[RavSam]

Originally Posted by hemanth.anand

I'm really surprised this vehicle won this poll. Not questioning the credibility or judgment of fellow members, but I'm frankly not able to comprehend.

What is it that this vehicle got the votes of so many BHPians?

If an old aged politician brings about a change in our lives I would vote for him.

This scooter was voted even when 5 year old, not because it's amazing at everything it does but because it is "Ray" (pun intended) of hope that it will bring more of such breed on our shores.

If the Jimny is ever to be launched here and priced sensibly (which it would most definitely not) then it may also win the award even being an old model.

[Andaleeb]

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR

OLA would have been able to pull off an XUV 7OO if they had launched a sorted end-product! For what they launched in 2021 v/s what they promised - My vote goes elsewhere.

Exactly. That is why Yamaha Aerox 155 is my pick from the list for Team-BHP 2-Wheeler of the year 2021.

[Rocketscience]

Ola would have steered these awards easily and i myself would have voted for it but :-

1- I feel they have messed up the pricing clearly, the thing with Mahindra is even if their products initially are beta (although admittedly they don't have as major drivetrain issues as the ola) the shocking pricing makes everyone forget that, but for a scooter that was hyped, was supposed to radically change the market, had super ambitious plans and world's largest 2 wheeler factory and comes from a brand new manufacturer with unknown quality, engineering, brand heritage, service experience, long term reliability and on top of it totally unconventional selling/servicing model with no showrooms or service center in a segment that is known to be conservative (Activa is not the best petrol scooter yet sells much more than any of its competitors), they priced it rather ridiculously!

It should have been atleast a good 30-40k cheaper even if it had to be initially sold at a loss. (Somewhat how Swiggy, Zomato, Amazon India, Grofers function to establish themselves firmly and then try to bring the costs down or eventually slowly increase the prices)
I strongly feel they have misread the room and i will be surprised if they are able to sell even 50% of what their factory is supposedly capable of, add the major technical faults with the drivetrain overheating and not driving, the brakes engaging after a half second delay, add to that the relatively underwhelming package, while Ather feels flagship, better built and comes with true high end components like the frame, swingarm, sorted mechanicals, Ola is just good enough, it doesn't come with any features that wow me, or which feel a steal for the asking price, there is no aluminium swing arm or ABS brakes or any of the real fancy stuff. Add on top of that that it is an entirely new kind of product for mainstream buyer which runs on electricity and comes free with range anxiety, uncertainty on its battery's lifespan post the warranty, having access to an electrical point on the driveway. There are so many red flags, i really had high hopes when this was announced but in my opinion they have royally messed up!

2- Out of the blue lazy Yamaha motors India launching this uber cool scooter, lets get this out that this is not a mainstream scooter and will perhaps not do major numbers but it is such a wonderful package, for one i can buy it purely on basis of its looks, then it comes with the legendary Yamaha name, R15 based engine with liquid cooling and Variable Valve Actuation, not that ridiculous pricing all make it a breath of fresh air, an utter surprise from Yamaha motors and somewhat of a winner in my books.

The reason to why even this did not get a sweeping victory is it is simply not as relevant, mainstream or a great allround package as the XUV 700 is in its segment, the Aerox for all practical purposes will remain a niche product but a great one at that.

[safe_rider]

My vote for the Yamaha AEROX too! Craving for test drive and planning to own one soon. Currently, I’m riding R15 V3 & Honda Dio Gen 2. AEROX is going to be the perfect companion for city ride !

[bcsurti]

Good to see the Aerox 155 as the two wheeler of the year. The Aerox 155 caught my attention too! I hope that this starts a trend and we see similar maxi scooters coming out from Honda and others. It is the nearest thing to those looking for a gearless or automatic motorcycle at an affordable (relatively speaking) price. There are very few motorcycles with automatic transmission(like the Honda Africa Twins with DCT) but they are in the 20 lakhs range! For the rest of us, who want a motorcycle with automatic transmission, the maxi scooter will be a great option to consider, even if it a scooter!

[Fastdriver]

I prefer Yamaha Aerox155 over OLA S1 Pro simply because it has an IC engine.

[Doc_nerd]

Yamaha India has done something which was least expected from them. Launching a maxi scooter with good engine & a chassis to match. WoW simply WoW. Rather than the half baked versions of other manufacturers this is a true maxi albeit with a small capacity engine loaded with tech. Waiting for the day when the real maxi scooters are launched in our country. (BMW has launched one but, it's pricey making us pay through the nose). The market may be miniscule for these offerings but, there is a definite market.

Coming to the ola electric scooter wow what an acceleration. The scooter looks tiny but, packs a punch. Should be good for city commutes without the range anxiety. Who said electric 2 wheelers aren't fun. Hope ola sorts out its production issues and delivers as per the market demand.

Both these scooters are a breath of fresh air in our market and deserve their voting. I wish the populace laps them up in good numbers so that other manufacturers also launch such good products.

[Starfire]

Yamaha has finally heard the demand of Indians especially the Indian enthusiast community. Not only is Yamaha keeping a close eye on this launch but other companies are as well. The success of the Aerox 155 will make india the newest market of Maxi/Sports scooters with all manufacturers bringing their best niche products here. Its failure will do the complete opposite and axe the maxi scooter future of India for good.

So lets show Yamaha some love and support which in turn will help build a new future maxi/sports scooter philosophy in India. After all, when was the last time a scooter in India could look so good, carve corners AND do a top speed of 115 kmph?

https://youtu.be/e3NjIGivpNg

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by ashkamath

Doc hey, We aren't old men yet, at least till we hang our boots for good.

Shall visit Pune soon sometime after getting the Aerox.

I hear you bro, and I concur. Looking forward to meeting up with you. Really.

On the scooter bit, what you say all makes a lot of sense, but really bro, to me, a scooter is a scooter. No matter how big and bad you make it, and what size wheels you plonk on to it.

Anything you step through versus climb on top of ...

Cheers, Doc

[sagaranjos]

Yamaha has played it very strategically with the Aerox is what I think.
Aerox,as someone mentioned, is not a new product and has been available outside for quite sometime. The most logical reason for the Aerox not making it to India would have been the price.
But the electric scooters like Ather and others introduced Indians to the lakh plus scooter segment. And suddenly a performance scooter at a lakh plus price point does not sound outrageous any more. And in comes the Aerox.
Hopefully it will garner the numbers and will become a permanent fixture on our roads

[jignesh.pithia]

With EV scooters and bikes gaining market shares, these types of scooters will not have much success i guess

[Vivek_ACM]

Originally Posted by jignesh.pithia

With EV scooters and bikes gaining market shares, these types of scooters will not have much success i guess

It’s a scooter for enthusiasts/Tourers, not for mass market people. Target audience differ and Yamaha knows this and played well.

[Vivek_ACM]

Originally Posted by safe_rider

My vote for the Yamaha AEROX too! Craving for test drive and planning to own one soon. Currently, I’m riding R15 V3 & Honda Dio Gen 2. AEROX is going to be the perfect companion for city ride !

You won’t be disappointed. I got mine in October here in Chennai.

[Vivek_ACM]

Originally Posted by bcsurti

Good to see the Aerox 155 as the two wheeler of the year. The Aerox 155 caught my attention too! I hope that this starts a trend and we see similar maxi scooters coming out from Honda and others. It is the nearest thing to those looking for a gearless or automatic motorcycle at an affordable (relatively speaking) price. There are very few motorcycles with automatic transmission(like the Honda Africa Twins with DCT) but they are in the 20 lakhs range! For the rest of us, who want a motorcycle with automatic transmission, the maxi scooter will be a great option to consider, even if it a scooter!

Honda will launch ADV150 soon. It is equally good as Aerox in East Indies.

[jignesh.pithia]

Kinetic had tried the same thing with Kintec Blaze 165cc bike... did not work that much then... lets see whats happens with this one