[siddarthab]

Fabulous opening picture and post Speed.Demon !!!

Beautifully narrated with splendid photographs to boot.

Congratulations on a lovely acquisition. Hope it gives you miles and miles of happiness. Ride Safe

Warm regards,

Siddhartha

[abhinav.s]

Superbly penned down review! Straight from the heart and the decision making and the conclusion parts with your mum was really hilarious!
You have some really scenic routes that you commute on and have put up some wonderful pics to boot as well. Rating it a well deserved 5 stars for the wonderful narration and pics.

[Highh5]

One Heck of an interesting ownership review. Man you got some serious writing skills and the way you summed up the constant tussle between you and your mom on the bike/Scooter saga is completely spot on. Many people will actually connect with the whole scenario.
Anyway Aprilia SR 150 already got my respect once it got launched and your ownership review just took it to greater heights.
For the headlight issue, try swapping the stock bulb with the LED ones or try to play with the focus, many of the times it's not in the perfect position when delivered.
Stiff Suspension is one of the needed virtues for this machine and Softening it will take away the confidence/fun while doing High speed corners or manoeuvre (My two cents).
Enjoy the thread and keep the thread alive.

[Jas21]

Awesome writing skills buddy!

Keep writing your scooter diaries (rather write a novel buddy, you might do a better job than many Indian fiction writers).

Congrats on the purchase, Happy riding!

I am definitely considering SR150, as a replacement to my aging Activa, but I am bit skeptical on morning starting problem. I own an RE Classic 350 too, and it starts with a single kick even after a week; Aprilia should ideally be better in this aspect. I hope they take care of this sooner.

[sagaranjos]

That was a very well written post.
I started off neeche if my interest in the scooter. But after a while I was reading it for the way you narrated it!

[BigBrad]

It was gonna be a boring start of the usual weekday grind & then I come across a much awaited thread. What a lovely write up & some nice pics too. You really have a way with words. It was truly a hilarious read and I completed reading it in one go. Rated a well deserved 5 stars.

When it comes to 2 wheels, I'm more of a biker guy and hardly cared anything about scooters. Heck, until recently I didn't even know that you have to keep the brake lever pressed in to start it. They were just not my kind. That was until I saw the PD review of SR150. I was stunned at the way it accelerated. I think it is safe to assume SR150 as the Duke among scooters.

Wish you lots of happy miles and hope to ride with you soon.

[knightrider_7]

Awesome writing man, it was very interesting. I literally laughed while reading the bit about the man came to Activa showroom.

Very nice review. Two small questions though.
1. What is the fuel tank capacity?
2. The starting problem you mentioned, is it with the choke on?

Wishing you many miles on the saddle.

[deetjohn]

Deema! What a brilliant review! Loved the language and the narration. It is a sticky and rightly so.

Like most others, this is a section of the forum that I hardly ever visit. But I am glad I saw your thread. Read it all in one go.

Coming to your scooter, I love the name - it reminds me of the Blackbird And the styling - especially the wheels and front end with those lovely lights. Sounds good too. Yet to ride one. Just wish there was an edition with no vinyls - just the Italian flag would have done.

Have fun riding and stay safe!!

And get us ownership review of the naughty Aprilia' sensible garage mate - your Baleno AT.

[aswin ajith]

That was one heck of a write up. Great narration The pics are drool worthy stuff too. Unlike most scooters where things get boring after a few thousand miles, the Aprilia I believe should keep you engaged with that brisk acceleration and solid handling. I loved the way it rode. Please do take your mom for a ride if you haven't. It's time she knew what this is all about
Please do keep the pics and updates pouring in. Will be of immense help to those sitting on the fence with the bike.

[camitesh]

Originally Posted by Speed.Demon

T
Thank you so much! And hearty congratulations on your new SR150, welcome to the Aprilia clan!

3. It's more the case of my back getting used to the hard ride rather than the suspension getting any softer. It's still as stiff as ever. :P
4. Kick start first thing in the morning. It never starts on the first try, I have to resort to a lot of swearing and constant kicking to get it going. Once it finally coughs into life, I hold the throttle steady and revv it a little to warm it up. Once warmed up its just fine.

Hope I get accustomed to the suspension as well in due course of time. Like you mentioned, little speeding off over the potholes do help but I'm just worried something (Rims, suspension, frame joints etc) will take a hit and be damaged sooner or later given the torture SR150 faces on broken city roads.

Luckily, mine is starting off in one self crank since last few days and I don't have to resort to kick start. I did use kick when the SR was a day or two old post delivery and it didn't work well even after numerous kicks which got me fairly worried. Rest of the day, its just as fine as any other scooter to start up & get going.

[rajoy123]

Congratulations on the SR, Speed.Demon!

The moto-scooter matches your bhp-handle

This review will be helpful to potential buyers who do NOT want to own an ordinary "point A to point B" transporter-machine. The SR demands your attention, like a cat.

As you mentioned, the jupiter/activa crowd will not dare to look into owning such an exotic machine, but the ones who dont need the family/gas-cylinder transportation option will DEFINITELY be grateful for the review!

Rated this thread the well-deserving 5 stars.

Hoping to see more pics and detailed ride impressions! Ride safe buddy

PS: Hope the headlight woes find a solution very soon.

[revvenant]

Superb review. Honestly, if you aren't already into professional writing, you should give a thought in that direction. Otherwise the world outside of team-bhp would be deprived of gems like:

Originally Posted by Speed.Demon

Getting down to the nitty gritties



I make use of a 'slide forward during braking' manoeuvre so that I can plant my feet on the ground when I come to a complete halt.

Exceptionally good writing and photography, you fully deserve 5 stars and if mods would allow me I would give you 10 stars.

[dhanushmenon]

What an engaging and entertaining read this was. I am not a kind who can sit tight and read reviews unless I am going to buy that machine. However, your thread didn't allow me to put it down, despite the bike being far detached from what I would buy even in far distant future.
The flair for writing is obvious and I would be liar if I dont say that "You had me gripped for a good one hour". As the cherry on the chocolate cake, the snaps are stupendous too and you have captured the beauty of your "Midnight" from all angles possible.

That said, Rs 78k for a scooter is not something my wife, mom nor my ancestors would approve of. Like you mentioned, they might say "Scooter for 78k? Have they stopped selling Activas?"

Great effort man. I only wish you pen in more threads like these; for if you don't, then the community is losing a great artist.
Should I attribute the reasoning to "Laziness"

[naveen.raju]

That's one super review man! Really intriguing. This is one section I hardly visit but on seeing it on the "Hot Threads" section, knew it was yours and something that shouldn't be missed.

Although not an avid follower of the biking community, I am fond of these machines and really loved the SR. Your review can be real deadly here - will make others get one and start tripping.

Excellent photography there too. Good to see some change in the photos where you often see a 4 wheeler in those lovely backdrops .

Dont let the thread slow down. Keep us updated and have great fun with the scooter.

Drive Safe!

[Speed.Demon]

Originally Posted by siddarthab

Fabulous opening picture and post Speed.Demon !!!

Beautifully narrated with splendid photographs to boot.

Originally Posted by abhinav.s

Superbly penned down review! Straight from the heart and the decision making and the conclusion parts with your mum was really hilarious!
You have some really scenic routes that you commute on and have put up some wonderful pics to boot as well. Rating it a well deserved 5 stars for the wonderful narration and pics.

Originally Posted by Jas21

Awesome writing skills buddy!

Keep writing your scooter diaries (rather write a novel buddy, you might do a better job than many Indian fiction writers).

Originally Posted by sagaranjos

That was a very well written post.
I started off neeche if my interest in the scooter. But after a while I was reading it for the way you narrated it!

Originally Posted by revvenant

Superb review. Honestly, if you aren't already into professional writing, you should give a thought in that direction.
Exceptionally good writing and photography, you fully deserve 5 stars and if mods would allow me I would give you 10 stars.

Thank you so much everyone. Really, I'm overwhelmed by your support. I thank you all for taking the time to read through my ramblings. Regarding the pictures, I can assure you that I am in no way an ace photographer. I'm just one of those guys who leaves everything in 'Auto' and lets the camera do all the work. You can thank my humble phone for all those pictures. :-)

Originally Posted by BigBrad

It was gonna be a boring start of the usual weekday grind & then I come across a much awaited thread. What a lovely write up & some nice pics too. You really have a way with words. It was truly a hilarious read and I completed reading it in one go. Rated a well deserved 5 stars.

When it comes to 2 wheels, I'm more of a biker guy and hardly cared anything about scooters. Heck, until recently I didn't even know that you have to keep the brake lever pressed in to start it. They were just not my kind. That was until I saw the PD review of SR150. I was stunned at the way it accelerated. I think it is safe to assume SR150 as the Duke among scooters.

Wish you lots of happy miles and hope to ride with you soon.

LOL! The Duke 390 is on a whole different level when it comes to performance. Seriously, if a 'mere' 400cc bike is capable of such ferocity then what will the litre class bikes be like I wonder.

You are more than welcome to join me for a ride. It will be great fun with like minded BHPians for company!

Originally Posted by knightrider_7

Awesome writing man, it was very interesting. I literally laughed while reading the bit about the man came to Activa showroom.

Very nice review. Two small questions though.
1. What is the fuel tank capacity?
2. The starting problem you mentioned, is it with the choke on?

Wishing you many miles on the saddle.

Ah yes, silly me I forgot to mention the tank capacity in my review. The fuel tank capacity is 6.5 litres, so that gives me around 250 - 260km of range on a full tank.

Well, using the choke really doesn't make that much of a difference. It wasn't so bad in the summer, but now the rains are lashing down here in KL and the ambient temperatures are quite cool. Plus I leave for work in the wee hours of the morning, so that adds to the issues. Only the first start of the day is the issue, I use the electric start after that and it starts up without a fuss the rest of the day.

Originally Posted by Highh5

One Heck of an interesting ownership review. Man you got some serious writing skills and the way you summed up the constant tussle between you and your mom on the bike/Scooter saga is completely spot on. Many people will actually connect with the whole scenario.

For the headlight issue, try swapping the stock bulb with the LED ones or try to play with the focus, many of the times it's not in the perfect position when delivered.
Stiff Suspension is one of the needed virtues for this machine and Softening it will take away the confidence/fun while doing High speed corners or manoeuvre (My two cents).
Enjoy the thread and keep the thread alive.

Regarding the firm ride, I agree completely. Yes it's literally a pain in the arse when you're in town but you'll be thanking that suspension setup when the going gets twisty. :-)

I had considered LED lights, but will their bluish white light be an issue in the monsoons?

Originally Posted by deetjohn

Deema! What a brilliant review! Loved the language and the narration. It is a sticky and rightly so.

Like most others, this is a section of the forum that I hardly ever visit. But I am glad I saw your thread. Read it all in one go.

Coming to your scooter, I love the name - it reminds me of the Blackbird And the styling - especially the wheels and front end with those lovely lights. Sounds good too. Yet to ride one. Just wish there was an edition with no vinyls - just the Italian flag would have done.

Have fun riding and stay safe!!

And get us ownership review of the naughty Aprilia' sensible garage mate - your Baleno AT.

Thanks a lot, mate. Coming from someone with your writing skills, its really quite something. :-)

The name was a spur of the moment thing, really. Was it the black colour, was it the sporty looks, I'll never know. The name just popped into my mind and it stuck.

The Baleno is the Dr Jekyll side of the garage, all grown up and sensible. A review about it wouldn't be this fun, me thinks. :P

Originally Posted by aswin ajith

That was one heck of a write up. Great narration The pics are drool worthy stuff too. Unlike most scooters where things get boring after a few thousand miles, the Aprilia I believe should keep you engaged with that brisk acceleration and solid handling. I loved the way it rode. Please do take your mom for a ride if you haven't. It's time she knew what this is all about
Please do keep the pics and updates pouring in. Will be of immense help to those sitting on the fence with the bike.

Thanks a lot, mate! Taking a mom out for a spin will be properly hilarious, I'll see how it goes.

Originally Posted by rajoy123

Congratulations on the SR, Speed.Demon!

The moto-scooter matches your bhp-handle

As you mentioned, the jupiter/activa crowd will not dare to look into owning such an exotic machine, but the ones who dont need the family/gas-cylinder transportation option will DEFINITELY be grateful for the review!

Rated this thread the well-deserving 5 stars.

Hoping to see more pics and detailed ride impressions! Ride safe buddy

PS: Hope the headlight woes find a solution very soon.

Thanks a lot buddy! Yes, most people find it quite puzzling that my scooter is quite rubbish at being a scooter. I will certainly keep this thread alive with updates. :-)

Originally Posted by dhanushmenon

What an engaging and entertaining read this was. I am not a kind who can sit tight and read reviews unless I am going to buy that machine. However, your thread didn't allow me to put it down, despite the bike being far detached from what I would buy even in far distant future.
The flair for writing is obvious and I would be liar if I dont say that "You had me gripped for a good one hour". As the cherry on the chocolate cake, the snaps are stupendous too and you have captured the beauty of your "Midnight" from all angles possible.

That said, Rs 78k for a scooter is not something my wife, mom nor my ancestors would approve of. Like you mentioned, they might say "Scooter for 78k? Have they stopped selling Activas?"

Great effort man. I only wish you pen in more threads like these; for if you don't, then the community is losing a great artist.
Should I attribute the reasoning to "Laziness"

Thanks a lot, Dhanush. Getting such compliments from TBHP veterans like yourself makes me all warm and gooey inside. :P

You're behind the times, man. An Activa 125 costs around 74k OTR, so the Aprilia is actually not too bad I reckon. That said, I think Honda have priced their scooters so high because they can. Nobody is going to stop buying them anyway, so why bother?

Originally Posted by naveen.raju

That's one super review man! Really intriguing. This is one section I hardly visit but on seeing it on the "Hot Threads" section, knew it was yours and something that shouldn't be missed.

Although not an avid follower of the biking community, I am fond of these machines and really loved the SR. Your review can be real deadly here - will make others get one and start tripping.

Excellent photography there too. Good to see some change in the photos where you often see a 4 wheeler in those lovely backdrops .

Dont let the thread slow down. Keep us updated and have great fun with the scooter.

Drive Safe!

Thank you so much Naveen! Yes, the SR has something about it that makes even the biggest scooter sceptic look at it curiously. I will certainly keep the thread alive.