delay, Hero seems ready to launch the new scooter in India. With its snazzy and sporty styling, the Dare has been designed to appeal to the male buyers and college students. The Dare is powered by a 125cc, air-cooled mill pumping out 9PS of power and 9.5Nm of torque. The new offering has been loaded with features such as LED daylight running lamps and taillight, full digital instrument console, mobile phone charging socket, boot light etc. For safety purpose, the Hero Dare comes with an E-Coded security key. Hero has loaded the new scooter with quality cycle parts like telescopic forks, disc brake at front and alloy wheels.

Expected Launch Date: Early 2017

Expected Price: Rs 60,000

TVS Jupiter FI

The TVS Jupiter, in our opinion, is the best 110cc scooter of sale. It offers everything that a modern scooter buyer desires from a unisex scooter. Despite the healthy sales figures, TVS engineers are planning to improve the 110cc scooter even further. The fuel-injected version of the TVS Jupiter was spotted last year and we expect the Jupiter FI to be launched in 2017. It is likely that the fuel-injection system would be employed to make the scooter BS IV emission norm compliant. The fuel-injection system should make the throttle response crisper and the scooter will not suffer from cold starting problems. The styling and cycle parts will be shared between the two scooters. 

Expected Launch Date: Mid 2017

Expected Price: Around Rs 52,000

Vespa GTS 300

The Vespa GTS 300 is the most powerful offering in the portfolio of the Italian two-wheeler manufacturer. The design of the scooter is similar to other offerings from the Vespa family, with the quintessential Italian styling. The Vespa GTS 300 employs a part-analogue-part-digital instrument console with a LCD display that houses the fuel gauge, trip meter, odometer and clock. Powering the scooter is a 278cc, single-cylinder motor churning out 21.2PS of peak power and 22.3Nm of maximum torque. 

The powerplant is a liquid-cooled unit and employs electronic fuel injection. Since it’s the most powerful scooter from the stable of Vespa, the GTS 300 features traction control and a two channel ABS system. The scooter features an all-steel body which Vespa claims helps in the handling dynamics and high speed stability of the scooter. Braking is done by 220mm dia disc brakes at front and rear, which is necessary given the claimed top speed of 128kmph. Suspension duties are handled by single hydraulic shock absorbers at front and twin shock setup at the back. Vespa claims the GTS 300 has a fuel efficiency figure of around 28kmpl, which is good for a 300cc automatic scooter. The Vespa GTS 300 will be brought in via the CBU route and, depending on the response, the Italian company will take a call to assemble it in India. 

Expected Launch Date: Early 2017

Expected Price: Rs 5 to 6 lakh

Piaggio Liberty

Piaggio has been present in the Indian scooter segment via the brand Vespa. But Vespa hasn’t been able to garner the sales figures as desired by Piaggio owing to its high sticker price, and is considered as a niche marquee. But Piaggio plans to bring in the new Liberty, which will be more utilitarian in nature than the Vespa for daily use. Powering the scooter will be the same 125cc engine that is seen on the standard Vespa but it will lose the 3-valve technology to cut cost and will be tuned to deliver better fuel efficiency. Power output will be around 9PS and 9.5Nm. Highlights of the Piaggio Liberty will be the 14-inch wheels compared to 10-inch wheels found on most other scooters on sale in India, electronic immobiliser, and disc brakes. Also, the fact that it will employ plastic panels will help it in reducing weight in comparison to the Vespa, which should make it lightweight and peppy to ride. 

Expected Launch Date: Mid-2017

Expected Price: Rs 65,000

Note - All prices mentioned are estimated and ex-showroom