2016 TVS Victor Disc Long Term Review 1

2016 TVS Victor Disc Long Term Review 1

After just having sold my daily ‘commuter’, I was handed the keys to the new TVS Victor as a long termer. That my daily ‘commuter’ was a manic 373cc, 44bhp machine holds no water here, because my new, though a lot slower and saner new commute partner, holds far more significance. Here’s why.

Rewind to 2001. TVS had just broken off its ties with Suzuki and had come up with a completely indigenous bike of its own - the Victor. And the Victor was a resounding success. So much so that when it comes to commuters, even today, the Victor, like the Splendor, is held in very high regard.

Back to the present, and after years of contemplation and having launched a number of commuter bikes since the discontinuation of the original Victor, TVS finally has a product it is confident about to actually call it the Victor. You can read our review of the bike (here), which we thought was a job well done. But, how would it fare in the real world? How would it handle our busy, broken roads? Will it deliver on its fuel efficiency claims? And will it prove to be a reliable, comfortable and likeable commuter?

To answer this and more, we now have the 2016 TVS Victor as part of our long-term fleet. And as first impressions go, I like the way it looks. The neat shade of blue, the blacked-out engine, wheels, exhaust and leg guard, and its overall proportions and stance give it a hint of upmarket appeal one generally associates with 125cc motorcycles. It also has a tachometer and digital instrumentation, a throaty exhaust note, and on this top-spec version, a front disc brake and electric start as well.

What remains to be seen now is how comfortable it proves on my daily commute, what sort of efficiency I can muster, and will I actually end up liking it? Our following reports will answer these and more…

Photography by Kapil Angane