TVS NTORQ 125 Review, First Ride

TVS NTORQ 125 Review impressions come from the streets as we give you a how it feels like in everyday situations. Read on to find whether it meets expectations or not

Enchanting –

• One of a kind aesthetics and exhaust note
• Superlative chassis, brakes, engine
• Segment first Features
• Value for money

Unsatisfying –

• Could be sportier to ride

It’s no surprise to see the sales of performance scooters in India constantly on the rise. More powerful, more attractive and yet very practical, these mopeds do the sport and the daily grind without complaints. The major players in this segment are the Suzuki Access 125 and the Honda Grazia 125 with the Aprilia SR125 being a recent addition.

TVS Motorcycles India stunned everyone in the recently concluded Auto Expo with the launch of their hyped scooter – the NTorq. TVS has set some tall claims for the NTorq and the manufacturer touts that the NTorq is the only Indian scooter to have been developed on a race track. Luckily we had the opportunity to take the NTorq for a spin in real word conditions and its no doubt that we’re impressed.

The Looks

It all starts when you first set your eyes on the NTorq. The design language is a departure from the one seen on the Jupiter and the NTorq looks great in flesh. The front apron houses a neatly designed headlight and has a thick black stripe running all the way down to the mudguard. The headlight also features a ‘plus’ shaped DRL which looks very cool. At the sides, the creases and lines along with black accents are instant attention grabbers. The highlight has to be the rear end, which, with it’s led ‘T’ shaped taillight and faux air vents steal the show. Wait are we missing something? Oh yes, the gloss black alloy wheels, which add the needed flair in the design.

Speedo, features and Switches

TVS has hit a home run in the features department. Starting from the eye candy LCD instrument cluster which features a top speed recorder (a first on any Indian scooter) along with a lap timer, an oil temperature gauge, a wear-helmet warning, Bluetooth connectivity and the usual tell-tale signs to the boot light to help you see in the dark, the NTorq is blessed with segment-leading features. Also on offer are nitty-gritty like a USB charger, an eco mode indicator, external fuel filler cap and a pass light switch. What’s unexpected is the inclusion of an app-based navigation system and an engine kill switch. Both the switchgear have a faux carbon fibre background to make it sportier in appeal. At 21 litres, the under seat storage is ample to fit a medium size helmet.

The mechanicals

The NTorq is propelled via a newly developed 124.7cc air-cooled, 3-valve mill which promises 9.4 PS of power and 10.5 Nm of torque. TVS chose this configuration to aid the refinement and performance of the scooter. Stopping duty is handled via a first in class 220mm petal disc at the front and a 130mm drum at the rear. The scooter tips the scales at a hefty 116kgs.

We rode it

Through our first impression of the bike, we can confirm that it sure does make for an exciting purchase. The first thing that strikes is the refinement, there are little to no vibes at idle and at cruising speeds. The motor is extremely smooth, sounds throaty and has very linear throttle response too. The engine could do with slightly more punch as it misses out on the quick acceleration of the other scooters in the segment; we suspect the heavy kerb weight of the NTorq to be the impediment. Acceleration is good, not great. However, 3-valve does impress on the highway with a genuine 100 km/hr speedo.

On an instance when we pushed the bike through an uneven corner, it stayed planted and never felt nervous which is clearly a good balance for a scooter of this size. TVS has tuned the suspension very well for our road conditions and it shows. It isn’t overly sporty like the Aprilia SR150 so it can handle broken roads pretty well. It is a balance of comfort and sportiness which should please the market, but being pitched as a sporty scooter, we thought this would be almost as hard-edged as its Italian rival. As of now we cannot pass a word on the fuel economy, however the expected fuel economy is in the ballpark of 40 kms per litre.

When coming to a hault, the 220mm disc upfront gives plenty of leverage and stopping power for a scooter of this size. The brakes made me feel confident during hard braking scenarios. Now if you’re thinking that the high kerb weight will affect its handling, there’s some good news for you. Once aboard, the bikes masks its weight and pointing it in the corners is a pretty easy affair. Thanks to its long wheelbase, the stability on offer it is done in spades. All of this made also made it slightly slow to turn which is also the case because of the tyres being on the fatter side and not lower profile which was expected on this scooter.

TVS NTORQ 125 Review, Verdict

Its hard to fault the NTorq, it does everything so well. It can be comfortable on a daily commute and at the same time be fun on a nice twisty road. The features are something to write home about and will make a bragging right for teens. The styling is funky and the last thing is the price. At Rs. 60,850 ex-showroom Mumbai, the NTorq sits right in between the premium scooters like the SR125 and the slightly less expensive Suzuki Access 125 albeit promising a lot more value.

Editor’s Note: With the TVS Ntorq 125, the expectations on various counts were very high, TVS had made bold claims and it is true, but only to a certain extent. The conservative side of the scooter is also visible as it is being projected a sportier scooter. This is then a great balance for the masses who want funky aesthetics and background of a fun to ride scooter but should be practical as well. Not entirely a fan of how it looks, but it is the value for money quotient that is off the charts and I think the scooter is the next big thing in the Indian market.