It is the biggest festive season in India and all the manufacturers are busy planning on how to woo more customers in the next 1-2 months. But, the TVS Motor Company has gone ahead of the thinking phase and taken a few giant leaps to make sure they have some solid offerings  for the people who walk into their showrooms. The latest in the series of recent launches by TVS is the new TVS Jupiter 125 that was launched yesterday. The other two launches recently from them have been the TVS Raider 125 and the TVS Apache RR 310 BTO. 

Text: Shashanka Deka with inputs from Sunil Gupta
Photos: Sunil Gupta

We got to ride the all new TVS Jupiter 125 cc a couple of days ago at the TVS Hosur plant and here’s what we think of it. 

TVS already offers  another scooter in this 125 cc segment, the TVS Ntorq 125, which is targeted at a younger audience who prefers thrill over savings and comfort. The Jupiter 125 on the other hand is targeted towards more mature riders who need to take care of their family/professional/social commitments along with their personal need for speed. So, the Jupiter 125 doesn’t carry all the bells and whistles of the Ntorq, but practical candies like better fuel economy, more luggage carrying space, more seat space, etc, – all the things that make it a good family scooter. And we don’t mean to compare it with the Ntorq here. Also, there were rumors on the internet prior to the launch that the Jupiter might have a re-tuned engine of the TVS Ntorq; but it is not the case, the new Jupiter 125 employs an all-new engine that is completely different in character and performance. 

Looks wise, the Jupiter 125 appears fresh while still retaining the DNA of its predecessor. The scooter now employs an all-LED headlamp along with DRLs and copious amounts of chrome thrown in here and there. The tail lamp also received a design tweak and you can also see a nice little reflector on the grab rail. It’s also got a metal body for that extra sturdiness. It gets a wide footboard, which the TVS claims can easily carry a gas cylinder; we didn’t get a gas cylinder to test this claim, but we don’t have any reasons to doubt it either. Then, it has got the class-leading underseat storage (33 L), which can carry two small size full-face helmets. To make this possible, TVS has moved the fuel tank under the footboard. TVS claims it won’t cause any safety-related issues as the tank is metal, completely sealed, and sits on a cradle that would prevent it from getting damaged in case of an accident. Then, you have the longest seat in the segment that is also sufficiently wide and well cushioned to accommodate larger passengers and also to keep them comfortable during longish rides. 

Other nifty design/feature elements include front external fuel filling, USB charging with a 2L glovebox right underneath the charger to keep your phone along with a few other things.  Then you have an all-in-one key slot that would do a lot of other things for you than just locking/unlocking the scooter and turning the electricals on; it can open the fuel lid as well as the seat lock, for example. It has also got a semi-digital instrument cluster that offers host of easily readable information like instantaneous and average fuel economy, fuel gauge, distance to empty, and 3 trip meters (A, B, and F where the F trip meter is triggered when the vehicle hits the reserve and it shows the distance you’ve covered after hitting the reserve). Then, you a clock, a helmet reminder, and Eco/Power mode indicator and low-fuel warning along with other tell-tale lights. It has also got a side-stand indicator that would prevent the engine from turning on when the stand is engaged. The top end variant that we rode here comes with disc brakes along with diamond-cut alloy wheels. 

The Jupiter 125 is powered by a 124.8 cc twin-valve engine that produces 8 Hp of peak power at 6500 rpm and 10.5 Nm of torque at 4500 rpm. The new Jupiter also comes with TVS’s IntelliGO and ETFi technology. The IntelliGO technology turns off the engine when it is lying idle for long durations, at traffic signals for example. It comes back to life with just a twist of the throttle while holding the rear brake lever simultaneously. And this results in better fuel efficiency, speaking of which TVS hasn’t revealed any official fuel efficiency numbers but says that it is better than the rest. The engine feels relaxed and refined throughout and offers good low and mid range punch, which should make your city commutes through traffic with two up a breeze. 

The overall ride quality is quite relaxed thanks to its plush suspension and handling abilities. And when we wanted to stop, the 220 mm disc upfront gave decent braking power as well. 

To conclude this first impression, let us add that TVS is on a roll with a series of well-planned and well-engineered products. And the TVS Jupiter 125 is another step in the right direction by them. The Jupiter was already a well-selling product and in its new avatar, with a price tag of INR 73,400 ex-showroom Delhi, it has become an even more potent and capable package that ticks all the right boxes. Over to Suzuki and Honda now to up their game and protect their market in this segment. The TVS Jupiter 125 is here to stay and play a long innings,