TVS XL at 40 – Created to XL

The TVS XL 100 Comfort i-Touchstart and the Win Edition also get some cool goodies apart from the styling elements that set them apart. Prime among these is the USB port useful for charging a mobile phone on the go. This feature is available as an option on the XL 100 Heavy Duty.

The “Comfort” model’s distinct fairing around the headlight looks cool. It’s easy to ride and get used to, with its combination of compact size, light weight, gearless go, and tight turning circle. Plus, there’s the long seat in a premium dual-tone style and a cushion back-rest for enhanced pillion comfort. The XL 100 Comfort is quite an attractive little package. There’s even a lockable storage compartment below the front of the seat at the end of the special Silver Oak-finished front platform. The reserve warning light, too, is a useful addition.

The Heavy Duty model and the Win Edition, meanwhile, get a unique split seat set-up with a detachable rear seat. This makes it easier to load up large boxes or items that don’t fit on the wide front platform. Don’t be fooled by the size of the wheels or suspension, though. The 16-inch wire-spoked wheels with Dura Grip tyres (2.5 inches wide) can handle more than their fair share of load. The properly heavy-duty suspension — telescopic fork front and twin coil-springs with hydraulic shock-absorbers at the rear — work well to flatten out road inconsistencies. The Heavy Duty doesn’t care for the kind of surface and is an effortless multi-terrain ride. It can handle a lot of ups and downs with ease and its rugged, purposeful build ensures it comes out on top each time.

The Win Edition, celebrating 40 years of the TVS XL 100, brings even more stylistic highlights in sparkling chrome. The front platform has a chrome metal shield, the mirrors are chromed as well. The split seat has a premium dual-tone finish. It also gets an exclusive and attractive “Delight Blue” paint shade.

As I write this, I have no doubt that you, dear reader, have, at least once, seen one of these little mopeds scurrying around town either to or from a nearby market, loaded in no small way with an array of produce or means of nutritive replenishment. In traffic, it’s not speed that matters, it’s how quick and nimble it can be, and a seemingly inevitable second glance is reassuring of the fact that the little runabout means business. For many, it’s a pick-up truck on two wheels and it’s proof that dynamite does come in small packages.

Need to Know – TVS XL 100 i-Touchstart

Pricing (ex-showroom):
Rs 47,507 (Heavy Duty)
Rs 49,327 (Comfort)
Rs 49,549 (Win Edition)

Engine: 99.7-cc, air-cooled, single-cylinder
Max Power: 4.4 hp @ 6,000 rpm
Max Torque: 6.5 Nm @ 3,500 rpm
Transmission: Single-speed, centrifugal clutch, chain final drive
Suspension: Telescopic fork front, twin shock-absorbers with coil springs rear
Weight: 89 kg