All About Scooters

TVS finally breaks cover on its first electric powered scooter - The iQUBE. The sleek and classy looking TVS iQube electric scooter derives its power from a very advanced electric drivetrain, which is paired with the TVS SmartXonnect platform. TVS iQube Electric packs a 4.4 kW electric motor which is capable of churning out high power and efficiency with no loss in transmission.  TVS claims that the iQube electric scooter can touch the max speed of 78 kmph (in power ride mode) and has the range of 75 kms in a single charge and takes 4.2s to touch the 40 kmph mark from standstill. (TVS iQUBE Image Source:  TVS Motor Company ) The scooter comes packed with a host of modern and absolutely incredible features. For instance, you get dual ride mode, auto reverse, navigation assist, remote charge status, battery charge status, range indicator, low battery indicator, over-speed alert, ride stats, parking location history, SMS & incoming call alert, DND and emerg...

Scooters in India are evolving with time.  But there function remains the same even today. To make city commute smooth and hassle free. Over the last few years, scooters have seen countless upgrades and addition of latest feature such as mobile charger, bluetooth connectivity, fuel cap on the outside and the likes. Last year the Indian government has taken a closer look at motor vehicles plying on Indian roads and the safety aspect of these vehicles and it has called for some positive changes. One of those changes was the addition of disc brakes in scooters with an engine capacity of 125 cc or above. With that law in place, we have a handsome number of scooters sold in India that sport a disc brake at the front wheel. (Piaggio Vespa Image Source: Imghulk) So how does a disc brake work? In Simple words, when you pull the brake lever, pressure is transferred instantly using a fluid to the brake pistons which in turn pushes the brake pads to the disc, thus result in s...

Is flushing a good practice? If you are thinking about the toilet or washroom, then it is undoubtedly the best practice. But I am here to talk about flushing a scooter engine or any other automobile engine. (Vespa Image Source: Creative Market) Before coming to a conclusion, let's understand what is flushing. Engine flush is process where an aftermarket chemical additive is introduced to the engine and then its allowed to idle for 10 to 15 minutes. This additive mixes with the flows throw each and every corner of the engine, merges with engine oil, dissolves and flushes out all the impurities and deposits that have accumulated in the engine over extended period of usage. You can then drain the impure oil, change the oil filter and then go on driving your scooter. Sounds simple isn't it? Considering that engines are majorly closed units, what are these impurities that accumulate inside the engine and how do they accumulate? Let's take a look at that here....

Do you remember Kinetic Blaze?  Well no one will hold it against you if you don't. It was a beefy 150 cc maxi scooter launched in India in the early 2000. But that was a time when even 150 cc motorcycles had barely entered the market and was trying to find acceptance from the Indian population. Fast forward to 2020 and now we have quite a few decent options in the 150 cc scooter segment. We have the performance oriented Aprilia SR 150 and retro looking, intricately crafted Piaggio Vespa Elegante 150, SXL 150 and VXL 150. If you look at the engine specs the 3 models of Vespa have the same 150 cc mill and deliver the same output, look almost the same and even the cycle parts are same. (Aprilia SR 150 and Piaggio Vespa SXL 150 Image Source: India Today) Oh well, I am not here to compare these to beauties. What I am here for is to share some tips for effective maintenance of these scooters. So what is the first thing a vehicle owner should be aware of when it comes...

(Image Source: Google) The engine is the heart of any vehicle or machinery and with scooters, it’s no different. To ensure that your scooter is smooth and in pristine functioning condition, you need an  engine oil which sets a benchmark for quality and most importantly is of the right configuration for the scooter. Choosing engine oil for scooters  is not an easy task. Every manufacturer recommends a certain type of oil for the engines to enhance the longevity of the engines and it has proven to be extremely effective.  Alternate brands have crowded the market with their scooter centric engine oils and they have proven their mettle. However, there is a lot of research to be done to come out with the prefect bike engine oil for your scooter. The most important factors that should be taken into consideration before choosing an engine oil are: 1. Never deviate from the specifications which are provided by the OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer)...