At one point during my time with the VLF Mobster 135, which was pretty brief, I must admit (had it just for 3 days), I had to reshape my opinion about this scooter. This was on the final day of dailying it, while travelling back to suburban Mumbai after a shoot in Navi Mumbai. I’ll come to that realisation later, but for now, let me start from the start.
The name Mobster 135 sounded odd when Cyrus mentioned it and assigned me the job of reviewing it. I have to admit, this scooter had slipped under my radar, and I was clueless about its existence. Why would someone name their product, let alone a scooter, Mobster? Isn’t it a word associated with gangsters, mafia men, et al? And then there’s the 135 in its name! Does this scooter have an identity crisis, parading itself as being stronger than it actually is? Thankfully, these two questions were answered very quickly.
The Mobster in its name is pretty justified, given how aggressively it’s been built and how eager it is to tear through tarmac. This 125cc scooter doesn’t behave like one at all. It’s got a roaring sound and quick throttle response that lets you overtake with the kind of confidence you get while driving a motorcycle. And that’s a character trait that certainly makes it worthy of the Mobster tag. And when you realise how powerful it feels to ride it, it dawns on you that the 135 in its name is also quite justified, given how it delivers a punchier thump than what its 125cc engine is rated for.
Small Engine, Big Attitude
If you go by raw specs, Mobster 135 should behave like a gentleman, not a mobster. It’s got a 125cc, single-cylinder, liquid-cooled engine, which allows it to produce 12.1 horsepower and 11.7 Nm of torque. And it boasts a top speed of around 100 kmph. But as much as it sounds innocent, it just isn’t that. This might be one of the most aggressive-feeling 125cc bikes you can ride in India today. At the moment you twist the throttle, the Mobster lunges forward with conviction, but it’s the mid-rev range where it feels its most powerful. This ensures that you’re not met with sudden jerks when starting your commute. And it also ensures that overtaking is absolutely effortless. The kind of effortless that makes you forget you’re riding only a 125cc bike.
The VLF Mobster 135 uses an Infinitely Variable Transmission (IVT), which suits it perfectly. Power keeps flowing without interruption, and the sound? As you zoom past traffic, the exhaust note announces your arrival before you actually appear in anyone’s rear-view mirror. This engine is quick enough to embarrass slower cars in the city. And alive enough to keep you smiling every time the road clears. In many ways, the Mobster 135 is a streetfighter scooter that gets most things right.
Neatly Done
Priced at a respectable ₹1,30,000, the VLF Mobster 135 is unapologetically style-driven. It is built for those who want a scooter to look powerful, feel quick in traffic, and stand out in a parking lot. It delivers on visual theatre and city-friendly performance. It does not deliver on practicality at all. So, if you ride alone, live primarily in urban traffic, and value uniqueness over tradition, the Mobster has undeniable charm. But if you ride with a passenger, take long routes, or prioritise comfort over appearance, this bike will frustrate you sooner rather than later. Choose accordingly.
Dressed to Kill
The Mobster makes no attempt to blend in, and that is very clearly by design. Its stance is wide, its bodywork looks tightly wound around the mechanicals, and there is an unmistakable sense of aggression in the way it occupies road space. This is not a scooter that fades into the background of city traffic. Instead, it looks like something conceived in an underground Italian garage, where drama, attitude, and visual tension are part of the brief rather than side effects.
The design language is layered and deliberate. Exposed elements, sharp surfacing, and a visible nuts-and-bolts aesthetic give it a slightly industrial feel, while the silver accents add just enough contrast to prevent it from looking crude. The dual headlamp setup reinforces the scooter’s confrontational face, and the large 12-inch wheels fill the arches well, contributing significantly to its planted, muscular proportions. From most angles, the Mobster 135 looks more like a compact streetfighter than a conventional scooter. Interestingly, the Mobster’s presence works almost too well. At nearly every stop, it attracts attention, with passers-by often asking whether it is electric, which is an assumption driven largely by its clean, futuristic styling. For VLF, that curiosity is a win in itself.
The instrument cluster continues the modern theme. It is clear, intuitive, and easy to read at a glance, with multiple brightness modes that genuinely help in varying lighting conditions. The only blemish is the fuel gauge, which occasionally feels optimistic in its readings. It is not a deal-breaker, but it does demand a little more attention than it should.
Quality Riding
Suspension duties are handled by telescopic front forks and dual gas-charged rear shock absorbers. At slower, everyday city speeds, the setup performs well enough, absorbing small bumps and irregular surfaces without fuss. But once speeds climb beyond 60 kmph, broken tarmac and sharper speed breakers start making their presence felt more clearly. The ride never turns harsh, but it does lose some composure at higher cruising speeds.
One point worth flagging is the front-end feel at low speeds. The front wheel occasionally feels slightly loose or floaty, especially during slow manoeuvres. This could be down to tyre choice or a specific test-bike issue, but until multiple bikes are evaluated, it remains a red flag worth noting. On the braking front, the Mobster 135 redeems itself convincingly. Disc brakes at both ends, paired with switchable dual-channel ABS, deliver strong, predictable stopping power.
When Perspective Stepped in
This is where we go back to the ride back from Navi Mumbai that I had mentioned at the start. Up until then, my impressions of the scooter were shaping up pretty well, and I was actually certain that I would try to convince friends and family to sacrifice a little bit of practicality and go for this one. As it turns out, “little bit” is an understatement, and there’s a reason why popular practical commuters are still enjoying immense popularity in India.
That ride back to Andheri from Navi Mumbai was at 2 PM in scorching Mumbai heat. And logistical issues at the shoot meant that I had to complete that journey with our DOP Divesh Vyas riding pillion. The pillion seat, being small, narrow, and raised, led to immense discomfort. So much so that expletives just wouldn’t stop flying out of his mouth. Things were cramped for me as well. A 6 ft 3 in person sitting jaggedly, trying hard to ensure that the handlebars don’t hit the knees during sharp turns. Footboard space is tiny as well, which meant that only one of our backpacks could be placed there. The advent of cramps, then, was inevitable, and a lot of short stops had to be made to keep them at bay.
That’s when it dawned on me: If I wish to avoid hearing the same expletives from the people I recommend it to, I should never, ever pitch it as a replacement for their daily commuter. Fair enough, but that still doesn’t make it any less attractive to its actual target audience.
City-Focused, Lifestyle-Led
The Mobster’s overall personality caters clearly to lifestyle riders rather than utility seekers. Despite this, it’s got respectable fuel efficiency numbers. 46 kmpl is what’s claimed by VLF, but 36 kmpl is what I got during my brief use, which is really not that bad. Maintenance access appears straightforward, and ownership costs are likely to be competitive, although long-term reliability remains something only time will validate. Instrumentation is neat and sufficiently informative, though not particularly premium. You get the basics done well, without any flashy electronic aids or ride modes.
