Aprilia SR150 review

What is it?
Aprilia is one of those evocative Italian brands known of their WSBK-winning superbikes so you tend to sit up and take notice when they launch a scooter – an India specific scooter to be precise. Well they do sell the SR850 scooter in India too but it’s not like you will be seeing many of them around. But you will see a whole lot of SR150s scurrying around on our streets in the future.

All new?
The minimalist moto-scooter is a take on the MotoGP paddock scooters. This is essentially the SR125 that is sold abroad and makes its debut in India with the Vespa’s 150cc powerplant. Segment-wise too, it is the first proper moto scooter to debut here.

What else?
The SR150 carries an edgy and minimalist styling with the USP being the big wheels. The tyres are Thai-spec (Vee Rubber) which will make way in the first few lots that is until Aprilia ties up with an Indian tyre manufacturer (possibly MRF) for same spec locally made tyres. The seat length has been increased over the SR125 owing to prospective customer feedback.

Fun to ride?
It is. It might carry over the Vespa 150 engine but it employs a chassis construction instead of a monocoque scooter frame so the handling is closer to a 150cc bike. Plus it weighs less than conventional scooters we are used to, so that has helped a lot in terms of dynamics. The Vee Rubber tyres are grippy with a wide footprint for both front and back. This makes initial turn in a bit heavy but the advantage is a highly grippy and stable front end. The suspension setup is a bit on the stiffer side but at high speeds, it offers excellent stability.

Powerful?
The SR150 gets a 154.4cc single air cooled and carburetted mill that makes 11.4bhp and 11.5Nm of torque. The best part is the way the power is delivered, seamlessly from idle all the way to a top whack of 115kmph (speedo-indicated) which is pretty good for even a 150cc scooter. There is a fair bit of vibration at idle but once on the move, it smoothens out. You also have to contend with the induction roar due to minimalist bodywork but I think that adds to the character of the bike. While we could not test it, it does feel like the fastest 150cc scooter around. The front disc-rear drum setup is excellent with lots of bite. In fact we were told that the brakes were a lot sharper and had to be toned down keeping Indian customers in mind.

Efficient?
We expect it to be as efficient as the Vespa 150 from which the motor is derived. It comes with a 6-litre tank that should give it a decent range as well.

Value?
This is the best part. At Rs 65,000 you get to own an Aprilia and that is immense bragging rights in itself. Of course you get a highly capable scooter that scores high both in terms of dynamics and performance. If I were to nitpick, I would want better quality switchgear but that’s about it. The Aprilia SR150 is everything you expect from it, and then some more.

evo rating –
4.5/5