Indian third largest two-wheeler manufacturer, TVS Motors, in recent years, has transformed itself into a most sensible brand. TVS has made its mark among middle-class Indians as a most practical and stylish scooter manufacturer. Jupiter is the runaway success for the brand as the scooter sector in India has shaped quite a bit in recent years. Ever since its launch, Jupiter 110 has had premium yet practical appeal to the mass-consumers. On the other hand, NTorq lured the dynamic buyers with its peppy 125cc motor and sporty looks. So, when TVS launched the 125cc Jupiter last year, my senior Yash Sunil was quite impressed when he drove it at the TVS Hosur test facility track. But, out on the Indian roads, does the Jupiter125 still maintain its practical quotient remained unanswered. So we have spent a weak with the Jupiter 125 hovering around the city and on highways to tell you how different does it performs in the real world.
Verdict
Practicality quotient is aptly fulfilling in the TVS Jupiter 125. Powerful engine, distinctive styling, first-in-class features, mature ride quality and most importantly,decent fuel efficiency figures triumph the case for Jupiter 125. Around Rs 85,000* (ex-showroom) for the top end disc alloy wheel variant is an expensive affair for the scooter. Still, the premium appeal, functional characters and convenience features make it a fantastic choice.
Design and Features
The Jupiter 125 is one of those sophisticated good looking machines that grabs attention. Especially in this Dawn Orange colour. Talking about colour, the paint quality and chrome used on the scooter gives it a plush appeal. Also, some of the body panels are crafted of metal, giving Jupiter 125 a robust stance. The tastefully integrated chrome finishes around LED headlamps, side panels, rear view mirrors, and the speedometer make it look quite distinctive.
The Jupiter 125 gets a part-analogue, part digital speedometer that offers all necessary information like fuel consumption, distance to empty and instantaneous fuel consumption figures, as well as trip meters. The most distinctive feature is the external fuel cap placed on the left side of the inside of the apron. Well, you need to be extra cautious while fueling up the scooter as the fuel lid opening is relatively small. As mentioned earlier, the fuel tank is now placed under the floorboard, which translates into an ample amount of under-seat storage space, 33 litres to be precise. Also, there is a provision for mobile charging, as well as there is an extra 2 litres of storage space for your mobile phone or other small belongings.
Performance
First things first, Jupiter gets a new 124.8cc, single-cylinder, air-cooled engine that produces 8.2hp of power and 10.5 Nm of torque. Whereas its sporty sibling, NTorq 125, produces 9.4hp of power and the same 10.5 Nm of torque. Well, the big difference, though, is the number of valves per cylinder. Jupiter 125 uses a two-valve arrangement, whereas the NTorq gets a three-valve. The two-valve arrangement compromises performance, but it increases fuel efficiency. And one expects handsome fuel efficiency with the practical scooter, don’t they? Talking about efficiency, I hammered the scooter pretty hard through city traffic and highways but still managed to deliver me around 38-42 km/l of fuel economy. Further on, the intelliGO technology is a boon on this scooter that further enhances its economy by shutting off the engine when it is stationary for more than 10 seconds. It has also got an integrated starter generator for silent starts, smart, isn’t it?
The engine is quite torquey with an adequate performance from low to mid-range. The scooter builds up speed linearly, and acceleration is quite dull post-70-75kmph. The engine is pretty punchy and sporty under city conditions, where it will spend most of its time. The brownie point, though, is the refinement of the motor. It is quite smooth most of the time, and only when you throttle it hard the buzz of the motor can be felt. The only complaint is the start-stop system. It is not as communicative and intuitive as one would expect it to be, and I think TVS will rectify that issue soon.
Ride and Handling
As soon as you sit on the scooter, you will appreciate seating comfort, thanks to the longer seat length of 65mm compared to the 110cc Jupiter. Moreover, the seat height is 765mm, which is great for short riders as well. Cheery on the cake is the light and agile handling of the scooter. Manoeuvring the scooter in the city traffic is a breeze. The fuel tank is now placed under the floorboard, which translates into lowering the centre of gravity, thus giving confident handling.
Ride quality is the forte of the Jupiter 125. The scooter gets telescopic hydraulic suspension at the front, and Monotube Inverted Gas (MIG) filled shock with spring aid 3-way adjustable suspension at the rear. The scooter soaks in bumps and potholes quite easily and maintains its composure at high speeds. But, cursing during the dark at high speed is a little troublesome as the light illumination is pretty dull, and we wish TVS to work on the illumination department.
The Jupiter 125 comes equipped with a 220mm disc at the front and a 130mm drum at the rear with the TVS’s Synchronised Braking Technology. The SBT works efficiently, even when slamming the brake harder at decent high speeds. No such incidents of skidding or losing out composure have been noticed. More so ever, the braking feedback is quite confidence-inspiring as well.
