Aprilia managed to grab headlines at the 2020 auto expo when they showcase this scooter the sxr 160. the reason behind that is because in the market full of scooters that look very conventional a maxi scooter is like a breath of fresh air today we are out riding the scooter and the question that needs to be answered is is this scooter all about style or does it also pack some substance
let's begin by the most striking aspect about the sxr 160 its design there is no denying that when it comes to style the italians are a hard bunch to beat what also works in the aprilia's favor is the maxi scooter style that looks more proportionate than the suzuki bergman street 125 the only other scooter that features such a design there is no denying that this is one of the best looking scooters in the market whether it is the aprilia rs660 superbike inspired headlamp or the way this has been integrated into the front apron i think this whole front end grabs a lot of attention then there's the large smoked windscreen that makes the sxr appear larger than it actually is move to the side and you'll notice the visual bulk of the front apron although i have to say that it has been neatly integrated the gorgeous looking gray alloy wheels are among our favorite design elements especially with the aprilia branding on it the tail section looks sleek and nicely executed while the led tail lamp gels with the rest of the design speaking of leds the aprilia sxr 160 is currently
The only scooter in the country to feature an all led light setup including the turn indicators it certainly adds to the visual appeal and so does the matte blue paint on a test scooter on the whole aprilia deserves full marks for the way they have styled the sxr 160 and it is quite the attention magnet what must also be stated at this point is that underneath the stylish bodywork the sxr 160 uses the aprilia sr116 frame a beat with a longer and strengthened subframe to cope with the additional load the curb weight has also gone up by 10 kilos while the seat height is now lower by 10 mm one of the biggest advantages of a maxi-style scooter is the amount of room on offer this floorboard here can easily accommodate my size 10 boots whereas the seat is long enough to accommodate two full-grown adults the riding position is comfortable with an easy reach to the handlebar however the kings in the front apron where you could extend your feet to relax as you want to on a maxi scooter are too steep making it uncomfortable to do so under the seat there's a decent size boot that's bigger than the srs there's also a lockable glove box behind the front apron that houses a usb charging port the sxr looks fantastic when view from the outside but from the rider's point of view there are many uneven panel gaps on the vast areas of black plastic the quality of plastics could have been nicer as well both on the apron
The exhaust heat shield aprilia says that they are working on improving the fit of the panels and the scooters that reach customers from january onwards will be better in this regard another sore point is that the sxr 160 misses out on a few features that you'd expect from a scooter of this class in today's day and age it is expected of scooters to feature a combination lock that allows you to twist the key and open the seat but that's still not the case with an aprilia you have to take the key out insert it in the keyhole over here to access the boot there is no rear brake lock clasp on the left lever as well which is something you'll miss if you need to park on an incline the instrument cluster is a new lcd unit it is very well laid out and packs a lot of information including distance to empty and the real-time fuel consumption what is missing is bluetooth connectivity and while aprilia will sell it to you as an aftermarket fitment it should have been offered as standard in the first place moving on to the heart of the matter
That's the sxr 160s engine when you look at the spec sheet and see that this is a 160cc engine you expect really thrilling performance but that is not really the case in fact though this engine has been taken from the sr 160 the power delivery is a lot more nicer and calmer aprilia tells us that the milder throttle response is in keeping with the application of the scooter after all the sxr 160 is built for those who want a scooter that's easy to manage at city speeds as well as those who want to ride at a quick yet unhurried base the sr 160 was only a little bit faster than the quickest of the 125 cc scooters and despite what the sxr engine capacity might suggest don't expect to keep up with the jigsaws and the rtrs of the world while we wait to test the scooter's acceleration numbers in terms of feel it is quick enough to keep one entertained it also feels unstressed at speeds of 60 to 80 kph with barely any vibrations to speak of in fact the engine refinement is one of the best bits about this scooter the other bit is the improved ride quality unlike the sr160 that rides on 14 inch wheels the sxr runs on 12 inch wheels the company has also tweaked the suspension settings and that has had a positive bearing on the way the scooter rides aprilia has done a pretty good job of setting up the suspension on the sxr 160.
Yes it is a little firm but it is absorbent at the same time and i think this is one of the most comfortable aprilia's that you find in the market today the improved ride has not covered the cost of handling the sxr 160 has the same wheelbase and steering rake angle as the sr160 and as with that scooter it remains poised and confident in the corners the mrf tires offer more than enough grip to keep the scooter on an intended trajectory adding another layer of confidence are the brakes with abs on the front disc these brakes are one of the best we've experienced on an indian scooter there's good bite good progression and it allows you to brake really hard and stop in an emergency aprilia is yet to announce the price of the sxr 160 and from what we gather it should hover around the rupees 1.15 to rupees 1.25 lakh ex-showroom mark for that kind of money you get a scooter that looks fantastic has a good power train and is comfortable enough to deal with our rolls it also makes for a nice scooter to take on slightly longer rides outside the city that makes the sxr 160 a well-rounded scooter for the family unlike the sr 160 that's solely focused on offering a youthful and sporty experience what has to be considered is that the scooter will cost more than pretty much every 160cc sport naked motorcycle out there and we wish that the price was more accessible if you are willing to make that stretch you'll find an enjoyable scooter in the sxr and one that will make you smile every time you set your eyes on it you
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