Aprilia has just launched its most affordable offering in the country, the Aprilia Storm. At Rs 65,000, the Storm is also likely to be the most affordable Aprilia in the world. The scooter is based on the SR range of scooters, but gets wider tyres and loses out on some hardware to keep costs in check. The Aprilia SR 125 costs around Rs 8,000 more than the Storm, making it significantly more expensive than its 125cc rivals. The Storm’s price, meanwhile, puts it in competition with the Honda Grazia and the TVS Ntorq. We find out how they stack up on paper?
Styling and tech:
Barring the bolder graphic schemes, the Aprilia Storm 125 looks just like its SR siblings. That isn’t necessarily a bad thing because despite its age, this design language continues to be the sharpest and sportiest you will see on an Indian scooter. Aprilia has said that the Storm is directed at a younger audience and the graphic schemes it comes with certainly attest to this claim. Available in two bright colour options, the Storm is quite the attention grabber. Adding to the visual drama, are chunky off-road tyres, which is not a trait common to scooters in the country. The Storm also borrows its headlight and analogue instrumentation from the Aprilia SR 125.
The TVS Ntorq, meanwhile, features some sharp, sporty styling too, and can be had in bright colours as well. It features a full-digital display that’s certainly the most advanced of the lot. The Bluetooth compatible unit is also capable of displaying basic navigation prompts and gets a ‘Sport’ mode that displays a lap timer and also logs 0-60kph times.
On the other hand, the Grazia features the most contemporary design of the bunch and is one that will appeal to a wider audience. While it may not have bold styling on its side, it’s the only one here to get an LED headlight and also the only scooter in India with an rpm gauge on its fully-digital display.
| Dimensions | |||
| Aprilia Storm 125 | TVS Ntorq 125 | Honda Grazia | |
| Length | 1985mm | 1865mm | 1821mm |
| Width | 703mm | 710mm | 697mm |
| Height | 1166mm | 1160mm | 1146mm |
| Wheelbase | 1365mm | 1285mm | 1260mm |
| Seat height | 775mm | 770mm | 766mm |
| Kerb weight | 115kg | 116kg | 107kg |
| Fuel tank | 7 litres | 5.0 litre | 5.3 litres |
| Front tyre | 120/80 - 12 | 100/80 R12 | 90/90 R12 |
| Rear tyre | 130/80 - 12 | 110/80 R12 | 90/100 R10 |
Engine and hardware:
The Aprilia Storm gets the same powertrain as the SR 125, with the 125cc single-cylinder, three-valve, air-cooled unit producing 9.5hp at 7,250rpm and 9.9Nm of torque at 6,250rpm. This makes it the most powerful scooter here, but by a very small margin – just 0.1hp more than the Ntorq 125. On the other hand, it makes the least torque of the lot. Unlike its more expensive SR siblings that come equipped with 14-inch wheels, the Storm gets 12-inch wheels that are shod with Vee Rubber off-road oriented tyres that measure 120/80 at the front and 130/80 at the rear – considerably wider than those on its rivals.
Powering the new Ntorq 125 is a 124.8cc motor with a three-valve head that’s good for 9.4hp at 7,500rpm and 10.5Nm of torque at 5,500rpm. The Ntorq also has 12-inch wheels at both ends with 100/80 (front) and 110/80 (rear) tyres. The Grazia, meanwhile, is powered by the same 124.9cc motor seen on the Activa – it produces 8.5hp at 6,500rpm and 10.5Nm of torque at 5,000rpm. The 12-inch front wheel is shod in 90/90 rubber while the 10-inch rear wheel gets a 90/100 tyre.
The Grazia and Ntorq are available as a front disc variant and a drum brake variant, while the Storm has been launched only with drum brakes. However, Aprilia has told us that a disc brake variant is in the works.
| Powertrain | |||
| Aprilia Storm 125 | TVS Ntorq 125 | Honda Grazia | |
| Engine | 124.49, 3-valve | 124.7cc, 3-valve | 124.9cc, 2-valve |
| Power | 9.5hp at 7250rpm | 9.4hp at 7500rpm | 8.5hp at 6500rpm |
| Torque | 9.9Nm at 6250rpm | 10.5Nm at 5500rpm | 10.5Nm at 5000rpm |
Verdict:
The Rs 8,000 difference between the Aprilia Storm and the SR 125 means the former is now in a much better position to rival other 125cc scooters in the segment. That said, it still offers a little less than its competition at the price point. The disc variants of the Grazia and Ntorq costs Rs 65,095 and Rs 59,900, respectively, offering more value for around the same price or less. What the Storm does have in its favour is bold and sporty styling, and of course, the title of being the only product here from an exotic Italian manufacturer.
| Price | |||
| Aprilia Storm 125 | TVS Ntorq 125 | Honda Grazia | |
| Price (ex-showroom, Delhi) | Rs 65,000 | Rs 58,252 | Rs 60,723 |
Also see:
2019 Aprilia SR 150 ABS review, test ride
from Autocar India - Bikes http://bit.ly/2WzYb2g
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