TVS Flame SR125 Disc

Detailed Review by Maxabout Team

Overview

Flame is an entry level 125cc bike from TVS which entered our Indian bike market in the year 2008. The bike isn’t doing well ever since its launch and in order to make it prominent in our market, TVS has re-launched this bike with few up-gradations. Are these changes well enough to make this bike popular? Let’s find out.

Design and Style

The basic design and style of Flame SR125 is quite familiar. May be TVS don’t want this bike to lose its original design which follows the concept of Delta wings. Most of its body parts are triangular in shape which differentiates it from its rivals. It has an arrow shaped headlight which also features a small bulb on the top of it. Its tinted visor looks cool with its redesigned cowl which sports new graphics on it. Its raised front fender now becomes edgier than before. The bike has black colored engine which looks sporty with its body colored cowl. Its alloy wheels, side covers and muffler also follows the black theme. It has an extremely long brake pedal which isn’t much attractive. However, its fuel tank is quite impressive which comes with integrated trafficators as TVS calls its orange colored side indicators. The V-shaped tank shrouds adds masculinity to this bike and with new graphics; things just got better. Its muffler and rear panel is also triangular in shape which not only looks cool but improves its aerodynamics also. It has a unique wide grab rail which sits just above its full size tail light. It has stretched rear fender which complements its broad rear tyre.

Instrument Console

TVS Flame SR125 is fitted with a combined analogue-digital instrument console. Surprisingly, the speedometer of this bike is analogue while rest of the things like odometer, fuel gauge, trip meter and clock are digital. This yellow colored LCD also features service reminder and mileage indicator. There is no tachometer in this bike. On the left side of its speedometer you can notice a series of other essential indicators.

Engine and Gearbox

The new bike is powered by a 3 valve, 124.6cc engine. The torque output of this 4-stroke engine is 10 Nm which arrives at 6000 rpm. The power output of 10.5 bhp can be used at 7500 rpm. This engine is served with a four-speed manual gearbox with all gears down-shift pattern.

Acceleration and Performance

The bike isn’t much impressive in this department. The specifications are satisfactory and are almost similar to most of its rivals but still this bike feels on the slower side. Its taller gear ratios are one of the reasons for its slow performance. TVS has avoided crispy gear ratios in order to increase its fuel efficiency. The bike pulls up enough amount of torque at early rpms but you need to be in the right gear to use its power effectively. It does 0-60 km/hr in more than 6 seconds and can cross the speed mark of 100km/hr. Flame is more suitable for city conditions as it has strong low and mid-range. It runs out of power at high rpms and you always feel the need of a fifth gear. The gear transitions have become smoother than before and TVS has also worked on the refinement level of this engine. It makes less noise at high rpms and feels better than Bajaj Discover125.

Mileage

The light weight and taller gear ratios of TVS Flame SR125 helps it to get a respectable fuel economy which is even better than many of its competitors. In city conditions you can expect this bike to return a mileage of around 65km/ltr while on highways these figures can increase up to 10km/ltr.

Comfort while Driving

It’s a full size bike offering optimum comfort. Flame has broad and stretched seat which can easily carry two people. The seat is well stuffed and can surely impress you long journeys. Its front set foot-pegs and upward placed handle bar makes it a good bike for daily commuters. Your knees can stick properly around its fuel tank while your feet rest at its foot pegs. The handlebar offers strong palm grip but we are not satisfied by the plastic quality of the buttons used on it.

Storage Space and Safety Features

Apart from it’s under seat storage space, the bike has an interesting cubby hole just placed ahead of its tank which is also lockable. Flame features rear saree guard, pass button and front leg guard for you safety.

Suspension and Braking

TVS Flame SR125 comes fitted with telescopic forks at its front and five-step adjustable hydraulic shock absorbers at the back. TVS offers this bike with standard 130mm drum brakes on its both wheels while it’s also available with an optional front disc brake of 240mm.

Ride and Handling

The bike offers acceptable ride and handling. The suspension system is certainly not the best but it’s quite considerable as it feels superior to many of its competitors. Apart from big potholes nothing much affects this bike. The high speed stability of this bike is really impressive. Flame SR125 has a wheelbase of 1320mm which adds extra stability to this bike. Moreover its rear fatty tyre holds it effectively around corners and it turns easily. It’s a good commuter bike as its handling needs less effort in city traffic. The braking system is also quite capable.

Tyre Size, Shades and Variants

Flame has R17 sizes of tyres. Electric Start is a standard feature in this bike and it’s available in two variants and three shades.

Verdict

TVS Flame SR125 is good looking bike which has a fuel efficient engine which also offers acceptable performance. TVS has stuffed this bike with all needed features including a front disc brake. We think it’s an economical bike which can fulfill all your needs. The only problem with this bike is its extremely poor reputation which results into high maintenance and low resale value. Flame is certainly not a complete value for money bike and we still don’t think it will be able to attract the buyers.