The 125cc scooter segment has witnessed a good response in the Indian market. Offering better rideability, scooters like the TVS Ntorq have taken the game ahead not just in terms of performance, but features as well. As a result, all scooter makers have contenders in the segment, except for Yamaha. And now it seems like that’s not going to change soon as Yamaha has decided to sit out of this space and directly introduce a sporty 155cc scooter in India. And, we have been told, the scooter in question will be the NMax 155. Though the Yamaha Aerox S, also a 155cc scooter, was spotted in India earlier this year, that was only brought in the country to be showcased at the Yamaha Scooter Boutique in Chennai.
With Yamaha shifting their focus back on the ‘excitement’ of the brand, the NMax will fit right into the mix as a sporty alternative to the Vespas and will be a direct rival to the Aprilia SR 150. Powering the NMax is a 155cc, liquid-cooled, 4-valve engine which produces 14.8PS of power at 8,000 rpm and 14.4Nm of peak torque at 6,000 rpm. In this tune, the NMax is considerably more powerful than the Aprilia SR 150, which makes 10.4PS at 6,750 rpm and 11.4Nm at 5,000 rpm. But, we might get a differently tuned motor for the Indian market to favour efficiency over outright performance.
In terms of the features offered, the NMax gets LED lighting setup, a fully-digital instrument cluster, ABS, disc brakes and a properly sporty exterior. It will be the most quirky looking scooter on sale with a windscreen up front, a split floorboard and a long step-up seat. The NMax runs on 110/70-13 front and 130/70-13 rear wheels, which are an inch smaller than the Aprilia but still look quite sporty.
The tricky part for the scooter is the price. In the Philippines, the scooter is priced at Rs 1.5 lakhs (directly converted). In India though, heavy localisation and a few feature misses should bring the price down to around Rs 1 lakh. Even at this price, it will be one of the most expensive scooters on sale. But given the performance on offer, it just might be worth it. Expect it to launch mid-next year in the country.
Source: zigwheels.com
