TVS Flame CCVTi 125cc Review

TVS launched its Flame CCVTi to compete in the 125cc segment. Right now the 125cc segment seems hot as many bikers are upgrading from 100cc. Lets review on the pros and cons of the bike and what is special about it.

Flame’s design is unique, per se. But does it look good? It depends on your perception. So far people have told me that it is different but not outstanding. Some people like it and some do not admire it, but looks are just a minor aspect of biking in non-youth, non-sporty audience. People are more concerned about mileage for 100cc and 125cc bikes.The ‘shoulders’ in the tank looks like its been copied from the Hunk. I do not want to talk too much about the looks because picture speaks a 1000 words

When I took the bike for a test ride, I doubted whether it is a 125cc one. The pickup is not as good as its competitor, the Hero Honda Glamour. Although TVS claims to have incorporated a 3-valve technology instead of the regular 2 valve one, there does not seem to be a significant difference. I wish that companies will stop featuring, ‘hey this bike has this, it has that, this is better’ and instead focus on the real performance of the bike. As the famous saying goes, action speaks louder than words.

TVS has tried something new and innovative in the dashboard called the IMI – Instant Mileage Indicator. The digital console has a real time fuel efficiency indicator and lets you know the approximate mileage your bike is giving and you can adjust your riding to give the maximum mileage. Such features were available only in very high end cars till now.

Would I buy this bike? No, because in my research I have found that even though some models may be good, the service is not of good quality. This does not mean that it is the same everywhere, but I have noticed that there is not much pressure from the head office of TVS to maintain quality standards in the service centers.

The mileage of the bike in our test drive was 60 kmpl in normal city riding and upto 70 kmpl in the highways. If you want a 125cc bike, go for Glamour instead of Flame. (Hey! I am not the marketing manager of Hero Honda, but I really feel that Hero Honda bikes are much better than the other bikes in the market in terms of quality).

TVS Flame 125cc Specifications:

Top Speed: 95kph
Engine: 124.8cc, CCVTi
Maximum Power: 10.5Bhp@8250rpm
Maximum Torque: 10Nm@6000rpm
Gears: 5 Speed
Length: 2030.00 mm
Weight: 121.00 kg
Ground Clearance: 165.00 mm
Fuel Tank: 9.50 ltrs
Wheelbase: 1320.00 mm

Price: Rs.46,000