TOP 4 scooters to look forward to this year

Piaggio Vespa Sport, Piaggio Fly 125, Honda PCX150 and Yamaha 125cc Scooter are going to make the biggest launch stories this year.

From the golden times of Bajaj Chetak and LML Vespa, to the modern age of Hero Maestro and Yamaha Ray, the scooter industry of India has come a long way. Never losing their stand as easy-going comfortable rides over all these years, scooters are now gradually emerging as new style statements for the Indian youth.

With their fuel-economies reaching out to match those of bikes, their designs getting smarter and swankier with every passing day, their technology arsenal encompassing cutting-edge tools and their power figures getting better than ever, the scooter bazaar is evolving quickly and brilliantly, coming up with newer and better offerings every other day.

Just last year, the country saw a fabulous onrush of smart and trendy rides brought forward by manufacturers from across the globe, including Yamaha Ray, Hero Maestro and Piaggio Vespa besides several others.

This year is going to be no different. With Piaggio planning on introducing a sporty Vespa and Honda working on entering into the premium segment, there is a lot to look forward to for those who are thinking of buying a scooter soon.

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Piaggio Vespa Sport

Piaggio, the fourth largest manufacturer of two-wheelers in the world, made a flashy comeback after over a decade last year to the lucrative Indian bike market with its retro-style 125cc premium automatic scooter, Vespa. And now it is preparing to launch a new sporty version of that same scooter in the country.

Speculations are running high that this upcoming scooter is going to be the Vespa LXS125, and is being expected to sport a much brighter and contemporary colour scheme along with thrilling sticker jobs.

With its launch due some time around mid-2013, this premium scooter is likely to cost Rs 5,000 more than its existing Vespa LX125 sibling.

As far as the mechanicals are concerned, no changes have been predicted in that area and the same air-cooled, 4-stroke, single-cylinder, 9.9bhp mill from the LX125 is expected to appear in this new model too.     

Piaggio Fly 125

Having already ventured into the premium scooter segment with the iconic Piaggio Vespa LX125, the famous Italian two-wheeler manufacturer will soon be making its way into the volume segment of the Indian bike industry with a fresh and vibrant offering, called as Piaggio Fly 125.

Earlier slated for a November 2012 launch, the scooter is now being expected to hit the road this year in the very first quarter itself tagged with a price of Rs 55,000.

With a modern outfit of bold cuts and sharp edges chosen by the designers of Fly 125 for the newbie, the contemporary looks of this upcoming scooter are definitely going to present a stark contrast to classic appearance of the Vespa.

However, when it comes to the mechanicals, the upcoming model is most probably going to be identical to its elder sibling, inheriting its 125cc engine that puts out a peak 9.9bhp along with 10.06Nm of maximum torque.

Honda PCX150

Maker of the spectacular Activa-Dio-Aviator trio and the undisputed ruler of the Indian scooter market, Honda, is soon going to step into the premium segment of the industry with a sizzling new offering, named as the PCX150.

Driven by a 150cc, liquid-cooled, single-cylinder mill that comes mated to a V-matic CVT automatic transmission gearbox, this upcoming Japanese scooter promises a pretty good mileage of 43kmpl.

Besides a fabulous power-house, what makes this new deal all the more attractive are features like the 14-inch wheels surrounded by tubeless tyres, the voluminous 25-litre under-seat storage and Honda's powerful Combined Braking System that add more value to the package.

With its launch due in the last quarter of this year, the PCX150, being a member of the premium class, will most probably be placed one notch higher on the price scale than most of the present-day options -- somewhere around Rs 75,000.

Yamaha 125cc Scooter

India Yamaha Motor Private Limited, an Indian subsidiary of the Japanese Yamaha Motor Company, is all set and geared up to roll out a new 125cc scooter in the market by mid-2013. Having launched Yamaha Ray last year, which was a ride targeted specifically towards the females, the company will soon be presenting an exclusive offering for the Indian males.

Likely to hit dealerships by mid-2013, this new men's scooter will cost its buyers a sum of about Rs 50,000.

Although nothing has been made official yet regarding the specifications of the scooter, if rumours are to be believed, an air-cooled, 4-stroke, single-cylinder mill, coupled to a CVT automatic transmission gearbox and an electric start ignition system, is likely to show up in the upcoming Yamaha scooter.

Besides these, advanced fitments like telescopic suspension forks for the front wheel and a digital instrument console for the handlebars are also being expected to make it to this new ride.