It’s the hectic daily sprint to the office and the weekly runs to the local market that keeps scooters ticking. But these little tykes can be so much more than just regular little runabouts. Piaggio’s Vespa set the ball of possibility rolling when it ventured into the realm of premium 150cc gearless scooters for the Indian market, and at a time when 125cc was all the displacement other manufacturers could muster. Now in 2016, Vespa’s sister company, Aprilia has taken this 150cc scooter segment a step further with the sporty new SR 150. And although these scooters share the same power plant, Vespa stays true to its classy styling and pleasant riding experience, while Aprilia gives us a taste of its racing heritage.

Dress shoes or sneakers?

On the surface it would be extremely hard to tell that these scooters are even remotely related. The Vespa manages to steal your heart with its charming retro styling and typically Vespa bits. The SXL version gets a nice squared headlight with chrome accents that complement the retro-styled chrome mirrors and brake levers. What’s more, the quality paint schemes add a whole lot of class to the styling. Even the side panels arch nicely over the rear wheel as they flow elegantly and taper towards a rather minimalistic rear end.

The SR 150 has seen Aprilia take a slightly different approach and there’s nothing minimalistic about it.  It’s got a much sportier stance and styling, which announces the racing heritage of this Italian manufacturer. It comes with a nice dual-barrel headlight setup that fits snugly into the SR 150’s front beak. With styling cues taken from the likes of bigger Aprilias like the RSV4, the typical black, red and white livery with the Italian flag up front contribute to the racer look of this little 150cc scooter. The way the rear wheel extends beyond the up-swept, tail end of the scooter tells you that the SR 150 means business.

Hop on to the seat of the Aprilia and you’ll see a twin-dial analogue instrument cluster that appears quite basic, but is functional nonetheless. The pass flash button on the SR 150 too is a welcome addition. However, the lack of a rear brake lock clamp on the lever is sorely missed; a feature the SXL 150 misses out on as well. The Vespa’s speedo console appears premium and has a shape like that of an oyster. However, I did find the switches to be rather awkwardly placed and there was a fair amount of fumbling involved, especially for the buttons on the left. But I presume after spending a little more time with the Vespa, this is something that you would eventually get used to.

The SR 150’s speedo is basic and looks dated.

When it comes to storage, the Vespa is the more practical of the two. It’s got two small cubbyholes under each handlebar, and a cavernous under-seat storage bucket. The footboard storage may be a little restricted because of the spine that runs through the centre. The SR 150’s storage, or rather the lack of it, makes this scooter’s sporty purpose a little clearer; there’s just about enough space under the seat to cram a small half-face helmet. The SR 150 and SXL 150, both, get the same circular hook –under the central part of the handlebar – to hang stuff on. While both scooters do miss out on features such as a USB charging point, remote seat-opener and a remote fuel filler, they do get key slots for under-seat storage neatly tucked into the seat.