TVS RAIDER 125 REVIEW | TheRevviewer.com

 Commuter motorcycles are usually stereotyped in India to be boring and commuting specific. Those old steel rims, basic display, economics engines, Engines with no soul. Design so bland it would draw no eyes. But it was time this changed. TVS started out a venture to knit a motorcycle to do justice to this aim. The Brand which made the legendry apache RTR, the horse which was well priced for its segment didn’t fare well due its direct competitor the Bajaj pulsar and people preferred the Bajaj for its refinement. But that didn’t stop for the petrol heads to take up on the apache for its surreal power and handling. This was the 160CC segment, TVS now wanted to attack the 125CC. With the NTorq being a supreme scooter with its surreal exhaust, TVS made into a bike, A bike which is one of the cheapest bike you can get, and the one that can put a smile on your face.

 Engine

The raider comes with a 124 CC oil + air cooled engine similar to the one found on the Ntorq. This engine has a decent low range with no jerks (KTM you need to read this) the midrange is punchy enough to wave any 125 or even a 150 CC bye-bye, and the top end doesn’t really have much juice but has a cool exhaust note. That’s not it, The gear box is good, though not yet Honda levels, but great. And this being a 125CC the mileage is claimed to be 60. When I tested this, for my abuse I couldn’t gain more than 45- 50, but for a more sedated driving style quite sure it will get that number. On road, this is almost the fastest bike till 75Km/hr but once ur past 100 the bikes is out of air. Top speed is 110.

Dynamics
Now this is where I am going to start my complains. The raider has a very hybrid seating position. It is not as aggressive as a KTM but not as sedated as a Honda Shine. What this gives is a comfortable and a little sporty dynamics, but the issue is one cannot be too aggressive nor be too comfortable. The next issue which was a really a bummer for me were the brakes. The fronts just don’t have the bite. This has a SBT(Combine braking) So its works better when the rear is pressed simultaneously. The brakes could be said poor when compared with the NS125 because that bike stop in a wink. For a bike weighing just 123 kgs, I expected some solid brakes with ABS.

 

pic credits :- Motoring World

Features
The raider gets a full LED headlight which is at best decent. In empty roads with dim-no lighting, it works. Under heavy oncoming traffic it just feels like a normal headlight, surely could have done some work there. It also gets a full LED tail lamp which is small but gets the job done.
The raider has a full reverse LCD display which looks just phenomenal. I could turn my bike on and just stare at that cluster for hours. Such majestic clusters can’t event be seen on super bikes like the CBR650. The colors and the contrast make it a joy to look at it. It also gets an inbuilt USB A socket. The bike does not get an engine Cut-off button but it does get a sidestand cut off which is a great save. It has the trademark TVS Start stop system (IntelliGo) which honestly doesn’t do much for me. It also has a traffic – glide, what it does is in heavy traffic if you are in 2^nd gear, you can glide through traffic and no need to pull the clutch.

Build

The raider has a decent build and paint quality. Though there are some cheap graphics and flimsy plastic work lower down, it justifies its price. The cost cutting is evident and few places where I believe should not have to be compromised were the brakes and the chain cover. The Seats are good and the pillion will be happy for sure. The tyres are Decent and do offer the grip one needs. But I will not say no to fatter Rear tyres to give the Raider a more muscular and mature look. (Or just install and tyre hugger).

 

Final Verdict
In the segment of 125cc, if you are a college student who needs a bike which is economical, Easy to use, enough power (it will always keep you under 90) And looks cool, I will strongly recommend this. It is as cheaper than a KTM, looks better than a Bajaj and drives better than a Honda. This is an allrounder and with OTR process starting from just 99K, this bike is a no Brainer.