Falling in love again

One for me

Chennai-based two-wheeler major TVS is back with a bang. TVS Motors has relaunched the flagship model TVS Victor recently. First launched in 2002, the company has managed to sell over 40,000 units per month. No doubt, the company will garner more sales with the new bike being given a nice cosmetic face-lift and big thrust on R&D in bringing out an effective commuter motorcycle.

First look

We loved it. The blue-colour Victor is very appealing. Full marks to the design of new graphics, which can be seen on the fuel tank and flank panels. The 3D emblem on the side panel and tank look great as the font chosen looks just right.

How about a nice leather-like texture seat with up-market red stitching that catches your eye and adds a touch of class? The bold sculpted headlight cowl has the right balance to look attractive. The tank is stubby and small and the side panels make things look edgier.
The instrument cluster (digital-analogue combo meter console) is smartly designed which tells you the engine speed. The features like palm grips, control levers and switch gears all feel premium and well-finished. Moreover, the mirrors also offer adequate rear-view vision.

Switch gear is of decent quality too, although the engine kill switch has been given a miss. Instead, that switch has been swapped for the hazard lights. On a safety purpose, the company has offered a 4-way blinker hazard warning lamp which is a car-like additional safety feature.

However, the company has missed the flap mechanism of the gas cap. When we questioned this to TVS, the company said, “Flap mechanism on the fuel filler cap is an excellent idea, however, it is not popular in this segment.”

The matte theme black alloy wheels look very sporty. To sum it up, overall quality, fit-finish and attention to detail are all good on this new TVS Victor.

Hit the road

The cushy seating capacity is good enough for two well-built people like us. We were in a comfortable position for an over 100 km ride.

Thanks to the Series Spring Suspension, developed by the TVS Motor Company, it offers a 40% smoother and stable ride as compared with conventional suspensions. Series Spring Suspension has a longer suspension with two layers of spring stacked one on top of the other for maximum efficiency.

Ride handling is good as the new TVS Victor is light, agile and very much planted in the corners. An electric start fires up the 4-speed powertrain to churn out 9.6 PS of power@8,000 rpm with a torque of 9.4 Nm @6,000 rpm. We could reach the maximum speed of 93 kmph. You will like the gearbox which is smooth and refined.

The four-speed is enough to make your drive fun. On a drive towards a busy thoroughfare like MG Road, pedestrians come in the middle of the road from nowhere. However, the roto-petal disc brakes are very efficient, and the bike stops immediately without causing any hassle. The tubeless tyres from Remora offer good road grip. The bike is made to enjoy the ride with an economy speed (Green Mode), which holds good for a family man. Be it a highway or mud roads, the TVS Victor will never loose the hold on the surface. The bike can be easily controlled at any top speed, which is a rare aspect in carburetor engine.

At dawn, the 60W high intensity headlamp comes into picture. Even if there are no streetlights, the 60W headlamp will do the job perfectly. It houses an advanced and refined 3-valve Ecothrust engine, which is tuned to deliver the optimum combination of power and fuel economy. The new TVS Victor claims to deliver an excellent mileage of 76 kmpl under standard TVS test conditions.

It carries an 8-litre fuel tank (including 2 litre reserve). The TVS Victor 110 cc is priced at Rs 51,600 (ex-showroom Bengaluru) for drum brake, and Rs 53,600 for disc brake.

Verdict

The motorcycle will be positioned in the executive segment. With its new design and 3-valve Ecothrust engine developed by TVS Motor Company, the new version of TVS Victor is poised to be a game changer in the segment.

3-valve-eco thrust engine

TVS Victor comes with an advanced and refined 3-valve Ecothrust engine, which is tuned to deliver the optimum combination of power and fuel economy. The refined 3-valve Ecothrust engine developed by TVS Motor company uses ‘Molycoat’ type of coated piston which reduces friction inside the cylinder; thereby increasing power and helps to reduce fuel consumption with more efficient combustion. To achieve Optimal Ignition Curve; engine takes into consideration variables like speed of the bike, weight of rider and driving conditions. Combined with Digital-mapped Ignition, the engine adapts itself automatically to varying speeds and provides optimum mileage.