Aprilia SR 150 Long Term Ownership Review

"The Aprilia SR 150 ticks many firsts, for the Indian Market. It is the first Indian made two-wheeler from the Aprilia stables, which is reason enough to rejoice. We hope it does well in the market, simply because we want to see what products Piaggio decides to bring to our shores after this."

                                              It is also the only scooter in the country to sport proper 14-inch wheels at both ends. This is just what the country's roads need, with their lunar landscape rivalling craters, strategically placed by our public works department, to improve the riding skills of riders in our country. What aids the SR 150's dynamics further, is the sticky and wide, 120 section tyres and a disc vrake at the front. Not to forget the long travel telescopic suspension, which gives excellent stability and composure around corners and makes one wonder, why all the scooters in the country don't have the Aprilia's dynamic setup. The SR is also has the longest wheelbase of any scooter sold in the country today. But we are happy to report that it doesn't affect its agility one bit. In fact it further aids its stability at high speeds as well as under panic braking situations.

                        The 154 cc mill has been lifted straight off the Vespa 150s and has been fettled further, to output 10.54 PS of peak power and 11.4 Nm torque. SR 150 has enough poke to push the speedo needle beyond 100 kmph, given a long enough stretch of road.

                                           However, there are a few drawbacks. Firstly, the suspension is set up way to stiff, making you cringe while going over bigger bumps and ruts. Agreed that the SR being a sporty scooter and all, had to have a stiffer setup, but then, it was meant for use on the spine-splitting Indian roads and thus should have been more accommodating of their imperfections. Secondly, the engine is seriously lacking in terms of refinement, with an unexpectedly vocal, rough and clattery exhaust note. The gearing is also quite tall and the CVT also does not engage in a linear manner and isn't as vibe-free as what we have come to expect from the Activas and Accesses. Then there's the problem of fuel-efficiency being in the low 30s for the 150cc Vespa, which means that the Aprilia's mileage will most probably be even lower. But that's not all, there's also the problem of the iffy track record for reliability and service support from Piaggio's scooters so far and the limited availability of its touch points.

All said and done we recommend you go for it, only if you are fine with all its caveats and still feel it's the right scooter for you, beforehand.

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