2016 Aprilia SR 150 review, test ride

Did you only see it?

No! We got to ride it too. But, first we’ll look under the skin.

The 154cc four-stroke engine is derived from the force air-cooled unit seen on the Vespas and this has undoubtedly helped Piaggio price the Aprilia well (Piaggio owns Vespa and Aprilia, amongst several other brands). This engine makes 11.4hp of power and 11.5Nm of torque, the same as the Vespa. Piaggio representative said that some tweaks have been made such as a longer crank case to adapt it to the SR chassis, but other internal changes have not been revealed. Piaggio officials suggested that while the stated power and torque might be the same as the Vespa on paper, the dikat was to make the SR150 the fastest scooter in India. Recalibration of the variator to deal with the new wheel size could also have been used to improve responsiveness.

Don’t think of this as a differently dressed Vespa, because instead of Vespa’s signature piece – the monocoque chassis – the Aprilia uses a tubular underbone chassis. Also, it weighs an estimated three-four kilograms lighter than the Vespa. As you can see, the SR150 packs telescopic forks, 14” wheels, a 220mm front disc brake so it could add a dash of zing to your daily commute without taking away the convenience of a scooter.

Uff, Talk to the heart, man!

Right, the Aprilia was a hoot to ride around. The beauty is the way it combines performance and handling to deliver a near “bike” like experience without sacrificing the ease of use expected of a scooter. Incredibly, the motor just feels so strong at higher speeds. Getting to 80kph was a breeze and the 100kph mark came up more often than expected! What was all the more impressive was its well calibrated responses even at low speeds, which makes it very easy to ride carefully. The only downside is that at idle there are a fair bit of vibes at the bar. But, this phenomenon disappears as soon as you twist the accelerator even slightly.

Even at low speeds, the balance of the chassis becomes apparent. The SR150 is precise and confident to steer. These words are usually not used for a scooter, but it becomes very apparent as speeds rise. The SR150 feels more bike than scooter in the way it handles. It doesn’t feel as light as a scooter to steer, but it feels just so sure-footed. Once familiarised, you learn to break late, chuck it in hard and then nail it. Unlike most scooters, the SR150 doesn’t feel nervy when cranked over. It is fun! Even with a pillion on board, the SR150 felt composed as we tackled bumps at 80kph. Shedding speed was solid, courtesy of the 220mm disc two-pot Bybre caliper. The 120/70 x 14 Vee Rubber tyres were tested by the strong bite of the brakes, but they held up well. And after a few corners we couldn’t help but check for chicken strips. We expect that this might end up being the city runabout in most superbike owners’ garages too.