Suzuki Access

In the petrol scooter space, our top recommendations will be the TVS Jupiter 110 / 125 and the Suzuki Access. These scooters have good seating and suspension comfort, are quite fuel efficient and will be easy to own and maintain as well. 

The only two electric scooters which we'd recommend under the Rs 1 lakh mark are the new Bajaj Chetak C2501 and the TVS Orbiter. Do bear in mind that the Chetak is quite a small scooter, so if you're a taller person or ride two-up frequently, this could be something to watch out for. 

The Orbiter is a nicely spacious machine, but it prioritises range over performance, so its acceleration is quite dull. 

A test ride of these machines will help you narrow down which machine is best for you. 

The TVS Jupiter 125 has a nifty winged preload adjuster for the rear suspension, which will allow you to quickly and easily set the preload when you're carrying two people, which is quite often for you. It also comes with 12-inch wheels at both ends, which endow it with better stability at higher speeds and will help round off bigger bumps better. TVS' iGO start/stop system will undoubtedly aid fuel economy, but its execution is a little lethargic in the real world, which can get frustrating in big city traffic. 

Coming to the Suzuki Access, this too is a comfortable scooter. Its strengths lie in its creamy smooth engine that packs zippy performance and bulletproof reliability. Also, its spare parts are affordable and easily available. It will also be great to carry a pillion around in the city; however, in that regard, the Jupiter is slightly better. 

Realistically, both scooters are great purchases and will serve you well in the long run. We'd recommend getting whichever one is more affordable for you and has a service centre close to you. 

Since you have specified that senior citizens and ladies will be riding the scooter, our recommendations will be the Suzuki Access and TVS Jupiter models. These are lightweight, manageable and trouble-free machines which are very easy and friendly to ride. These attributes mean that they will serve your use case quite well. Another plus point is that both the Access and Jupiter are easy to maintain and return good fuel economy, too. 

Take a test ride of both before making a decision to see which one suits you best. 

The recently updated Royal Enfield Hunter 350 has a super-light clutch action thanks to the slip/assist clutch that RE has equipped it with. Even for a newer rider or a scooterist looking to move to a motorcycle, it shouldn't be that much of an issue in big city traffic. 

However, if you are looking to stick to a scooter, then we'd advise against the Yamaha Aerox 155 because of its stiff rear suspension. We would recommend scooters like the Suzuki Access and TVS Jupiter models instead, for their good ride comfort and spacious, well-padded seats. 

Both the Suzuki Access and TVS Jupiter are excellent scooters, and you're already starting from a very high baseline. The Jupiter has some undisputed USPs like its big 33-litre underseat boot and apron-mounted fuel filler, both of which you won't find anywhere else in the scooter market. It also has slightly better high-speed stability and doesn't lose composure over bigger bumps thanks to its 12-inch wheels at both ends. 

On the other hand, the Access will feel more engaging and sprightlier to ride while retaining similiar strengths and is the only 125cc scooter today to come with ABS on its top two variants. 

If having the safety net of ABS is non-negotiable for your next scooter purchase, then the Access is your only option in the 125cc space. 

A test ride of these two will help you decide which is the better fit for you. 

If your daily running is going to be quite less and infrequent, then getting a petrol-powered scooter will make more sense than an electric scooter. In this space, our top recommendations are the TVS Jupiter models, Suzuki Access and the Honda Activa models. To see which one suits your needs best, we'd recommend taking a test ride of all these machines. 

However, if you do decide to get an electric scooter, we'd advise you to get one of the lower variants of the Bajaj Chetak or the TVS iQube. These will have more than sufficient range for your short daily runs and will also be closer in price to an ICE scooter, thereby reducing the upfront cost you need to pay. In time, you should recoup that additional investment with the EV's lower running costs.