Aprilia SR160: A Sporty Scooter With Serious Intent

At Nepal Drives Headquarters, we depend on our trusty old scooter. We have had it for a very long time and it is as important an employee as any one of our team members. There are times when our reviewers take it to run their own errands, and there has been little to complain about. It is a scooter, it isn't going to knock your socks off, but it is going to get you from one place to another. And we love it for that. It is part of the team. Which is why, it pains us to think of replacing it with the scooter that we had for our review: the Aprilia SR 160.

But here’s the thing, the SR 160 did make us think. Unlike most scooters that are content just being transportation, the SR 160 wants to play. It comes with a 160.03cc, BS6-compliant, 3-valve, air-cooled, single-cylinder, fuel-injected engine, and that’s a lot of numbers for something with a floorboard. But it matters. Because once you get going, you can feel the difference.

It churns out 11 PS of power at 7100 rpm and 13.44 Nm of torque at 5300 rpm. On paper, that doesn’t sound like much. On the road, though, the throttle feels responsive, the acceleration feels alive, and it’s way more fun than we expected.

You’re not going to be smoking bigger bikes at traffic lights, but you’ll be the quickest off the line in most scooter showdowns. And it feels stable doing it, too.

The SR 160 gets a telescopic fork at the front and a mono-shock at the rear, with 14-inch alloy wheels wrapped in 120/70 section tubeless tyres at both ends. This setup gives it a planted feel around corners, and a bit more confidence when darting through gaps in traffic.

Braking is handled by a 220mm front disc and a 140mm rear drum. But more importantly, it comes with single-channel ABS, which is a nice touch of safety for a sporty commuter like this.

As far as looks go, Aprilia’s done well to keep the SR 160 looking sharp. It’s aggressive. Sporty. Almost motorcycle-like in its stance. You get bold decals, a large front apron, and split grab rails at the back. It’s definitely not subtle — and that's kind of the point.

The scooter measures 1985mm in length, 806mm in width, and 1261mm in height, with a 780mm seat height and 169mm of ground clearance. That low-ish seat height makes it easy for most riders to handle. The kerb weight is 122 kg which is light enough to be nimble, but with enough heft to feel substantial.

The digital instrument cluster is there, but honestly, it's pretty basic. You get the essentials: speed, fuel, odometer, and a few warning lights. No flashy connectivity features or TFT displays here, and that feels like a bit of a missed opportunity at this price point.

Speaking of price, the Aprilia SR 160 will set you back Rs. 3,95,900 in Nepal. That’s a premium price tag. But Aprilia isn’t aiming for the budget-conscious commuter. This is a lifestyle machine, for someone who wants their daily ride to have a bit more flair, and a lot more fun.

We’re sticking to our trusty old scooter for now. It’s dependable, familiar, and part of the family. It’s not the fastest, or the flashiest, but it has never let us down. That said, the Aprilia SR 160 reminded us that getting from one place to another doesn’t always have to be boring. If and when the time comes to upgrade, the SR 160 will definitely be on our list — not just for what it does, but for how it makes you feel while doing it.