A 125cc scooter and the race track? I know, it sounds ridiculous. But go beyond how it sounds, and you might realise there is more to this combination than meets the eye. The two-wheeled runabout in question is the Suzuki Avenis 125, which was launched last year. And it does not take more than a few seconds to figure out that it was launched to take on an accomplished rival – the TVS Ntorq 125, which is widely considered to be the segment’s top dog. Keeping its visual similarities to the Ntorq aside, the Avenis is one good-looking scooter, especially in its Race Edition livery.
When I first rode it a couple of months ago, I was genuinely impressed by Suzuki’s effort. The Avenis features a basic single-cylinder air-cooled setup, and its 125cc motor develops a reasonable 8.6bhp @ 6,750rpm and 10Nm @ 5,500rpm. These figures might not sound like much, but because it tips the scales at just 106kgs, which is pretty light when compared to some of its rivals, the Avenis is a pretty good performer overall, at least in everyday riding conditions. During off-the-line acceleration, the Avenis feels sprightly and reaches 50km/h quite easily. However, beyond this speed, the progress is quite leisurely, and you get a feeling that the engine has run out of steam.
Performance aside, one quality of the Avenis that really caught my attention was its easy manoeuvrability. And the track was perhaps the ideal place to test this aspect to the hilt. The Avenis really impresses you with its nimble handling. However, as I reported earlier, the Avenis’ seat is not the best for providing a neutral riding posture. That said, it’s not a major drawback or a deal breaker, to be honest.
To sum up, I think the Avenis is a handsome, good-handling scooter, albeit with some scope for improvement, especially in terms of plastic quality (of some panels) and the saddle shape.
- Suzuki Avenis 125 (Lap Time – 01:41.6)
| PARAMETERS | POINTS | SCORE |
|---|---|---|
| QUALITY | 10 | 7 |
| COMFORT & PRACTICALITY | 10 | 8 |
| REFINEMENT | 10 | 8 |
| DESIGN | 10 | 6.5 |
| DRIVETRAIN | 10 | 7.5 |
| RIDE & HANDLING | 10 | 7 |
| X FACTOR | 15 | 7 |
| LAP TIME | 5 | 0 |
| VALUE FOR MONEY | 20 | 14 |
| TOTAL | 100 | 65 |
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