2016 Aprilia SR 150 review, test ride

What is it?

Clearly, it’s a scooter and a racy-looking one! And, it just happens to be a 150cc scooter. And, it just happens to be priced at Rs 65,000 (ex-showroom). And, oh, its the Aprilia SR 150. Don’t fault us for being excited about it. This combination of ingredients was something we never saw coming, and the surprise hasn’t washed off yet.

What’s so exciting?

Well, firstly for the enthusiasts, it’s the name; usually owning an exotic Italian brand is for a slim strata of society. But, with the arrival of the SR 150 we can ride around on an Aprilia while continuing to dream about owning an RSV4 or a Caponord. The SR 150 is eye-catching and we ended up staring at it a bit. The overall design looks confident and racy. However, the pointy and slim front-end looks a bit awkward from some angles and the twin headlamps mounted on the front cowl may not be to everyone’s liking. A smart touch is how the front fairing seems to float before flowing into the footboard. The generously proportioned stepped seat sits on an upswept tail section. The contrasting red and black seat cover and the flush folding pillion footpegs are smart design touches.

Of the touch points and the rider's cockpit, everything felt functional and smart, not wow. The palm grips felt soft, and switches simple. The inclusion of a pass flash switch was very welcome. The two-dial analogue instrument console looked a bit dated. Aprilia says that the price dictated some of these decisions and future updates could include an analogue and LCD unit. However, the absence of a brake lock clamp was annoying.