Bike India

Best Bikes in India | No.1 Two Wheeler Magazine

  • Home
  • News
    • Upcoming Launches
    • Latest News
    • New Bike Launches
  • Reviews
    • First Ride
    • Road Test
    • Comparison
  • Features
  • Our Bikes
  • Videos
  • Subscribe
  • NG Auto
    • AUTO COMPONENTS INDIA
    • CAR INDIA
    • COMMERCIAL VEHICLE
  • Brands

New Aprilia SR 160 and SR 160 Race BS6 First Ride Review

October 7, 2020 by Sarmad Kadiri Leave a Comment

The 2020 Aprilia SR 160 and Aprilia SR 160 Race BS6 bring motorcycle-like road manners with the convenience of a scooter.

2020 Aprilia SR 160 BS6 instrument features Bike India Review2020 Aprilia SR 160 BS6 ride action review red and black2020 Aprilia SR 160 BS6 new colour and graphic stickers decal2020 Aprilia SR 160 BS6 test ride rear designaction 2020 Aprilia SR 160 BS6 riding picture first impression

Story: Sarmad Kadiri
Photography: Sanjay Raikar

If performance is your biggest turn-on, then the SR is just the scooter for you. Aprilia have updated the range to meet the stringent BS6 norms with a larger-capacity engine, jumping from the earlier 154.8-cc unit to a 160.03-cc one with fuel-injection. The idea was to ensure that the power, the key ingredient for the SR range, wasn’t compromised.

Design
The scooter is now available in three versions: SR 160, Carbon, and Race. There’s not much change in terms of design, apart from the slightly different colour scheme. If you look closer, though, you will notice a new single-barrel headlamp which looks better than the older dual-barrel unit. The standard
scooter is available in the familiar black-and-red combination and the Carbon follows an all-black theme with some red detailing.

Aprilia SR 160 Race
The Race is practically the same scooter with the exception of a slightly re-tuned CVT with different bearings for better low-down performance and a set of Ceat tyres. This sportier variant comes in matte black body colour with RS-GP 20-inspired livery and also the signature bright red paint on the wheels and the monoshock along with a gold-finished Bybre caliper. It’s probably the most aggressive-looking scooter in the market. (Also Read: Aprilia Storm 125 BS6 Review)

Action riding 2020 Aprilia Sr 160 Race BS6Action riding 2020 Aprilia SR 160 Race BS6Instrument console 2020 Aprilia Sr 160 Race BS6Action riding 2020 Aprilia Sr 160 Race BS6

Performance
The SR range still feels fun and lively to ride but marginally less aggressive than the BS4 version — a common trait seen on many models trying to achieve cleaner emissions. During our short ride experience, it was difficult to judge if the Race, which is said to be the livelier of the lot, could actually live up to its promise. The difference is so subtle that we’ll need to test it with the DriftBox to get an answer.
Overall, the power delivery is linear and the scooters hit 60 km/h before you know it and effortlessly go beyond 80 km/h if given a chance. It will be interesting to see if the BS6 versions can match the less than seven seconds 0- 100 km/h time of the outgoing model.

Ride and Handling
Though there aren’t any changes in the chassis and other cycle parts, the SR 160 does get new MRF tyres on its 14-inch wheels, replacing the imported Vee Rubber tyres. These impressed us more with their superior grip as compared to the Ceats of the Race. Aprilia have been constantly working on the
suspension set-up, which, in the older model, was rather stiff. The retuned front fork comes with a 30-mm inner tube which promises a more forgiving ride. On the road, however, the change is barely noticeable and most of the broken path still filters through to your wrists. It’s on winding roads that the SR range truly shines, offering motorcycle-like agility and confidence.They also have spectacular braking, thanks to the large 220-mm disc assisted by ABS, which further boosts the rider’s confidence.

action 2020 Aprilia SR 160 BS6 riding picture first impression

Price
The combination of a peppy engine, excellent brakes, and nimble handling is something most other scooters can only envy. But for that you have to shell out a premium. Rs 1.03 lakh (ex-showroom) for the standard SR 160, while the Race demands another Rs 7,000. That’s practically what you’d pay for some extreme 160-cc motorcycles.

Conclusion
The only chink in the armour remains the value proposition due to the sketchy equipment list. It doesn’t include basic features offered as standard on smaller and more affordable scooters with no fully digital instrument cluster, external fuel filler lid or boot lamp, and has a tiny under-seat storage. Yet many Indians are willing to pay a premium without bothering about the minor compromises
because they love the motorcycle-like performance it offers along with the convenience of a scooter. Oh, and that aggressive Italian design!

(Also Read: Vespa SXL 150 and Racing Sixties 150 Review)

Sarmad Kadiri – who has written 171 posts on Bike India.


Email

Related posts:

Lumax Lubricants and Coolants Launched
Simple One Launched in India
Geoffrey Emmanuel in FIM World Championship JuniorGP

Filed Under: Aprilia, First Ride, Latest News, Review Tagged With: 160 scooter, Aprilia Race, Aprilia SR, best scooter, latest scooters, maxi-scooter, price, Race 160, review, specs, sporty scooter, SR 160

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

AlphaOmega Captcha Classica  –  Enter Security Code
 ⟲    ➴
 


LATEST ISSUE

Bike India - India's no. 1 two-wheeler magazine

17TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL

Bike India - India's no. 1 two-wheeler magazine

Triumph Street Triple 765 R and RS Review | The Best Street Triple Yet

Ducati Diavel V4 Review | Devil of the Mountain

Royal Enfield Hunter 350 first ride | Aspi Bhathena

SPECIAL Featured Story

Bookings Opened For New 2023 Yamaha Models

Bookings Opened For New 2023 Yamaha Models

Bookings for the new 2023 Yamaha models, the YZF-R3, MT-03, YZF-R7 and MT-07 have started across India. Yamaha dealers are accepting reservations for a refundable booking amount of Rs 3,000. In the coming months, these bikes are anticipated to make a formal appearance.

More about this.

Recent Posts

  • Lumax Lubricants and Coolants Launched
  • Simple One Launched in India
  • Geoffrey Emmanuel in FIM World Championship JuniorGP
  • Harley-Davidson X440 July Launch

Car India

Car India Magazine - Get your Digital Subscription

Latest News

Lumax Lubricants and Coolants Launched

Simple One Launched in India

Geoffrey Emmanuel in FIM World Championship JuniorGP

Harley-Davidson X440 July Launch

Subscribe to Car India

Subscribe to our Car India Magazine

Bike India: India’s no. 1 two-wheeler magazine

BIKE India covers the two-wheeler industry in its entirety, both from the local and the international perspective. Also delivers the most definitive verdict on machinery and performance by explaining the hows, whys, and whats on every new bike in a lucid and user-friendly manner. BIKE India is the India’s most authoritative two-wheeler publication, a magazine for people with a passion for bikes and everything to do with their history and heritage.
SiteMap

Copyright © 2023 · BIKE INDIA INDIA’S NO. 1 TWO WHEELER MAGAZINE, BY FAR! ·