The centre of biking!. Review on TVS Centra

INTRODUCTION

I bought my TVS Centra a few months ago. I ignored Pulsar due to its huge looks and low mileage even if it looked powerful. But then too, I had a lot of options like Splendor, Libero, Wind 125, Passion etc. But I bought Centra for its superior mileage.

TVS calls it 'the fill it once a month bike and says that it gives hundred mileage. I checked my mileage and found that it is around 90. I also took part in the TVS Centra mileage challenge here and got a mileage of 95.33. I heard that the highest is 129! I usually get petrol for 10 or 20 Rs which may be sometimes enough for me. I have travelled till the speed of 70 so far.

I usually don't go at high speeds in bikes as in cars as it is more dangerous as it is a two wheeler. Even 100km in cars seems OK. The control didn't decrease with the speed in Centra which I found very interesting. The centre stand is positioned correctly so that it is so easy to put it it on.

MY EXPERIENCE

The bike so far has given me a nice pickup, great stability and a good balance at turnings. The gear shift too has proved very easy. It starts very quickly without much effort. I have travelled nearly two thousand kilometres in the bike and there has not been any problem so far.

The suspension is just superb. It doesn't weigh much and has got some good looks too. Centra has made some of my friends think about selling their bikes and scooters and buying a Centra. It is much better than my expectations.

LOOKS AND STYLE

Looks of Centra are really good compared to Boxer, Victor, Crux, Splendor etc. It gives stunning appearance from any angle. The bike has a lot of similarities with Hero Honda Passion. The headlight is Trapezoidal in shape. The tail lamp looks great. The bike is available in three colours - red, blue and black.

I chose black as it will not fade for a long time. The fuel tank has a superb look. It is bulged at sides in a special style. The econometer present in the bike helps to control the wastage of fuel. The looks of this bike is really attractive to all bike lovers.

ENGINE AND PERFORMANCE

TVS says that Centra has VT-i engine which is specialised for improved fuel efficiency. Centra has a nice 99.8 cc 4-stroke engine with a maximum power of 5.59 KW (7.5 bhp) @ 7500 rpm. The maximum torque is 7.5 Nm @ 5000 rpm. The fuel tank capacity is eleven litres while the reserve is two litres.

As I said earlier, the suspension is pretty good and the rider don’t feel any jerks on bad roads and those with speed breakers. The total weight of the bike is only 109 kg similar to Splendor, Libero and many others of the same class.

MILEAGE AND HANDLING

Digitally controlled ignition timing and temperature sensors are used in Centra with a unique friction reduction technology and fuel wastage reduction for a greater mileage. The narrow tyre too helps in increasing mileage. The handling is superb as it can face turning quite efficiently. It stable at all conditions. The grip too is great. You will get addicted to the bike even after riding it once.

CONCLUSION

I think that this bike is going to be centre of attraction for the economy level bike segment. I strongly believe that this is the best 100cc vehicle to hit the market until now - even better than Hero Honda Splendour which follows old technology compared to the VT-i engine of Centra. I bought this bike for 42,350 on road which is not bad for a great bike like this.

But for the ones who want power, this may not be the right choice. This one is specialised for mileage, handling, stability and comfort. All my friends liked this bike very much and I am glad that I bought this bike. I will try to update the review with my new experiences with this bike. Thanks for reading the review. Any comments are welcome.