Re: New Access 125 versus TVS Jupiter

Query approved!

Re: New Access 125 versus TVS Jupiter

Thank you @DivyaSharan, for approving the thread.

I enquired at Kiran Suzuki (Motilal Nagar, Goregaon Link Road). The sales person satisfied my queries regarding service centre. Kiran Suzuki has been established since two years and it is looking to expand its facilities, hence little chance of shutting down. There is another dealership/workshop at Kandivali Link Road. Both these are sufficiently near my home that quickly taking the scooter down for checking won't be a hassle. Hence, final selection is new Suzuki Access 125 with disc and alloy wheels.

On Road price for new Access with disc brake and alloys is Rs, 70,912. This includes everything except accessories - RTO, handling, insurance, etc. The only accessory is the all around guard rail which I refused. I will ask for a copy of the breakdown of costs on my next visit.

Also on my next visit, I will enquire about compulsory fitments like side step (for ladies sitting sideways) and RVMs; and also consumables like battery (MF, brand, etc.) and tires (MRF preferred).

Extended warranty for 3 years is being offered for Rs. 630.

Dealership is offering loan - however it is very expensive. As per one online calculator, it is coming to 31.86% pa. Same amount of loan at HDFC (in which I have an account), is available at 21.81%. I will be following up on this.

Re: New Access 125 versus TVS Jupiter

Note, you need to service your vehicle during that extended warranty period. Also, make note of things covered during that warranty.
I've never been a fan of loans.
Not sure how it's done, but one of my relative availed a personal loan of 10L @13% pa. Nevertheless, avoid them like plague.

Re: New Access 125 versus TVS Jupiter

[MENTION=36366]SparKot[/MENTION], I finally took a personal loan at 18.85%. Hence there is no hypothecation on the scooter. Overall, given financial constraints, I found this to be the best option for me. I am aware of the requirements of getting bike serviced as per schedule in order to qualify for warranty - normal or extended. I, of course, intend to keep to the schedule; but well, for Rs 630, it won't be a big loss if I lose the extended warranty. For that matter, I have seen Suzuki workshops in my corner of Mumbai shutting down in two-three years on average so having warranty for 5 years itself is a gamble.

I have booked a matte gray Access with front disc brake and alloy wheels. Booked at Kiran Suzuki, Goregaon Link Road. Breakdown is as follows.

Ex-showroom - Rs. 62,570
Insurance (comprehensive) - Rs. 1,891
Registration - Rs. 6,051
Accessories - Rs. 2,088
Others - Rs. 400

Total - Rs. 73,000

"Others" - I asked and was told "Sir, bike handling, etc. etc." Accessories - Seat cover, buzzer, parking cover, guard, and extended warranty. There was choice of tyres between CEAT and MRF. I told them to deliver with MRF tyres.

One thing that struck me is how manufacturers are trying to remove control from the user. In the new Access, the only thing the user can do is check oil and tyres. For everything else, the workshop is the only authorised option.

I asked about battery access since I have a tendency to leave the bike standing for months and I usually charge the battery at home before taking the bike out. I was told battery position is no longer designed for "user access". Most scooters used to have battery easily accessible in the floorboard but in the new Access, we have to remove the front panel to reach the battery! I asked the sales rep about the toolkit provided - since there is very little the rider can do, what's the point of toolkit? "It is only to comply with the law", is the reply I got

Scooters are truly becoming (or trying to become) commuting appliances.

Re: New Access 125 versus TVS Jupiter

Congratulations on your new booking.!

On the accessories: seems the list is almost similar to all other scooter dealers used to offer, however please check if the Seat cover they offering is made from Rexine which heat up very quickly. (I had this one on my Wego which later I removed and now I did not accept similar seat cover when I bought Maestro Edge).!

Re: New Access 125 versus TVS Jupiter

Well, I only used one/two paid service coupons, then bought toolkits instead of regular services.
Hope you're not paying for a seat-cover which has dealer's contact details in bold letters
With the right tools you're few screws/bolts away from battery-cage. Weekly 5-minutes ride should suffice to top-up battery charge.
You can safely keep those tools @home for formality ;-)

Well, congratulations on the new ride.

Re: New Access 125 versus TVS Jupiter

access is crappy it vibrates like toy from behind n looks like a cheap toy.....roads r loaded with activas n jupiters....try them out and how many accesses have you seen on road? one or two in a week? and its too damn costly...you could buy nano with that price.

Re: New Access 125 versus TVS Jupiter

buckets load of crap !!!
On that note, I wouldn't recommend Nano to anyone. ;-)

Re: New Access 125 versus TVS Jupiter

Sad to know your experience. But from my experience, its one of the smoothest among scoots.
Only reason, I would not go with access is- Lack of good ACS and no external fuel filler.

Re: New Access 125 versus TVS Jupiter

I think lack of external fuel filler makes me go away from access as well. Jupiter looks more masculine.

Re: New Access 125 versus TVS Jupiter

I have not followed the general trends ever. Just like with my Gladiator (may it be happy with its new owner), I had a list of features I desired. Looks being a personal opinion (although I think the new Access has character, looks-wise), the Access ticked all points on my checklist. I have test-driven both Access and Activa - noise, vibration, etc. felt about the same. I rarely saw another Gladiator on the roads in the seven years I rode it - maybe one or two in a month; I don't let the "kitna deti hai" crowd bother me. While I am not an avid biker, I am a careful one.

1. How many of those Activas and Jupiters crowding the roads right now have a 125cc mill? A front disc brake?
2. These forums and many others are filled with talks of arrogance and high-handedness of Honda dealers and service centres. I did not want to face that - so in the presence of an equally good scooter, I rejected the Activa 125.
3. TVS Wego comes with a front disc. The Jupiter MillionR edition comes with a front disc brake. But TVS does not offer the disc brake as an option on other variants of Jupiter. Why? I rejected the Jupiter for this.

The accessibility of the fuel cap is also not going to be an issue for me - going by my usage, I will need to reach for it maybe once a week, if not less frequently. And like I mentioned earlier, there are two authorised service centres near my place, so that also works out well.

@SparKot, @Nairrk, thanks for your wishes! While the seat cover does not have any branding, it does get hot very quickly in the sun. I will change it in a week or so.

Re: New Access 125 versus TVS Jupiter

access is very rare to see on roads and less abundance on the roads always means very low resale value, less availability of spare parts, lack of easy access to service anywhere. Also when people buy a vehicle on a very large scale then they're efficiently upgraded and improved models as they're real time tested by large number of people personally. When people buy something on a tremendously large scale this means its trustworthy and has been working fine without any complaints. When I'm spending my hard earned money why would I take risk buying something rare and untested by real people?? I'll go either with activa or Jupiter

Re: New Access 125 versus TVS Jupiter

I really appreciate suzuki's customer service.

Two days ago I signed up for test ride on suzuki's website.

I got a call yesterday from Jains Suzuki, Chennai for a test ride. I went around 3 p.m today and took a really long test ride on both the drum and disc brake variants. I should say I'M SOLD.

I had previously thought of buying Jupiter for many convenient features. I had also ridden it. I had to adjust myself and it was difficult for me to find the right riding posture even though the space was ZYADA. I should say suzuki access 125 has the best riding posture for a tall guy like me who comes from owning geared motorcycles and is looking for a comfortable scoot.

Here's a gist of my experience -

Reached the showroom and asked for a test ride of access. I was allowed to ride both the disc and drum brake equipped vehicles. I was taken to their godown nearby and we took the drum brake access; WE - me and the showroom fellow.

First feel - *swears* looks heavy but it is the lightest full size scoot I've been on! So easy and light to bring it out rolling.

Engine started quickly and the bike was quite and smooth. First throttle twist was not scary at all. The scoot moved swiftly and I went off roading! The road from the godown was actually mud and sand! I was having a pillion and I could still feel the lightness of the vehicle! I started playing with it - left, right, left, right and it didn't skid a bit! Amazing grip on sand even with a pillion. The drum brake had great feel but took time to show it's power.

I went to main roads which were laid well. Total fun! Zipped through traffic and even the smallest of gaps I had not taken any two wheeler into. In service lanes, there were huge trucks and tempos coming against us and I had to turn in quickly into the littlest of the gaps available. Again the scoot was in total control! Easy U-turns with pillion! No heaviness! Amazingly short turning radius - JUPITER EAT THIS.

We went back to the godown and there was a disc brake access waiting for us, actually me. Looks like this was a newer scoot and felt more eager - prolly freshly taken out. The disc brake was like wood. I was like, 'I'm not buying this'. The showroom boy warned me to carefully use the front brake on sand and on turns. After a few metres, I realised that even though it lacked feel, it stopped the vehicle quicker than drum brake version. There's a feel to it but it's heavy. You can feel that on the footboard - like the front forks pushing against the footboard everytime you brake. Actually the discs were still in break in period. It worked on my return trip to the godown - I started pumping the lever and I could gradually feel it's working. When I hit the brake one last time to stop in front of the godown, it locked the front wheel. The tyres held their grip and I could hear and see the skid prints of the front tyre on the sandy road. I was glad it worked.

On both the variants I had immense fun with the rear drum brake. It was easy to lock and drift - fishtailing on sandy surfaces should be common. Couple disc brake with rear drum brake and you can feel safe and stop the scoot quickly even with a pillion.

Surprisingly, the suspension setup is amazing and the floor board doesn't scrape the ground when going on roads that looked in sand dunes. The rear is stiffer than front and it is for a reason. I experienced the plush ride when I was at the pillion seat. Talking about the seat!!! So spacious for the pillion even when I scoot back as far as possible! When I was the pillion, I could still seat a person behind me! Nice space! The comfort is also influenced by how you change throttle when the going gets tough. It's crisp and the feel is amazing. You wouldn't want to slow down.

The front tyre is bigger right so it feels light and also gives amazing feedback to the handlebar. I could sense every single thing I was rolling over with the bike.

The rear tyre is small and looks disproportionate in photos. Only in photos. In real both sync so well. I think they have made it small so that it doesn't affect pick up and as well gives the right feedback at the front.

What else can I say! It's super easy to flick, underseat fits my helmet and I'm ready to spend more than Rs. 60k on it! It's doesn't look girly in person and is a very premium looking scoot. People of any age can use it, just like vespa. All in all the dealer was very cooperative and I had fun. I will be buying it in november. One more suzuki to my garage. I'm a suzki patron officially.

To describe the scoot in short - She's a graceful and confident lady who is dressed slick and with whom you would want to go on multiple dates, to fancy dinners, to dance salsa/ tango or to the ball, just to finally marry her in the end! She is damn trustworthy to age with peacefully.

Just buy it guys! It's the best at the moment. I wish you all luck to get a perfectly manufactured piece and enjoy the reliability of the brand!

To tvs jupiter - I'm going to ride you one more time and it's the only chance to get me! I'm already sold to this comfortable scoot!

Re: New Access 125 versus TVS Jupiter

[MENTION=86805]Ambition135[/MENTION], let's agree to disagree. I have already clarified that all the parameters you have mentioned - lack of popularity leading to lower resale value, lack of spares and service centres, etc. - have already been experienced by me when I rode the Gladiator - and I don't mind them. I keep repeating myself - I don't care about popularity polls, resale value, etc. I looked for certain features in my desired bike - and if overall, it's a well-engineered bike, I go for it. Regarding service centres - there are two within 5 km of my house. Going by feedback from friends and random people who own the Access, I won't be hunting for spares either. Like Yamaha, Suzuki makes good bikes!

Also, talk of efficient upgrades and improvements is a joke in Indian two-wheeler market - specially scooters. Sure, Honda is selling 3 lakh Activas monthly. I am pretty sure 99% have piddly 10 inch wheels and trailing link suspension in front - same as 10 years ago! How many of those Activas are Activa 125 vs. Activa 3g? Where are the telescopic forks, disc brakes, ABS, DLR, engine kill switch, pass light? A market segment, whose leading bike - Activa 3g - doesn't have these features - that says the priorities of the majority are different than mine - hence I stick to my checklist while selecting my ride.

I am happy with my Access and looking forward to long relationship.