Aprilia Storm 125: First Ride Review

First showcased at the Auto Expo 2018, the Aprilia Storm 125 was crowd puller. How could it not be? The huge windscreen, flashy paintjob and chunky dual-purpose rubber made it hard to miss. The scooter finally hit the showrooms a year later, but with a few changes to help Piaggio price it better.

Given that 125cc scooters are doing rather well, it made sense for Aprilia to come up with an offering that was more accessible to the masses and the Storm 125 is exactly that. But does it pack the fun quotient synonymous with the other Aprilias?

All about the Aesthetics

The Storm 125 looks similar to the SR 125, with a few subtle changes. The scooter gets a bright, matte yellow or red paintjob with funky graphics that distinguishes it from the sober styling of the SR 125. The dash is analogue and like on the SR 125, it feels dated. It also gets 12-inch wheels instead of the 14-inchers from the SR 125. The fat Vee Rubber tyres hint at the Storm 125’s ability to take on little more than just tarmac. Unfortunately, the Storm misses out on the front disc brake shown at the 2018 Auto Expo, getting a 150mm drum instead. So, how does it all come together?

Meat of the matter

With the same 124.7cc, 3-valve engine from the SR 125 churning 9.52bhp at 7,250rpm and 9.9Nm at 6,250rpm, the Storm 125 is great to putter around the urban jungle. However, it is not the quickest off the line and somewhat feels sluggish, especially with the TVS Ntorq 125 in the picture. However, the scooter manages to pick up good speed eventually.

Like the other Aprilias, the exhaust note gets throaty as you pick up speed; however, the engine runs stress-free even when it is at its peak and has zero vibrations.

How does it all come together?

The Storm is flickable and easy going in city traffic. The 12-inch wheels make it easy to manoeuver in the urban jungle; they affect the scooters handling at high speeds. The smaller wheels and the high profile, dual-purpose 120/80 tyre up front and 130/80 unit at the rear rob you of the confidence at high speeds. The grip on wet roads with also not impressive.

The suspension on the Storm is straight from the SR 125 and is suited for smooth roads but don’t work well on bad roads. Though the beefy tyres absorb a lot of the impact, your wrists still bear the brunt if you don’t keep your speed in check.

The disc brake on the SR can put many motorcycles to shame; however, the drum unit on the Storm is a disappointment. The front lacks bite and offers almost no feedback, making you rely on the rear brake, which does its job well. Unfortunately, Aprilia is not offering a disc even as an option as of now. Don’t let that rugged, “off-road ready” look misguide you. We took the Storm 125 off the beaten path, and apart from the tyres, there’s nothing else to aid you on your off-road jaunts.

The Final Word

At Rs 65,000, the Storm is hard to justify especially when the TVS Ntroq 125, with its sophisticated dashboard, fresh styling and peppy performance is available at Rs 59,955 with a disc. Unless you have fallen in love with the styling of Aprilia’s scooters, the Storm 125 doesn’t have much to offer unlike the sporty SR siblings.