Aprilia Bikes

Reading many reviews and looking at major auto website reviewers' opinions, and comparisons with Aerox; it was all very confusing to pick a maxi scooter. After a lot of thought, I decided to go with test-riding every possible scooter in the market. After many test rides including the Aerox, I decided to go with the Aprilia SXR 160. Before I got to the details of SXR 160, I saw a lot of videos that said Aerox was a much better choice. I do not know about the rider's choice about Aerox there but it was not as convenient as suggested. Using the backseat is a pain, it is like climbing a hill. The lack of Footboard space that too for tall individuals like me (6'1) is very inconvenient and cramped where you cannot move your foot. The ride I took for a few kilometers, I realized that it was never that comfortable to ride. The breaks were not as sharp. The front crash guard storage too is not something great with not-so-good plastics. Styling is not as good as SXR 160 with improper indicator placements and not all LED lightings. On the other hand, the Aprilia SXR 160, may not have hit the top speeds of the Aerox; but it is not practical for both bikes to ride over 80 or 90 km from a road safety standpoint and keeping ride fatigue in mind. Having said this, if you are looking for a ride speed less than 90 kmph you have a winner in the Aprilia SXR 160. The Aprilia SXR 160 has a great ride Quality. It hits a 60 kmph within around 8 seconds and to the top speed it takes close to 15 to 20 seconds there on. Unless you are on a clear path or highway, reaching the top speed might be not practical for any scooter I guess. The maneuvering of this bike is a piece of cake. Though the SXR 160 is big and looks bulky, the cornering and turns in city riding or top-speed road curves are simply a breeze. The handle is very smooth and never feels bulky or inconvenient to handle. The ride feels very confident with excellent road grip. I loved overtaking in traffic and zipping through in traffic which was quick and the engine was like I hear you let's speed away. The brakes are amazingly sharp. When applying both front and back breaks, it stops almost instantly. I realized that the back brake was mostly enough to stop this bike. Gives you so much confidence to ride in cities or highways. The front telescopic shocks are smooth and even the back shocks along with a rider were very comfortable with minimal jerks. The 2023 model's sound of this scooter is less noisy (compared to the 2022 ones). But at high speeds, it simply sounds like a regular motorbike with the grunt. There is a carbon finish on the handlebar covers including the side panels. The plastic finish is much better compared to 2022 or prior models. It also comes with OBD2 diagnostics. With the color option we had, I chose the red one which was eye-catching and the presence it created was great. Seating is pretty much comfortable and I suggest going for after-market gel seating or cushions for a long ride. The pillion seats are good and with a big grab handle, it feels safe to hold on bumpy roads. The mileage of this bike for the engine size is still good. I could get a city mileage of around 38 to 40 kmpl as compared to around 42 to 45 kmpl on highways at good speeds. The overall styling of the SXR 160 is very smooth and looks like a monocoque body from front to back. The headlight panel along with a very nice looking DRL and indicators. Also, the back brake light and indicators are all so smoothly put together. The all-LED lighting makes for excellent visibility. The things it lacks: No side steps for ladies where they could sit one-sided which would have also helped them climb onto the back seats. Bluetooth connectivity where a cluster has no map integration. However, given the positioning of the cluster of any bike, I did not feel the need for it. App connectivity could have been a good option to see vehicle performance. Finally coming to the buying experience, I had an option of buying a 2021 manufactured vehicle or a 2023 manufactured one. The 2021 was 30k to 35k cheaper given the manufacturing date. I initially made a decision to buy a 2021 model SXR 160 as it was a great bargain. My fault was that I booked it on Sunday and took delivery on Monday all cash. The vehicle was not so great looking as it had blemishes and the front shocks were not great too and looked like it was pretty much ridden, but given it was an auspicious day, I picked it up as my family was alone and did not want to make them feel bad and took the scooter home. Guess the dealership did not have enough time to test, check, and deliver the vehicle given the short timeline. The thought of buying a new vehicle with such shortcomings was eating me away the whole day I called the dealership the same night and they immediately agreed to replace the vehicle with a 2023 model without any questions asked. So came home, the 2023 manufactured Aprilia SXR 160. The Aprilia buying experience with Pinnacle Initiatives in Bangalore was pretty good with excellent customer centricity and service. Uday the owner of the dealership was very cooperative and made all required arrangements and David the salesperson provided prompt service by delivering the brand new 2023 vehicle at home and picking the older previous model. They also gave me a 2nd year free AMC for the bike for the ordeal I had gone through. Overall the Aprilia SXR 160 is a great purchase for people looking for a comfortable ride with great looks.