TVS Raider 125: Need to Know

TVS Raider 125 is the latest contender in the 125-cc space and they have positioned this motorcycle as tailor-made for the ‘Generation Z’.

Peppered with styling elements to attract the youngsters of today and equipped with smartphone-supported tech to make their lives easier, the Raider 125 did make for an interesting proposition even during the presentation. Then we got to ride it and here are a few things that you need to know.

Styling

The headlamp is a departure from anything we have seen from TVS yet. Two DRL strips run down the centre of the full-LED headlamp and it is crowned by a compact instrument console. The fuel tank is the most shapely element of the whole motorcycle. It is flared at the front and tapers away progressively as it appraches the seat junction. The muscular look is further enhanced by a pair of shrouds at the front that are finished in a contrasting colour while sporting the TVS horse logo. The Raider 125’s engine is left exposed to the elements and finished in black paint making for good styling when paired with the body-coloured engine cowl.

TVS have opted for a split-seat configuration, in line with the motorcycle’s sporty side while the rear half is slim and lean when compared to the butch front end. The tail end uses slightly darker colours and ends in a full-LED tail-lamp.

Instrument Console

The Raider is available with a choice of two instrument consoles. One is an extremely compact LCD with an easy-to-read layout while the other is a TFT screen. The latter is for those who want to use TVS’ smartphone connectivity suite but it was not on display this time. In my opinion, the regular LCD is all that we need anyway. It displays the speedometer, tachometer, two trip meters, fuel gauge, clock, average fuel consumption, gear position indicator and range.

Engine

Powering the Raider 125 is a 124.8-cc, air-cooled, three-valve, single-cylinder engine that runs a compression ratio of 10.3:1. It develops 11.4 hp at 7,500 rpm and a peak torque of 11.2 Nm at 6,000 rpm, and is mated to a five-speed transmission. TVS have equipped the Raider with two riding modes; Eco and Power. The rider can switch between them using a switch on the right-hand side of the handlebar. The Eco mode is further equipped with automatic start-stop that they claim improves fuel-efficiency.

Suspension, Brakes and Tyres

The suspension is managed by a conventional telescopic fork at the front and a gas-charged monoshock unit at the rear. TVS claim that the suspension is set up on the sportier side and it was evident when I tackled the long right-hander and the shorter left-hander at the test track. The Raider could easily be flicked into the corner and it held the line with stability throughout the curve. I also rode the motorcycle on the cobblestone and bumpy tracks at the facility. The suspension worked well to absorb the bumps and returned a ride befitting its commuter side. I am fairly confident that it will work well for our road conditions as well.

Braking equipment for the top model includes a 240-mm petal disc at the front and a 130-mm drum at the rear. Feel at the lever is good and promotes progressive, steady and stable braking, allowing me to shed the motorcycle’s top speed of close to 100 km/h and prepare for a slow U-turn. No ABS here but the rear brake is connected to the front using a combined braking system or SBT (Sync-xxxx) as TVS call it.