The Indian two-wheeler market saw 2,11,81,390 customers bring home a new two-wheeler in the financial year 2018-19. Nearly 32% of these are automatic scooters. That’s no mean feat for a market which had around 12% scooter sales in 2009. While most of the volumes in the market are centred around 110 cc scooters, the market has slowly begun to mature and the demand for premium scooters is rising.
Every year manufacturers have been adding more and more premium scooters to the market. Here’s a list of our favourite premium automatic scooters one can use as a daily ride:
Honda Grazia - The best-looking scooter by Honda 2Wheelers India yet
It is no doubt that Honda is the king of scooters in India. So, when they decided to venture in the premium scooter market, they decided to bring in several segment-first features. The Honda Grazia was the first scooter in India to feature an all-LED headlamp. The design was radically different from the lakhs of Activas they sell every month. The sharp cuts, pointed beaky headlamp and the split grab rails catch your attention from the word go.
Powering the Honda Grazia is the same 124.9 cc air-cooled mill which does duty in the Activa 125. This engine produces 8.63 PS of power and 10.54 Nm of torque. The Honda Grazia has a 190 mm disc up front and a 130 mm drum brake in the rear. It is suspended on a telescopic fork in the front.
The Honda Grazia’s features list is handsome enough to put a lot of premium scooters to shame. The instrumentation is all-digital and includes a unique 3-step Eco Speed Indicator. The premium scooter houses even a tachometer in its display. The rear suspension has 3 adjustable pre-sets. The front apron hides a small glovebox which can store your knick-knacks or your cell phone which can be charged by an optional charger. The premium scooter also gets a 4-in-1 lock with seat opening switch.
Also Read: Honda Activa 125 BS-VI: How different is it from BS-IV variant
The Honda Grazia has been priced at INR 65,095 for the top end trim which gets you the disc brake. We wish it hadn’t shared the rearview mirror with the commuter motorcycle line-up.
TVS Ntorq – The most fun scooter in the market
If the TVS Grazia is the sharpest looking premium scooter in the market, while the TVS Ntorq is the smartest and the most fun-to-ride scooter. The latter was the first Indian scooter to offer Bluetooth connectivity. The premium scooter has stealth aircraft-inspired looks, fancy looking LED taillamp, 12-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels and a sporty grab rail.
Powering the TVS Ntorq is a 124.79 cc air-cooled, 3-valve mill engine produces 9.4 PS of power and 10.5 Nm of torque. Braking duties are dispensed by a 220 mm petal disc in the front and a 130 mm drum in the rear. It tips the scales at 116.1 kg and has a large 22-litre under-seat storage space. The instrumentation is all-digital and offers turn-by-turn navigation and Caller ID function.
The fancy little LCD unit also has a built-in lap timer, 0-60 km/h time recorder, 3 trip meters, lap time recorder, engine temperature indicator and a personalised welcome message. Heck, you can even set an auto-reply SMS for the phone calls you get while riding! And boy, you even get an engine kill switch.
Our only gripe with the scooter, though, is that it does not feature an LED headlamp. The TVS Ntorq has a price tag of INR 59,995 (ex-showroom, Delhi) for the disc brake variant, making it a tremendous value for money premium scooter.
Suzuki Burgman Street – India’s very own maxi-scooter
Suzuki entered the premium scooter market with India’s only maxi-scooter on sale right now, the Suzuki Burgman Street. Why not first? Well, that’s a title for the Kinetic Blaze. The Japanese manufacturer has been using the Burgman moniker and design philosophy for many years now in the European and ASEAN markets. And the moment you set your eyes on the scooter, only one thing comes to mind! This premium scooter is huge in size. And in a good way too.
Powering the Suzuki Burgman Street is the 124 cc air-cooled, SOHC engine which also does duty in the Suzuki Access. The latter is coincidentally the largest selling 125 cc scooter in the market. The engine can produce 8.7 PS of power and 10.2 Nm of torque. Despite the bulky body, the premium scooter from the house of Suzuki tips the scales at just 108 kg.
Also Read: Suzuki Burgman Street - First Ride Review
The features list includes an LED headlamp, aluminium footrest, 21.5-litre under seat storage and a 2-litre glove box near the key slot. A second storage compartment is also present which houses a USB charger. The all-digital instrumentation is reminiscent of the Gixxer and has large readouts.
The Suzuki Burgman Street has been priced at INR 69,208 (ex-showroom, Delhi). Issues with the scooter? Well, I am really nitpicking here. I wish Suzuki had given a rear brake lock.
Vespa SXL 150 – Retro love
The Vespa SXL 150 is the perfect premium scooter you want for your ride to be reminiscent of the 60s. The Piaggio-owned Vespa brand has given the SXL 150 a distinctive rectangular headlamp. The mono-coloured body can be bought in 6 eye-catching candy-inspired colours. The sturdy scooter is built on a monocoque steel body.
Powering the Vespa SXL 150 is, as the name suggests, a 150 cc 3-valve, single cylinder engine with an aluminium cylinder head. A variable spark time management system helps in giving an ideal amount of power output depending on the need. The engine can produce 10.06 PS of power and 10.9 Nm of torque. Vespa’s premium scooter is suspended on a unique single-sided arm in the front with anti-dive. The rear gets a dual effect hydraulic suspension.
The Vespa SXL 150 can be connected to your smartphone which can be used to book a service, panic alert and contact the customer care. That’s not all, the premium scooter also gets the safety net of ABS. The Vespa SXL 150 has been priced at INR 1,04,763 (ex-showroom, Delhi).
Also Read: All Vespa and Aprilia scooters to receive BS-VI compliance by the year-end
Aprilia SR 150 Race – Sport biking on a premium scooter
Want a scooter which gives you the chance to ignite the racer in you? The Aprilia SR 150 Race is what you are looking for! The large beaky front with a dual headlamp setup, large 14-inch wheels and catchy spring-based rear suspension help the scooter create a niche market for itself.
The engine is a 154.8cc air-cooled unit, the largest displacement size in this list. It can produce 10.06 PS of power and 10.9 Nm of torque (yes, that’s the same as the Vespa 150s). Brakes include a 220 mm disc in the front and the 120 specification tyres seem a boon. It also gets a large 6.5-litre fuel tank and ABS. That’s not all, you also get the same smartphone connectivity as seen in the Vespa SXL 150.
The Aprilia SR 150 Race is priced at INR 92,984 (ex-showroom, Delhi).
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