Ather 450X Long Term Report: Introduction

I took ‘delivery’ of ‘my’ 2025 Ather 450X in the new Stealth Blue colour, 3.7kWh variant on 19 May 2025. This marks my first long-term two-wheeler since joining BikeDekho, and naturally, my expectations were sky-high, especially after reading our own glowing in-house review. When I picked it up from the dealership, it already had 296.9km on the odometer.

Mind Warping

As soon as I got on the scooter and started riding it, I put it into Warp Mode. The instant torque had blown me away - who thought an electric, that too a scooter, would be so fun to ride. The low center of gravity and well-balanced chassis just make the overall experience even sweeter. It’s the kind of performance that makes you want to take the longer route home. Every green light feels like a launchpad, and despite the 85km range shown on the screen in this mode, I had zero complaints. The smile it puts on your face is worth the trade-off. During the launch of the 2025 450X back in January this year, Ather had dubbed it the “Bike of Scooters” - and I can’t agree more.

Magic…With A Twist

One of the most meaningful updates to the 2025 450X is the inclusion of Magic Twist - Ather’s fancy name for regenerative braking. It first appeared with the launch of the Rizta, and I can tell you it’s not just a gimmick. Living in a hilly part of Pune, I found it especially useful during descents, letting me control speed smoothly without relying heavily on the brakes. While it will take a few rides to get used to twisting the throttle the other way round, I am sure it will quickly become a natural part of my daily riding habits.

What More?

Apart from the Magic Twist, Ather has made other meaningful additions with this update. The new UI (User Interface), improved range claims, and added traction control - all point to a maturing product with each cycle update it receives.

Ride Comfort: A Reality Check

Initially, I was pleasantly surprised by the ride comfort - it felt noticeably softer and more compliant than the previous 450X that I had ridden back in 2022. I rode around for the first two days thinking this scooter finally checks all the boxes, and the issues have been sorted. But that comfort bubble burst when I checked the tyre pressures: both were down to just 17psi. After inflating them to the recommended 30 for the front and 32 at the rear, the stiff ride that I remembered so ‘fondly’ returned. While it offers razor-sharp handling, it’s clear the 450X still isn’t tuned for comfort, and that’s especially felt on Pune’s broken roads.

Braking: Mixed Feelings

Braking continues to be a sore spot for this electric scooter. The rear brake is still overly sensitive, locking up on me multiple times during my first ride. This has been a longstanding complaint from Ather owners, and it’s disappointing that even in 2025, there's no ABS, not even a single-channel for the front. From my perspective though, rear slide-outs are more entertaining than panic inducing. I’m used to it since I ride a TVS Apache RTR 160 4V with a rear drum brake that behaves the same way.

The front brake, meanwhile, lacks feedback and feels vague. Thankfully, Magic Twist compensates to some extent, but the braking setup overall still leaves room for improvement in terms of both safety and feel.

Week One Verdict

After a week of city riding, I’m genuinely impressed with the 2025 Ather 450X’s fun factor and convenience features. Yes, it has its quirks - especially when it comes to ride comfort and braking. But, it also delivers an experience that’s very hard to match. As I settle into longer commutes and routine usage, I’m keen to see how well the regen handles stop-and-go traffic. And, also see how consistent the range is across modes. Let’s see whether the scooter can keep delivering excitement beyond the first impressions as well. For now, it’s safe to say that this scooter is not just a daily ride; it’s an experience.

• Kilometre reading on arrival: 296.9km

• Kilometre reading today: 401.1km

• Pros: Performance, storage, range

• Cons: Stiff ride quality, sharp rear brake