[RunGaDa]

Since you said “Safe” at the top, Vespa 150 or even 125 is good. Probably the only scooter with monocoque frame. The weight is excellently balanced and handling is super easy.
Aprilia is not monocoque. It may be faster on the green light, but I have ridden it and felt Vespa more safe.
My family has been using Vespa 125 VX since 11 years and still when I take it out sometimes I get a compliment “Is it new?”

[SRS]

Originally Posted by Kirubakaran_G

The weight can be managed as I was riding Classic 350 until last month. Thanks for suggesting Destini, but as you said lack of ABS is a bummer. Also, as I'm gonna keep the scooter for as long as I could, only partially open for EVs.

Considering you are partially open to EVs, here are my suggestions:

1. River Indie
The Indie is a fairly large scooter with loads of space for everything. It comes with 14-inch wheels and suits your requirements, However, it doesn't come with ABS. I would recommend a test ride if you have a dealership near you.

2. Ultraviolette Tesseract
This is an electric scooter many of us are waiting for, it comes with everything you need, 14 inch wheels, ABS, features and a lot more. However, the major issue is that you can't get one until next year, with deliveries stated for Q1 2026. So, unless you are ready to wait, this isn't an option.

Now as regards ICE scooters, the Aerox seems the best overall, but I am not sure about the riding posture, the Maxi scooter styled SXR 160 is good, but the footboard isn't as spacious as it seems and it has 12 inch wheels, the SR 160 is also on the sportier side but it is light and easy to maeuver and the 14 inch wheels help too. I haven't had an opportunity to look at the Xoom 160 yet, so I can't comment on it.

This is a really tough decision to make and I hope you find the perfect scooter for your requirement.

[IshaanIan]

Originally Posted by Kirubakaran_G

Is SR 160's quality control or in general, is Aprilia's QC that bad? We all know, timely maintenance is the key for better vehicles in our garage. But is it bad from Day 1? Have you own any Aprilia in the past/present? Kindly clarify. Thanks for your detailed suggestion.
Kindly suggest Electric Scooters with ABS and I'm open to them as well.

I cannot comment on their European made products but Vespa and Aprillia products made and sold here are possibly the worst when it comes to QC. Just from the way the key slots in and turns in the ignition barrel, to the paint quality where one can notice dust underneath the clear coat on metal panels in Vespas, the products scream a certain lack of finesse. They are just purely selling on brand image and catchy design. I have owned a DNF white on black number plate Kinetic Honda 2 stroke handed down to me by my father when I was a kid, a gen 1 Activa bought when it first launched in 2002 and since the past couple of years, have been on the lookout for something to replace the gen5 Activa that I am currently using. I initially felt the Yamaha Ray was the perfect choice but after hearing from BHPian Sensible_Speed that electric scooters are more or less the same cost as the current crop of ICE scooters in our market, and riding a relative’s Ather 450x, I was sold on electric scooters being a more practical choice. While I havent owned an SR160, my close friend owns one which he uses daily and services regularly at the ASC. I use the scooter as well from time to time and we both feel like the quality is really poor and it ages very quickly it is a topic he complains of regularly. In India if you don’t own a particular scooter doesn’t mean your neighbor or relative or friend won’t have an example you can try. Atleast in my circles, everybody has a scooter or has access to one somehow or the other this is where my experience comes from. Infact in my friends circles two of them within a 5km radius of eachother own the SR and have both had to replace the drivetrain belt prematurely amongst several other parts.

Originally Posted by Sensible_Speed

I'm sorry, but that is just plain wrong. I have had 2 generations of the Access 125 and it is one of the best riding scooters in the market today.

Congratulations on your blissful ownership experience. I don’t mean to offend you but I too have experienced 2 generations of the Access within my close friends and family circles. I have even recommended the Access 125 to a friend of mine who even went ahead and bought it and still uses it to this day. The ride quality is phenomenal and the engine is the best out there but chuck the thing into a bend at high speed, which because of the excellent engine, you are quite likely to find yourself doing, and you will find that the Access handles like a floppy chapati. This is an observation that every owner of the access that I know, has also shared with me and so do several reviewers out there so perhaps I should have given props to it’s ride quality before making a blanket statement on it’s chassis but I was making a comment specifically on it’s chassis’ handling abilities, which I still stand by. Once again, I mean no offence to you as an owner because the Access is great in it’s own right.

[Kirubakaran_G]

Originally Posted by SRS

Considering you are partially open to EVs, here are my suggestions:

Thanks for your suggestion. UV looks promising but as we need the scooter in a month, it is off the list. I'm tilting more towards ICE scooters as of now.

Originally Posted by IshaanIan

While I havent owned an SR160, my close friend owns one which he uses daily and services regularly at the ASC. I use the scooter as well from time to time and we both feel like the quality is really poor and it ages very quickly it is a topic he complains of regularly.

Feels very sad to hear about the QC of Aprilia scooters in India. Is it any different in Piaggio Vespa? Thanks for your help.

[aNANOnymous]

Well, I can vouch for Hero Pleasure. I have been using one since 2013. I wanted to write about it in the forum for quite a while but did not quite get there. Your post certainly elicited the interest.

I bought a first generation Pleasure. The criteria for selection was the scooter had to be light weight and slim. Could have bought an Activa or a Maestro but those are pretty fat and heavy.

The simple machine has been running well since then. No major issues ever. The spares are dirt cheap and to be honest nothing really breaks easily.

Six months ago I took on the project to upgrade the looks and to add a lockable storage box. The body parts of the second gen Pleasure were a direct fit on the scooter.
Keeping the colour same, I changed the front facia, speedometer console, shock absorbers, all the cables, lock set and replaced the steel rims with alloys. All the lights except the headlamp were changed to LEDs. I left the rear body parts as it is.

After a thorough service, the scooter runs like new. Mileage remains steady at 41 kmpl.

Even I considered the Aprilia SXR 160 and the Yamaha Aerox to a great extent but the steep price and the excessive weight of those two were not to my liking.

Glad I did not discard the old Pleasure. After the renovation, it looks like a brand new machine. I am loving the fact that my scooter is a second gen at the front and still a first gen at the rear. It is my daily driver.

I would suggest you to also take a look at the newer Pleasure models. You might like them. Having a floor board and good amount of storage space is a must for a scooter or else it defeats the purpose of convenience.

[shashant]

Originally Posted by Kirubakaran_G

Feels very sad to hear about the QC of Aprilia scooters in India. Is it any different in Piaggio Vespa? Thanks for your help.

I am a proud owner of SR 150 from last 5 years. Though my running is low, around 13k in 5 years. It has aged really well.

Best thing about the scooter is brakes, in terms of the lever feel and stopping distance as well.

Gives you more confidence while riding it.

Cons are fuel consumption which is in early 20s, and stiff ride. Engine though powerful is not the smoothest.

Service at the authorized center used to cost us between 1k to 1.2k.

Try to take a test ride of SXR160, it should be little more comfortable than SR series.

[Kirubakaran_G]

Originally Posted by shashant

I am a proud owner of SR 150 from last 5 years. Though my running is low, around 13k in 5 years. It has aged really well.

Best thing about the scooter is brakes, in terms of the lever feel and stopping distance as well.

Gives you more confidence while riding it.

Cons are fuel consumption which is in early 20s, and stiff ride. Engine though powerful is not the smoothest.

Service at the authorized center used to cost us between 1k to 1.2k.

Try to take a test ride of SXR160, it should be little more comfortable than SR series.

Thanks for your inputs. A well defined pros and cons list of SR. Your comment is reassuring to hear and builds some faith over the reliability of Aprilia Scooters.

[7000plusrpm]

Originally Posted by Kirubakaran_G

Needs:

1. 14 inch wheels for better stability and traction at low/moderate speeds
2. ABS is non-negotiable.
3. More power is better. I love peppiness, who won't!!!
4. Shouldn't sag under load. Need comfortable suspension, stiffness is good as I'm heavy around 100kgs.
5. Acceptable pillion comfort.

Other things like larger under seat storage, external fuel fillers and bluetooth connection are not needed.

Your needs screams Yamaha Aerox. It has almost everything that you want and can be modded too to your heart's content. If you do get it, upgrade the suspension and get a larger fuel tank.

A few months back, I was in a similar dilemma. I sacrificed power for utility and got the new Access.

[Kirubakaran_G]

Originally Posted by 7000plusrpm

Your needs screams Yamaha Aerox. It has almost everything that you want and can be modded too to your heart's content. If you do get it, upgrade the suspension and get a larger fuel tank.

A few months back, I was in a similar dilemma. I sacrificed power for utility and got the new Access.

Thanks for your suggestion. Will take a longish test drive and finalize. Once done, I'll update.

[para_7k]

From your post, it looks like the Aerox 155 is made for you. There are a few things you need to consider though.
There is no usable footboard and it's more like a moto scooter or a maxi scooter as they call it.
I haven't ridden it personally but everyone who has ridden it says the rear suspension is firm and is biased towards handling. I am calling this out as you mentioned back problems.
Service - Aerox generally sells in very low numbers. Check out the capability of service centers near you if they have well trained mechanics.
If the above are not deal breakers, just get the Aerox.

You mentioned safety, I personally feel safety and two wheelers cannot co-exist in Indian roads. We can stick to ATGATT and ride as safe as we can but there are millions of insane riders/drivers out there who can make your day worse. So, safety is a subjective term. If you consider ABS as a measure, then Aerox and SR150 are probably the only choices.

If you can compromise on ABS, Jupiter 125 is a good option as a commuter for the city. I own one and I am more or less the same in terms of body weight as you. I occasionally use it for my office commute which is 32 kms one way and have never felt any discomfort. The only gripe I have is that the engine tends to get very vocal beyond 45-50 kmph. There were vibrations initially but now they are sorted after 4 oil changes. The engine is smooth and can cruise at 60-65 kmph all day. The stock tyres that TVS give are rubbish and I have changed them to Michelin Pilot street ones.
Braking and handling have improved a lot with the Michelins. Jupiter 125 is in the list because the convenience that this scooter is unmatched. Just that loud engine though
Edit - Do not take this Jupiter 125 on the highway- Not worth it.

Next, there is one more good option - TVS Ntorq Race XP - this particular variant gets a 10 HP mode. Ntorq kind of opened up the fun-to-ride scooter segment which is still a niche btw. Though on paper, it is not significantly powerful than an access or other 125s, the way it's positioned and the way it sounds alone was enough to make it a runaway hit.
The RaceXP will give you all the goodness of the convenience in a scooter along with a dose of fun when you need it. It also has fat tyres and looks going for it.

Lastly, don't rule out the Access 125. It is a sleeper of sorts and can do everything without breaking a sweat. The 2025 Access is getting a lot of love for it's overall engineering. Do add it to your list. Except may be for the boring looks, there is nothing stopping you from it.