Honda Activa to Bajaj Chetak: 10 ‘GAME-CHANGING’ scooters of India

The scooter segment is now the backbone of the Indian commuter vehicle sector. There was a time when geared scooters ruled on the Indian streets but as bikes started to get cheaper, scooter sales dwindled. However, gone are the days when scooters were looked down upon as low on fun and power.

Now, there are many scooters which give geared bikes a run for their money in terms of features and power. Let’s now take a look at the long journey of scooters in India.

Bajaj Chetak – The scooter that put India on two wheels

 

The Bajaj Chetak was named after the famous horse of Maharana Pratap. It is one of those iconic vehicles in our country which changed the whole automotive scene. The Chetak has faithfully served as the daily workhorse of many families. There was a time when the demand for the Chetak used to be so high that the waiting period often soared to over a year. This reliable set of wheels was powered by a 150-cc, two-stroke engine that offered a decent amount of torque. The Chetak is definitely among the biggest game changers of the Indian scooter market and it won’t be wrong to say that it changed the way people moved.

TVS Scooty – Made automatic scooters really popular among women

The TVS Scooty was first launched in 1994. The term was coined by TVS and the scooter was initially meant for both sexes. However, after sales figure indicated that more women are buying it than men, the company changed the target audience to women. It was light, sufficiently peppy, and affordable, which made it a favourite among women. The Scooty originally came with a 60-cc, two-stroke motor that offered roughly 3.5 bhp of maximum power. The Scooty shot to fame much before the Honda Activa came into the picture and many people of the current generation rode it as their first set of two wheeler.

Kinetic Honda – India’s first automatic scooter

 

The Kinetic Honda partnership yielded a gem that  became India’s first-ever automatic scooter. It was very popular among the two-wheeler buyers of its time. While it was originally meant for youngsters, it quickly became popular among all age groups. The Kinetic Honda was powered by 98-cc, two-stroke engine that offered a maximum power of 7.7 bhp and a peak torque of 9.8 Nm. Many still hold this machine as a piece of priceless emotion.

Honda Activa – Made scooters popular again

 

If there is a scooter that made them cool again, it is the Honda Activa. It is the best selling automatic scooter of India till date. Activa became for scooters what Colgate is for toothpastes. The Activa has gone through several updates and is still the preferred choice of many. It’s impact was so great that even motorcycle segment began to feel the heat as many people preferred the no nuisance Activa over bikes. It’s actually the Activa that is responsible for injecting a fresh lease of life into the scooter market of our country.

Honda Dio – Appealed to all those who wanted a stylish alternative to the Activa

 

With the unparalleled success of the Activa, Honda went back to the design table intending to make something specifically for the youth. Out came the Dio, which at its launch was a very radical design and had people drooling over it. The Dio has always shared the underpinnings with the Activa but has appealed more to the younger audience owing to its flamboyant styling and the same tried-and-tested engine. Many youngsters had this as their first set of ride, especially the high school crowd.

TVS NTorq 125 – First fun-to-ride scooter with modern connectivity features

 

The TVS NTORQ 125 can be said to be the next big step in the automatic scooter industry. The funky looking scooter is not only fun to ride but also high on style. It offers upmarket technology features like phone connectivity among others. Powering the scooter is a 124.79-cc motor that outputs 9.4 PS. Also, the scooter offers sharp handling characteristics. No doubt that it is currently selling like hot cakes.

Suzuki Access 125 – India’s first fun-to-ride 125-cc automatic scooter

 

 

The Suzuki Access 125 offered bland styling upon its launch which had many people divided. However, it is among those timeless designs that ultimately grows on you and constant updates by the company has made it a handsome scooter. It made the 125-cc automatic scooter segment popular and people were ready to shell out some extra money to enjoy more power an fun. Powering the Access is a 125-cc, four-stroke engine that produces 8.7 PS of peak power and 10.2Nm of peak torque.

Vespa VX 125 – India’s first retro-style automatic scooter

 

The retro-modern trend has been quite popular in the motorcycle segment with Royal Enfield being one of the most profitable two wheeler company. In the scooter industry, this trend was started by the The Vespa VX 125 and it became the first modern, retro-style automatic scooter of India. While this scooter is slightly pricey, it offers a remarkable street presence owing to its deliciously retro look. It’s powered by a 125-cc, single-cylinder motor that offers 10.2 PS.

Ather S340 – India’s most tech-laden scooter

 

The Ather S340 is a home brewed scooter that not only looks but also has the ride and features to match. While the sales of the Ather are limited to Bangalore, it’s easily the most tech-laden electric scooter on sale in the country. It offers features like a reverse gear, touchscreen instrument cluster and smartphone connectivity. While electric scooters may not have become that popular in our country, this certainly is a positive step towards that goal.

Aprilia SR 150 – Sportiest automatic scooter in India

This scooter holds the tag of being the segment starter for powerful, bike challenging scooters in India. While it may not be the first 150 cc scooter of India (remember Kinetic Blaze, Honda Eterno), it certainly is the most powerful scooter of India currently. It shares its engine with the retro-styled Vespa sibling. It’s powered by a 154.8-cc engine that outputs 10.4 bhp of maximum power. It’s definitely the SR 150 that has proved that modern automatic scooters can be a lot of fun without compromising on the convenience factor.