JUPITER ON E ARTH

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t e s t r a c k t v s j u p i t e r

JUPITER ON E ARTHWe are talking about tVS’S neW gearleSS

Scooter, Jupiter. We rode it to pune, and

Were impreSSed text: adreeSh ghoShalphotoS: S m bootham & adreeSh ghoShal

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MMarketing Managers are losing sleep trying to design more and more advertising campaigns for their respec-tive products. They seem to forget the fact that a simple, well-designed product will always do well. That is the formula the Honda activa was banking on, and succeed it did. now, when some scooter decides to take on the mighty activa, it better have some aces up its sleeve.

The jupiter, tVs’s latest offering, does seem to stand up to indian customer needs. granted, it does look simple, but place it next to any other scooter and the subtle design elements stand

out. take the rims for example. They are painted black, and fea-ture twin 5-spoke alloys. This is a different approach to the nor-mal solid rims used by most scooter-makers. The build quality is solid, and and the jupiter feels good while riding on bad roads. The under-seat storage can store a helmet, and some loose change. The under-seat lock, though is an entirely different mat-ter. it is not possible to hook up a backpack or any other form of hard luggage, because of the fact that it is canted at a downward angle. The legroom is pretty good, and the wider-than-normal front apron does a good job of protecting your lovingly ironed trousers. The ignition key lock is also pretty standard, and does require some getting used to initially. The seat is firm, although not very supportive. The handlebars are wide, but some may find the grips not long enough. a pair of bar-end weights would be welcome.

The CDi ignition system ensures that there is no problem

42 Auto IndIA january 2014

t e s t r a c k t v s j u p i t e r

TVS JUPITER

SPEc chEckPrice: Rs 46,534 (ex-showroom, Pune)Engine: 109.7cc, Single-cylinder, air-cooled, four-stroke,8bhp @ 7500rpm,8.1Nm @ 5500rpmGearbox: Variomatic , cVT-iSuspension (F): Telescopic forksSuspension (R): Gas charged shocksBrakes (F): 130mm drumBrakes (R): 130mm drumTyres (F/R): 90/90 R12Wheelbase: 1275mmGround clearance: 150mmDimensions (l/w/h): 1834mm/650mm/1115mmWeight: 108kg

starting the scooter on a cold morning. The kick-starter is also placed so that the jupiter can be started manually without get-ting off it. The 110cc single-cylinder air-cooled engine is good for 8bhp of power at 7500rpm and 8nm torque at 5500rpm. The telescopic (front) and gas charged (rear) suspension layout is pliant and supportive. Hit an open stretch of the highway and the jupiter will happily reach 90kph. We could attain about 52kpl with the ‘eco’ and ‘power’ mode. The jupiter is equipped with a pass-light, a first for any indian scooter. it also has an leD headlight cluster and vertical indicators. The 130mm drum brakes on both wheels reassure you with good stopping ability.

The 90/90-12 tubeless tyres complement the scooter’s suspen-sion geometry and weight balance. The external fuel lid did feel a bit awkward, because one has to lean quite far back to insert the key in the fuel lid lock, and it was easier to dismount and unlock the fuel lid. The scooter comes in four colours: titanium grey, Mercury White, Midnight Black and Volcano red.

at rs 46,534 (ex-showroom, Delhi), the pricing is just right. This looks like a promising product from the tVs stable.

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