Aprilia SR 160 mileage and running cost

SR 160's claimed mileage is 35 kmpl, and unusually, owners and our own riding land right on it: expect 33–36 kmpl in everyday use. Few bikes get this close to their brochure figure.

Among the 34 scooters we have reviewed it ranks 33th for mileage, 11 kmpl below the group average of 46 kmpl.

At Delhi's petrol price of ₹94.80 a litre and a real-world 34.5 kmpl, the SR 160 costs about ₹2.75 per km in fuel. Ride 30 km a day and that is roughly ₹2,143 a month, or ₹25,720 a year, before servicing.

The 6-litre tank gives a realistic range of about 207 km, so a 30 km commute means a fill-up every 1 week.

Spread over five years and 46,800 km, the SR 160 works out to about ₹6.3 per km all-in, of which 44% is fuel and 48% is the purchase price itself. Resale value is not counted; expect roughly 50–60% of ex-showroom after five years for a well-kept example.

The cheapest wins on the SR 160: tyre pressure (5 psi under can cost 2–3 kmpl), shifting up early, and not idling at long signals.

Filling only to the first click and keeping the 6-litre tank above a quarter helps in two ways: fuel that sloshes out of a brimmed tank is wasted, and a near-empty tank on a hot day loses more to vapour. Realistic range is about 207 km, so on a 30 km commute you will fill up roughly once a week.

Service on time. A clogged air filter, a tired spark plug or a dragging brake shows up in mileage before it shows up anywhere else, and each is a cheap fix at the 3,000 km service.