It was a warm day in Hosur at TVS Motors’ facility, with the bright sun and iridescent blue sky, streaked with wisps of cotton-candy clouds. But the test track was getting warmed up by the latest addition to TVS’ scooters line-up, the NTORQ 125.

The NTORQ is conceptualised and made for the youth of today, the millennial ‘Gen Z’, TVS stressed. So how does it fare? We put in a few laps on the track to get to the bottom of it.

Looks and design

The company claims that the styling cues for the NTORQ 125 are inspired by a stealth aircraft. Compared to the rest of the scooter, this inspirational aspect stands out on its rear. The signature tail lamp and its sharp shape is eye-catching and for fans of the hugely popular cartoon show, Swat Kats, would be a reminder of sorts of the crime-fighting, jet-plane-flying feline duo.

The tail-lamp is flanked by faux vents. The indicators are placed below in such a way that they look embedded in the frame and are part of the assembly. The split hand rail at the rear adds to the futuristic look of the scooter.

The headlamp is placed in the middle of the front panel. The tapering glossy finish right above the headlamp, however, is not a regular, and while it looks appealing, may pose maintenance headaches and be prone to scratches. The indicators are placed low on the handlebar.

The chiselled cuts on the chassis and the diamond-cut alloy wheels are a nice touch, considering the positioning of the NTORQ 125. The instrument cluster is a hexagonal, wide, all-digital unit and looks like the iconic Nokia Ngage gaming mobile of the early 2000s. It is equipped with Bluetooth connectivity and syncs with an app on your mobile, but more on that later. The switchgear is of good quality for a scooter in this price range.

Engine and performance

By putting a 125 cc mill on this one, TVS attempts to give young riders more than a typical ‘commuting’ scooter. The engine is a CVTi-REVV, four-stroke, three-valve mill that churns out 9.4 PS of peak power at 7,500 rpm and a peak torque of 10.5 Nm at 5,500 rpm. It is a claimed class-leading power output and that bit of extra power makes itself noticeable on long straight stretches.

The two 600-metre straights on TVS’ test track afforded us that opportunity. The rated top speed of the NTORQ is 95 kmph, but we managed 98, with the throttle pinned back after taking an easy corner. The exhaust note growls more than it whines, and ensures the NTORQ sounds a tad different from other scooters. Torque availability at low revs helps in pulling away quickly after braking, and makes the scooter zippy. The instrument cluster told us that the best 0-60 kmph time we managed was 6.5 seconds.

Braking is fairly sharp and the front disc (220 mm - currently the only variant) and the rear drum brake hold their own. Suspension is on the firmer side and we felt it could have been a little more pliant when we rode the scooter on the Belgian wave test track.

The NTORQ is the first scooter to get an engine-kill switch and this is a nice touch, given that many would like to keep the display on the cluster on without killing the ignition.

Display and connectivity

The all-digital instrument cluster, apart from the run-of-the-mill information, can be set to the ‘Sport Mode’, to give users information like lap timing, top speed during a lap, time taken for 0-60 kmph, average speed, and lap distance.

The cluster is powered by TVS SmartXonnect, a technology platform that makes the NTORQ the country’s first Bluetooth-connected scooter. Riders can download the NTORQ app, available on Android, and sync it with the scooter to get features such as navigation, last parked location, ride and trip information.

The navigation feature’s USP is that if riders navigate via the NTORQ app, which has maps thanks to TVS tying up with MapMyIndia, directional instructions are displayed on the instrument cluster. Also, incoming calls and message notifications are displayed on the panel so riders can choose to stop and receive a call based on its importance. Your phone’s battery and connectivity levels also find display space on the panel.

Underseat storage is fairly large, but it cannot fit a full-sized helmet. There’s a USB charging point, too, under the seat and the fuel tank lid, like other contemporary TVS scooters is outside, adding some convenience.

Bottomline

The era of the scooter is upon us and more and more young buyers are choosing them. TVS’ NTORQ is a good offering and its aggressive pricing (₹58,750, ex-showroom, Delhi) will help its cause.

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