TVS Sport ES Review
Sporty Commuter
Monday, October 08, 2012Overview of TVS Sport
TVS Sport is one of the least known and selling bikes in our Indian bike market. This entry level bike is yet to become popular in its segment. With few changes and new price tag, TVS hopes that this time it will manage to perform better than before and will compete with other rivals like Bajaj Discover, Platina and the best seller in its segment, Hero Splendor.
New Features in TVS Sport ES
- Black Matte Finish Alloy Wheels
- Dual Tone Graphics
- New Design for Instrument Cluster
- New Color Shades
- Electric Start
TVS Sport Design and Style
TVS Sport gets most of its styling bits from its elder sibling Star city. It has a very compact design and looks sporty. The clear lens headlight with a tinted visor looks very stylish and doesn't look as flat as others like Bajaj Patina and Hero Splendor. TVS has used the all black colour theme on this bike with black silencer, engine and alloy wheels. New stylish graphics enhance the visual appearance of this bike. It uses orange coloured side indicators which complements the bike really well but should have been flexible. Rear profile also looks very compact with small, clear lens tail light, black coloured grab rail and short mudguard. Visually you can notice the extended length of its seat which covers some of the part of its fuel tank which has a fuel capacity of 12 litres.
Instrument Console of TVS Sport
TVS Sport has a very small instrument console featuring two pods. The round pod has an analogue speedometer and odometer while the other dial has an analogue fuel gauge with other indicators.
Engine and Gearbox
TVS uses a 100cc, 4-stroke engine to power Sport. This air-cooled, mono cylinder engine which generates a maximum power output of 7.5 bhp at 7500 rpm with an utmost torque output of 7.5 Nm available at 5000 rpm. This bike uses a 4-speed manual gearbox for its transmission with all gears down -shift pattern.
Acceleration and Top Speed
Its engine is a major contributor to its failure. Despite its light weight of 95kgs, this bike feels underpowered. You won’t be satisfied with its refinement level as it’s not up to the mark and this engine feels strained when pushed hard. It may reach a top speed of 85km/hour but for that you will have to work really hard. Initial gear ratios are very short which irritates you in the city traffic as you will need to get the right gear to get the maximum out of this engine. Throttle response is just acceptable but you will have to wait for its power as it comes really late in comparison to others. At high speeds this engine has nothing much to offer except noise and vibrations. It’s far away from the responsive engines of Bajaj and the refined engine in Hero bikes. However its clutch functions very smoothly and gives you smooth transitions. The time taken by this bike to cover 0-60km/hour is above 10 seconds which clears the picture itself.
TVS Sport Mileage
TVS claims that Sport can give you a mileage of around 83km/ltr. However when driven in city conditions, it returns a mileage of around 65km/ltr. These figures increase up to 5km/ltr when driven on highways. Its light weight, taller 4th gear ratio and less responsive engine make it a very fuel efficient bike in its segment.
Comfort While Driving TVS Sport
Unlike other commuter bikes, it has a short handle bar which is very comfortable to use. Its long seat confirms you that you stay comfortable even after having a full size pillion rider. Though, its cushioning could have been better. Foot pegs are placed perfectly to give your legs optimum comfort while driving. There is nothing much to complain about except for the buttons used on its handle which feels down market in comparison to its rivals.
Safety Features and Storage Space
Except for the basic space under the seat there is no storage space in this bike. Front leg guard, pass light are the safety features on this bike with a multi reflector headlight for better visibility at night.
TVS Sport Suspension and Braking
This bike tries to give you maximum comfort with its suspension which features hydraulic front forks of 110mm with 5 stage adjustable shockers at its back. For a single rider this suspension feels capable enough but with an extra rider big bumps are a matter of concern. Braking system is quite satisfactory of this bike with drum brakes of 110mm fitted on both wheels. These brakes work efficiently and you can easily stop this light bike whenever needed.
Ride and Handling
The bike has a short wheelbase of 1250mm which takes away the stability from this bike at high speeds and sharp corners. You lack confidence while using this bike at high speeds due to its small tyres and light weight. Thanks to its high ground clearance of 165mm, it manages to pass most of the high obstructions with ease. It handles really well in tight spaces and its light weight confirms you a stress free ride in day to day conditions.
Tyres Size
Small tyres are also a let-down in this bike, it should have been offered with bigger tyres. Now it has 17 inch five spoke alloy wheels which look good but it disappoints you on road with R17 size of tyres as they fail to hold the road properly.
TVS Sport Variants
TVS has decided to offer Sport only in one variant with a kick and electric start option.
Shades Available in TVS Sport ES
TVS Sport ES is available in four color combinations:
- Black with Red Graphics
- Black with Orange Graphics
- Black with Green Graphics
- Red with White Graphics
Verdict
TVS Sport is priced at INR 40000 (approx.). There are only two things about this bike which may prompt you to buy it; first its fuel efficiency and second its price. It’s priced below than most of its competitors which may work in the favour of this bike otherwise we find it hard for this bike to succeed. It has many drawbacks like its slow and less refined engine with poor after sale services and resale value of TVS. We don’t think if it’s a value for money bike because at this price you can have other trusted bikes which are more powerful and easy to maintain with high resale value.