Aprilia SR 150 First Look Review

Aprilia unveiled its ‘sport-scooterbike’, the SR 150, last month at the 2016 Auto Expo. With a launch slated in August, the Aprilia SR 150 is being pegged as a scooter which blends the dynamics of a sporty motorcycle along with the practicality and ease-of-use of an automatic scooter.

The Aprilia SR 150 will be the first of its kind scooter in the Indian market. Its sporty design elements coupled with the sophisticated cycle parts give the SR 150 a very unique personality. The overall design philosophy draws inspiration from the rest of Aprilia’s superbike range. The sharp cut body lines, beaky front end and the RSV4-inspired dual-tone livery accentuate the SR 150’s sporty character. The front apron integrates the headlamp, while the indicators are placed on the handlebar. The single-sided swingarm, blacked-out alloy wheels, exposed rear section and the tall suspension give it the raw appeal of a streetfighter. The instrument cluster, quite contrastingly, gets a very simple design. Ergonomically, the raised handlebar and the cosy seats offer a very comfortable riding position.

The Aprilia SR 150 is underpinned by a tubular steel frame. When it comes to the powertrain, the Aprilia SR 150 will borrow the 150cc air-cooled single-cylinder engine from Vespa. This engine produces 11.4bhp and 11.5Nm of torque through a CVT transmission, though for the SR 150, we can expect the engine to be offered in a higher state of tune for better performance. The 14-inch alloy wheels ride on telescopic front suspension and an offset rear monoshock. Braking is taken care of by a 220mm disc at the front and a 140mm drum unit in the rear.

The Aprilia SR 150 will be locally produced at Piaggio’s manufacturing facility in Baramati, Maharashtra, alongside the rest of the Vespa range. The only other 150cc scooters in India are offered by Aprilia’s sister brand, Vespa. However the Vespa scooters attract a different set of audience than the SR 150, which means the SR 150 might remain unrivalled for quite some time. We can expect the SR 150 to sport a price tag of around Rs 1 lakh, which will make it one of the most expensive scooters in the Indian market. Nevertheless, it will also be the most affordable Aprilia that you can buy in India.

Photography by Sanchit Arora