TVS Ntorq 125 Long Term Report 2: City

Fit for the City

I have spent more than a month with the TVS Ntorq and I am happy to report there is a lot to like about this modern 125cc scooter. I rode the Ntorq predominantly in the city but in my commute I don’t encounter too much traffic and it mostly comprises of cruising with minimal stop-go situations. To my surprise, the Ntorq cruises with ease even when you are doing in excess of 70kmph and the torquey motor has enough in reserve to make a quick overtake. Then there is the ride, which is pliant and combined with the large well cushioned seat, makes my 24km daily commute a pleasant affair. It does have its limitations though. When riding over rippled surfaces, the 12 inch tyres struggles to cope with the abuse and its best to back-off as the ride does become quite jiggly. On the other hand, this is true of most scooters and in fact, the Ntorq feels better than most of its rivals. 

On the downside, I did face some issues with the Ntorq. The first problem is cold starting this scooter. As TVS has given it an auto choke instead of a manual one, you have to kick three times to activate it. It works fine when the scooter in regular use. But when you keep it standing for more than 3-4 days, starting the 125cc motor is quite a task as you have to kick several times. Besides, Mumbai rains have taken a toll on this modern scooter too. Despite it being parked mostly in a covered area, the throttle has become jammed and one has to manually shut the throttle off as the spring action isn’t working. 

On the whole, my experience with the TVS Ntorq has been a good one, but the small niggles does take away from what should have been a trouble-free month considering that the scooter has just done 2000km.