TVS NTORQ 125 Road Test Review

Design and Styling of TVS NTorque 125

The NTorq 125 was designed to impress and that it does. There are a lot of brightly coloured options to choose from. What we got was a Bumble Bee like yellow with black accents. The matte finish was the icing on the cake. The front headlamp is somewhat plain to look at but I do not mind it much because it does come studded with a batwing style DRL. The turn indicators come mounted on the handlebar. The side of the scooter holds a few interesting bits including the number 125 written on the side of the front board and the premium looking NTorq 3D logo on the side panels.

Things get even more interesting at the back as the NTorq 125 gets afterburner style exhaust vents flanking the T shaped LED tail-lamp. The turn indicators at the rear are much more sleek and sharp when compared to the front ones. Sure the scooter looks a bit wide from the back but if Nicki Minaj can be famous because of her derriere, then this is no crime.

Engine and Performance of TVS NTorq 125

The very first thing that I noticed about the NTorq, while riding, was the engine refinement. TVS needs a pat on the back for this. There is no sign of struggle as you twist the throttle. The next thing I noticed was the linear climb in speed. While being quick enough for city roads, the scooter has a very smooth transition into higher speeds. Do not expect a sudden boost or jerk as you accelerate, this scooter thinks for a fraction of a second when you accelerate suddenly and then starts climbing the speedo ladder in a very elegant manner. So no drag racing on this, but it is no slouch either, not even by a long shot.

The company states a top speed of 95kmph but my light weight allowed the scooter to actually reach above 100kmph and cruising at 100kmph will also be no problem for those on the lighter side. Even at that speed there was very little vibration. The scooter can easily make it past 60kmph and had no issue going till 80kmph either. However, for most people, who weigh more, that easy climb might be till the speedo reaches 70-75kmph. This makes the scooter definitely a great choice for cruising on highways as well. The 5.3L fuel tank is pretty standard for the segment and you can expect a fuel efficiency of about 45-50kmph if you ride smartly. There is a little indicator light on the left of the meter console that tells you whether you are riding in Eco or Power mode. In case you gun the scooter at all times then expect to see the fuel level fall like it is in love with gravity.

Keeping track of the vehicle and its stats is very easy thanks to the Bluetooth connectivity provided by TVS. It is the first connected scooter by TVS and lets you pair your scooter with your smartphone via Bluetooth. Once paired, you can programme the scooter to display your name when you start it. The completely digital meter console is great when it comes to legibility and also throws loads of information at you. There are a total of three trip meters with one of them being exclusively for when the scooter is in reserve.

Once connected to a phone, the scooter’s console will display your phone’s battery and signal strength as well. There is a handy clock that syncs itself the moment you connect a phone and you can also manually change the time but that will be a bit hard. The NTorq 125 is also capable of showing various display modes. It is in street mode by default and you can switch to sport mode wherein you get a lap timer, a 0-60kmph recorder and it also records your average speed and top speed for that lap. You of course have a fuel level indicator on the lower right corner and also an engine temperature indicator on the lower right. The engine kill switch on the handlebar is a nice addition and while its usefulness might not be apparent immediately, you do appreciate it as you encounter frequent traffic signals. The rest of the switches too are easy to reach and press.

The 12 inch cast aluminium alloys look great and the tyres do provide a nice grip. Just do not lean in too quickly as the scooter might respond in an overenthusiastic manner. The suspension of the other hand came as a big surprise. On paper it is a fairly standard telescopic fork up front and a single gas charged shock at the back. Being a performance oriented scooter, I was expecting it to be somewhat stiff, instead it was quite soft. The NTorq managed to absorb the bumps much better than a lot of other scooters in its segment. You are aided in you braking maneuvers by a 220mm disc at the front and a 130mm drum in the rear. The front disc is somewhat lenient at first but then kicks in full swing. I like the rear drum brake better as it had a much tighter response. Using them both in tandem can bring you to a halt safely even from high speeds. Maybe a combined braking setup would be a welcome addition in the future.

Verdict

Yes there are a few shortcomings on the scooter but none of them are grave enough to stop me from recommending the scooter to anyone. It will appeal to the young and those who are young at heart. So did I find the answer to the question that was in my mind before I began my ride? Yes I did. The NTorq 125 does strike a very pleasing balance between sporty performance while providing a comfortable commute for your daily journeys.