TVS NTorq 125 Race Edition BS6 Road Test Review

Considering that the BS6 NTorq is hauling more weight, the 1.3m extra it took to come to a standstill from 60kmph is not great but acceptable. There is decent brake bite with enough progression in the system to let you go hard on the brakes without locking up the front. Combi-braking -- or as TVS puts it, Synchronised Braking Technology (SBT) -- works well.

The Race Edition Bits
TVS hasn’t changed a single body panel from the regular NTorq to the Race Edition, and we aren’t complaining. The scooter always looked so sharp and poised for attack, like a fighter jet, and the combination of black and red plays well with its targeted audience. The 3D logo and the chequered flag graphics bringing out the raciness of the scooter quite well. Also new here is the different seat cover that has a bit of faux carbon fibre look to it. All of this makes the NTorq seem like it is 10kmph faster already. After all, at sixteen, (or forty - Ed, Kartikeya) looking fast is as important as going fast.

Smartphone connectivity isn’t new to the Race Edition: the NTorq 125 was the first in the country to get the feature. The Nokia N-Gage-inspired full digital console is perhaps the coolest dash that one can find on a scooter in India, with multiple tripmeters, a top speed recorder, a 0-60kmph recorder and even a lap timer. With the TVS SmartXonnect bluetooth module, you can receive call and SMS alerts as well as turn-by-turn navigation on the fly.

The headlight is a full LED unit, quite like the one found on the KTM 390 Duke. But here, the elements are stacked only two levels, not three. The ‘T’ design element from the tail-light has been copy-pasted in the headlamp too. It doesn’t really act as a DRL; that’s handled by the low beam, instead lighting up only at night. Another gripe with the headlight is that it doesn’t have a great spread, lighting up just a small section of the road. The intensity from the low beam is strong but you would want to have a little more view of the surroundings. Plus, the high beam too doesn’t light up the road as far ahead as you would have liked.

The Race Edition also gets a hazard toggle switch, but it is more of a novelty feature and would rarely come in handy. The underseat LED light and USB charger are useful features but you get them on the regular disc trim as well.

Worth the extra premium?
When launched in February 2020, the NTorq 125 BS6 was, on an average, Rs 7,500 dearer than the BS4 model. Since then the prices of the scooter have been revised a couple of times, the most recent one taking place as we were testing out the scooter, and now the price difference between the variants are as follows:

Variant	TVS NTorq 125 BS6	TVS NTorq 125 BS4	Difference
Drum	Rs 67,885	Rs 59,462	Rs 8,423
Disc	Rs 71,885	Rs 59,995	Rs 11,890
Race Edition	Rs 74,365	Rs 64,925	Rs 9,440

*all prices ex-showroom Delhi

On an average, the NTorq has become roughly Rs 10,000 dearer across the variants. Considering that the only bit of change that you get on the scooter is fuel-injection, a slightly larger fuel tank and a gain of two kilos don’t justify the extra asking price that much. But it isn’t just TVS with the NTorq who’s failing to offer as many redeeming features -- the entire industry is bearing the brunt of going green as the materials used in the cat-con are not cheap.

If you want to get a fun scooter that is equally good at commuting, there is nothing better in the market than the TVS NTorq 125. Sure, the Aprilia SR 160 might offer a more dynamic experience but it comes at the expense of harsh ride quality that will lead to early onset osteoporosis. The NTorq 125 BS6 is cheaper than the Honda Activa 125 and costs near about the same as the Suzuki Access 125. With the extra frugal benefits of the new BS6 motor, younger buyers should not find it hard to convince their parents to get them one.

So, which variant should you go for? The price difference between the disc and the Race Edition is Rs 2,490. The premium isn’t too high but you aren’t getting that much more on the scooter either. The primary cost remains the LED headlight and if you think practically, you could live without it, the hazard toggle switch and the funky graphics. But if you want to feel cool and fast, like you do when you are sixteen (or sixty!), then it is a no brainer, isn’t it?