[udaikalra01]

Originally Posted by abtyagi

I hope people are not voting for Ola S1 for just the hype. It’s pretty much a Chinese ckd with Indian panels .

Any sources to support your claim?

[VijayAnand1]

I think the electric gamut shouldn't have been included. An Electric to IC is always an apples to oranges comparo IMHO. The field hasn't been leveled yet where we can thoroughly do an apples to apples comparison where the entire gamut is electric or there should be separate gamut for electric toys alone.

Nevertheless, things are heating up and pretty much electric toy scenario should be interesting and fun. My vote for the Triumph Trident. Though the Aerox 155 is a total game changer and a deserving moto-scooter to clinch the TBHP2WOTY.

Cheers!
VJ

[NH08]

Can we have the option of NOTA (None of the above)? Not sure why but this time I am inclined towards that.

[iamahunter]

Originally Posted by NH08

Can we have the option of NOTA (None of the above)? Not sure why but this time I am inclined towards that.

Yes mate, I feel the same.

The spectrum is quite wide for one particular choice

I personally would have rooted for CB500x or Tiger 660.

However, CB500x is a brilliant bike with that exorbitant price tag, which makes no sense.

And Tiger 660 is yet to be seen in the real world.


So NOTA (None of the above) for me as well.

[SoumenD]

Have been a motorbike guy all my life and the only time I ever ride a scooter is while in Goa. Never really saw them as anything other than uncle mode of commute(Ntorq being an exception to some extent). However Yamaha changed my thought process for good. Just can’t take my eyes off this beautiful maxi-scooter. Kudos to Yamaha for doing it again after 13 years(2008 it was R15). Its got the show as well as the go.

Hence, Voted for Yamaha Aerox 155

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Voted for the Yamaha Aerox 155.

Had seen this in Thailand and wished Yamaha would bring it our market someday. Thankfully they finally have, and is certainly a product that stands out in an otherwise mundane market. Although there is competition from the Aprilia SXR 160 - the Yamaha is WAY more advanced with that R15 liquid cooled motor producing a lot more power. Oh and those looks!

A bold move from Yamaha that truly should be applauded!

Stood out in the two wheeler capital of Bangkok and will do the same here too -



Some thoughts on other good launches this year:

• OLA S1 Pro: As I mentioned in the review - excellent potential, but a lot more fine tuning is needed to get there. As of now, I am not voting.
• Honda CB500X - Promises to be a good all-rounder, but the pricing is just insane!

[Axe77]

I am truly struggling to vote this time around. This is a year where there was so much promise and yet so much under - delivery. Here are a few standout mentions that could have should have been vote worthy but I’m feeling loathe to give them my vote for the reasons mentioned.

1. Ola S1 / S1 Pro:
The greatest ambition, and truly one which has (and possibly will still eventually) single handedly shake up the Indian 2W EV space and also the ICE space.

BUT: The execution has been an absolutely shambles, the product half baked, the roll out far from ideal. This is a product that is ahead of its time not in concept but in execution. Bring the damn thing out 6 months later and get it right for Chrissakes. I am still hopeful it will be the unicorn it promises to be but with false starts and possible pain for early adopters.

2. Yamaha Aerox:
KUDOS to Yamaha to bring a proper performance scooter to India. And a fantastic product at that. Screw the lack of practicality and enjoy the single minded fun to drive quotient that it offers.

BUT: Errrm … where exactly does one get this please. It seems like its been launched only for the media - with nothing tangible really to sell. The release has been pathetic, the showrooms look like bhangaar godowns, launch details are patchy - you can buy one in Kerala but a Mumbai dealer has absolutely no idea when they will receive it (and doesn’t look like he could even care). Walk into a Suzuki showroom at Parel and then walk into Yamaha one in Lower Parel and one wonders whether Yamaha even plans to stay in India till next week, let alone next year.

3. Hayabusa:

Truly an iconic iteration of an iconic brand. The brand equity of the Hayabusa is clear to see from the way their inventory got lapped up in the thick of covid downturn.

BUT: It is still a super niche product and a class unto itself. (I guess that’s not the Busa’s fault but still). It keeps surpassing a standard that only the Busa itself keeps setting. This is truly a worthy contender.

4. Honda CB 500X:

An absolutely hands down brilliant product. But at the price at which they have launched it, I absolutely cannot bring myself to vote for it. It is simply awfully overpriced and does the product as well as its aspiring customers an utter injustice at that price. There are simply far superior products to be had at comparable or slightly higher prices or some products at a MUCH lower price that aren’t too shabby in comparison. What could have really shaken the entry - middle weight ADV segment instead turned out to be a damp squib.

—————-

The final vote: Trident:

A decent product at a decent price. Honestly, no WOW factor for me on this.

BUT: Sometimes a mediocre product can actually pull away your vote. It brings a great entry level naked offering to a growing segment - in a world where everyone is asking for the moon, its pricing is accessible and down to earth. This is one product that has widened the accessibility of an already strong brand (Triumph) into a much wider market base without diluting the brand’s overall equity. Sure it could have felt a little more premium and its likely a lot of first owners will outgrow it in a couple of years - but the fact is it presents an entry level Superbike option that I’d pick over its immediate competition in a heartbeat.

So in the absence of a NOTA option (yea I hear you NOTA folks), and in the interest of voting for something at least, my vote, reluctantly, goes to the Trident. How I WISH, I could have been voting for the Ola instead.

[Sk8r]

Voted for Ola S1 Pro though not being a fan of the company so far. Why ?

- Manageable range for a daily commutable 2W
- Costing close to Activa
- Scale of manufacturing
- Overall, they have what it takes to change the 2W segment in India provided they do their homework right which so far has been debatable

[MaheshY1]

Voted: Ola S1 Pro is the easy winner IMO with Yamaha Aerox 155 in second position.

Ola scooter not only got the 2-wheelers manufacturers talking about them, but also carmakers taking notice. This is a win in my opinion for Ola even if their top rivals are publically counting them out as a potential rival. Otherwise, 2-wheeler giants don't even acknowledge electric 2-wheeler manufacturers existence.

The S1 Pro is the first and only electric scooter, which is usable for my 120km highway commute and it has a reasonable price tag too.

[buntee90]

Re 350 classic for me.
I have always admired the styling of RE Classic, but its less than stellar engines/reliability always put me off. But they have fixed that with the newer J series engine! Just went to the top of my 2 wheeler buying list

[MadTitan]

If it wasn't for the atrocious pricing, the CB500X would have been my choice.

But, reflecting back on the year now, I think the Aerox deserves the win here.
What the R15 did for small capacity performance segment, the Aerox might do for the scooters.

If I wasn't saving up for my next mid-capacity bike, this would have been in my garage now!

[Doo_Dev]

Voted for RE Classic 350. For me it was a tossup between Aerox and Classic 350. Aerox is revolutionary and will probably rule this new niche market segment . The latter is a revolutionary product for RE, for the mass market and even for those who had an aversion towards RE . It is relatively difficult to create a drastic change in the mass market product compared to a niche product.

[Abhiranjan]

Where is Bounce Infinity (Bounce Infinity electric scooter launch on December 2nd. EDIT: Launched at Rs. 68,999) ?? Its a fuss-free VFM e-scooter !

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Originally Posted by Abhiranjan

Where is Bounce Infinity (Bounce Infinity electric scooter launch on December 2nd. EDIT: Launched at Rs. 68,999) ?? Its a fuss-free VFM e-scooter !

Bounce Infinity (and also Simple One) scooters, though claimed to have 'launched' - are still in the pre-booking/reservation phase.

Bounce especially was 'launched' after the thread was compiled and will be included in the list next year.

[Arjun Bharadwaj]

Aerox!

Not because I have ridden it. Not because I have experienced its quality or performance. Simply because Yamaha took the pain to do something different from the ordinary. They brought us India's most powerful scooter with a legendary and proven engine. A scooter truly capable of touring. A vehicle that can probably go almost like an R15 and can carry the typical Indian family in comfort for the vegetable shopping trips if needed.