Aprilia SR 150

The SR 150 is Aprilia’s first ever product which is purely for masses rather than niche market. With a sporty and aggressive design language which is typically true to the genes of Aprilia, the SR 150 purely stands out from the crowd of other scooters in the market. The SR 150 comes fitted with a four-stroke, single-cylinder, 3-valve, air-cooled, 150cc engine, which belts out 12PS of power and 11.5Nm of peak torque. Under the skin, the SR 150 has got the best hardware in its segment, with the suspension unit being a combination of hydraulic telescopic forks at the front and a single sided hydraulic coil spring at the rear. Also, the tyres are largest in its class, with 14-inch alloy wheels and 120/70 section tyres wrapped over them at both the ends. Braking duties are taken care of by a 220mm disc at the front and a 140mm drum at the rear.

Unlike other highly priced Aprilia superbikes, the SR 150 has been priced brilliantly at Rs 70,393 (Ex-showroom, Delhi), which given its premium hardware, is a very less asking price. To complement its sporty but sober performance, the SR 150 is available in two dual tone colours: white and black, which are further complemented with sporty stickers.

The SR 150 isn’t the only 150cc scooter currently in India, for the fact that its distant cousin, the Vespa VXL 150 too is there for a very long time. Unlike the loud and aggressive design of the SR 150, the Vespa VXL 150 looks sober and has a retro feel in its design. The powertrain is the same 150cc engine as that on the SR 150, however, the power delivery is slightly milder on the Vespa. 

Compared to all the conventional scooters which we have seen till date, the SR 150 comes as a fresh breeze of air, as the scooter looks much sharper and sporty, with the design being typically that of traditional European scooters, which have a super-moto stance for a spirited riding experience.

At the front, the SR 150 comes bestowed with a sleek and pointy front apron and comes fitted with a dual headlamp setup at the middle of it. Another unique design element is the placement of clear lens blinkers on either side of the handlebar, which along with the front headlamp assembly and apron design, give the SR 150 a unique front stance. The front 14-inch alloy wheel comes capped with a very short fender, which further accentuates its sportiness.

At the sides, the SR 150’s side body panels are designed in such a way as if they appear like lifted off from the center, making the overall profile aerodynamic as well as sleek, something which looks derived from an entry level sports bike. Like any other conventional scooter, the apron has a luggage hook and an under-seat storage capacity of 18 litres, which makes us believe that the SR 150 hasn’t compromised functionality over form. Even the single piece elongated seat of the SR 150 is roomy enough to fit two adults, however, the front footboard might feel tight for longer riders.

The sleekness of the overall design of the SR 150 continues towards the rear as well, with the rear stance being minimalist on the scooter. The SR 150 comes with an LED tail lamp and split pillion grab rails, something which we haven’t seen on scooters before. Another unique design element on the SR 150 is the motorcycle like clear lens blinkers fitted on the rear fender, which makes the rear profile of the SR 150 as unique as the front one. The one thing which looks out of place or simple in the overall scooter is the basic all analogue instrument console, which lacks flair and packs in only speedometer, odometer, fuel gauge and telltale lamps within two circular pods, which are styled in a very basic way.

It was very clear that even for the mass-market segment, Aprilia won’t forget its basic roots of making performance-oriented products, which is why the SR 150 comes with the most powerful engine in its class. The scooter comes with a four-stroke, single-cylinder, 3-valve, air cooled, 150cc engine, which is also found on the Vespa VXL 150. However, the engine here is tuned for slightly different numbers, 12 PS of maximum power and 11.5 Nm of maximum torque, figures which make the SR 150 the most powerful scooter India has ever seen, though not by a large margin. Paired to a simple CVT transmission, the SR 150’s power delivery is quick and impressive, and with a claimed mileage of 37.88kmpl, it is easy on pocket as well, something which cannot be said for any other Aprilia bikes right now in India. 

Even in this particular aspect, Aprilia was in no mood of compromising, which is why it has been packed with the best possible hardware to match its performance. With the largest-in-class 14-inch wheels, which are shod with the meatiest tyres a scooter has ever seen, the ride quality and handling of the scooter is hugely impressive. Even the front 220mm disc brake is the largest a mass-oriented scooter has ever seen, which along with the otherwise basic 140mm drum brake at the rear, gives excellent braking ability to the SR 150.