ITALIAN CHARM

The Aprilia SXR 160 was revealed at the Auto Expo 2020. Eleven months down the line, we finally get astride the maxi-scooter

- Suvrat Kothari

THERE’S NO DEARTH OF RUN-OF-the-mill scooters in India. If you decide to buy one right now, you have so many options that you will have to shortlist at least a dozen. However, Aprilia always stood out by offering unique, enthusiast-friendly scooters and yet again, another out-of-the-box offering is around the corner — the SXR 160 maxi-scooter. What makes it special is its focus on performance, blended with a head-turning design and ergonomic tweaks that make it friendlier.

The SXR 160 gets a lot of mass compared to regular scooters thanks to bulky panels, but it’s tastefully executed. Up front, there’s an LED headlamp with an output of 1000 lumens. We didn’t ride at night, so an update on the headlamps shall follow in the weeks to come. There’s also a dark windscreen and a massive digital cluster that’s easy-to-read. It is larger than anything that we have seen on scooters so far and includes a tachometer, real-time fuel efficiency, ambient temperature and top speed, trip meters and more. A Bluetooth-enabled screen is also available as an accessory. In the flesh, the SXR 160 looks attractive and it’s hard to not give it a second glance.