TVS NTorq Race XP Review: Racy And Saucy!

What do the tweaked specifications and added tech mean in the TVS NTorq Race XP? We ride one to find out

Words: Neeraj Padmakumar Photography: Amal

The NTorq has been a successful nameplate in India since its debut in 2018. It was loved for its peppy nature and enthusiastic performance. Also, TVS had rolled it out as a sporty stylish scooter with no compromise in equipment. The NTorq has had a lot of features on offer from day one. Over the years, this just got better! However, it witnessed decent drops in real-world performance with the BS6 update. The Race edition could barely make up for this, and so TVS has now introduced a beefier Race XP version of the popular scooter, with improved better performance, more on which later…

TVS NTorq 125 Race XP: What Is It?

The NTorq Race XP is targeted at the performance-savvy crowd among those looking for a 125 cc scooter. It has slightly higher power and torque figures and reworked delivery, alongside a carefully engineered suspension, added features, and a very loud design. Obviously, there is a price premium as well.

Design

The Race XP has a styling that would hit you straight in the eye. It is loud and probably a bit too rad! The overall shape remains the same as the outgoing NTorq. The Red color scheme remains close to that of the previous Race Edition. However, there are a number of style statements that are exclusive to the Race XP. It is just the NTorq Race XP that gets Red on the alloy wheels, engine fan, and the loud decals. Also, there is Red on the rear shocks as well. The body graphics are flashy and unique to the Race XP, and the scooter can be had in this colorway alone. Thus, if you are to buy the NTorq Race XP, there’s no escaping the shouty styling. This might not please everyone alike.

Features

In keeping with the identity of the moniker, the NTorq Race XP comes packed with features. It gets LED headlamps with a handsome T-shaped DRL, all-digital instrument cluster, selectable riding modes, Bluetooth connectivity and voice assist, underseat USB charging point etc.

The instrument cluster offers a lot of information to the rider. In addition to the speedometer, fuel gauge and temperature gauge, there are things like a digital clock, odometer, trip meter, 0-60 kph timer, top-speed indication and even a full-blown lap timer! Owing to the screen size and layout, accessing this extra information is not always the easiest. You might many a time feel it to be a bit congested.

The 0-60 kph timer is indeed a fancy bit out there. We could use it to judge the acceleration in the two different ride modes- Street and Race, more on which in a while. The engine Start button also functions as the ride mode selection control and the trigger for Voice Assist. Press this once to start the engine. Once the engine comes to life, press it again to switch between ride modes. Long pressing this button with the engine running would trigger the voice assist, and the vehicle would listen to you over the linked smartphone’s headset. Wired and wireless headsets can both be used. There is a list of voice commands for getting a series of tasks done, and the overall quality of recognition is great.

More Thoughts On The NTorq Race XP

• The overall material quality feels great at most places.
• The seat feels comfortable and supportive.
• The footboard is fair-sized, and adequate for most. If you were to opt for an apron storage, the legroom would have been greatly compromised. This could be why such a storage has been omitted.
• A combination keyslot is missing,and would have greatly be appreciated. Here, the keyslot to open both the underseat storage and the external fuel filler sits towards the tail.
• The TVS Connect application that lets you connect your smartphone to the scooter offers a great user experience and relevant information like navigation, location based services, and a real time tachometer. The overall response and experience are great. We did not face any connection issues or reporting errors during our days with the vehicle.
• Switching to the Race mode brings the lap timer to the display, delivering a more exciting experience to the rider.

Specifications

The NTorq Race XP has the same 124.8 cc 3 valve, BS6 compliant, air-cooled engine that can produce up to 10.2 PS and 10.8 Nm. The ride modes- Street and Race, offer distinctly different performance and acceleration. The engine map and delivery differs greatly between these. In the meeker Street mode, the engine churns out just 9 PS and 10 Nm, delivering a performance that is more or less like that of the BS6 NTorq. The delivery is meek and more balanced. In the Race mode, it produces 10.2 hp and 10.8 Nm, both delivered in a more enthu way. Also, the new Race XP is around 2 kilograms lighter than the other versions, ‘due to the use of lightweight materials’ according to the manufacturer.

Performance

Long story short, the fun is back! The NTorq Race XP feels live and quick again. Even the Street mode offers faster acceleration than the BS6 NTorq, but is not as quick as the BS4 model. 0-60kph comes in an indicated 7.8 seconds.

The Race mode is the cream here. It offers a performance that we have never seen in the NTorq 125! In Race, the scooter feels the quickest it’s ever been and more interestingly quicker than any of its rivals! 0-60 kph comes in around 6.6 seconds. The Race XP brings back the crisp throttle responses to the NTorq, something which we have all loved this scooter for. Getting to speeds is enjoyable and so are sudden overtakes.

The overall refinement levels are great. Minimal vibrations are felt at most times. At most rpms, the motor feels smooth. However, idles do give you a few vibes.

Ride And Handling

TVS NTorq 125 Race XP is sprung in a way that the occupants get ample ride comfort even when there is enough stiffness to the suspension to offer mature corner manners. The balance between ride comfort and handling is well sorted. Also, it behaves well at speeds. At indicated speeds of 100 kph, I felt confident and completely in control. The 12 inch wheels and the TVS rubber on them contribute a lot to this. Race XP gets disc brake at the front and drum at the rear, offering good bite and stopping power. The overall deceleration and braking experience are great. This could be among the sharpest, most powerful brakes in the segment today.

Mileage

As is the case with performance, the two ride modes differ drastically in fuel efficiencies as well. In the street mode, Race XP offers efficiencies of up to 54 kpl on highways. However, in ‘Race’, all the additional performance meat comes at the cost of efficiency. These numbers would also depend greatly on the throttle inputs.

Verdict

At Rs 94,743 ex-showroom, NTorq Race XP is around 4000 more expensive than the Race Edition and a whopping 12,000 dearer than the base spec Ntorq. Going by what’s on offer, this scooter does justice to its price. For someone looking for a stylish, shouty and peppy scooter, this makes for a great option to consider.

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