OD garage: TVS Star City Plus introduction

Shubhabrata Marmar Updated: November 13, 2014, 01:18 PM IST

The trouble with having young people and small motorcycles is that you sometimes get the feeling that never the twain shall mix. They only want to ride the big bikes. So you think the progression will be that as they get older, they'll be happier to ride the smaller bikes, but no. Apparently, I'm on the side of the generation gap that allows me to ride 100s without turning red in the face - tell me Rishaad, why the 100cc blush?

Anyhoo. So it fell to me to ride the wee TVS and I can tell you that a) I'm too dark to blush and b) I'm not old enough to not want to ride it. The point is that yes I did miss the power and glory of the bigger bikes, but I think the Star City Plus did all the right things but one. It goes rather well and at street speeds (much of my commute is like a fast highway really) it is not only sprightly and responsive but also pretty frugal. Add to that, the light and easy agility of the motorcycle and the plush ride quality and you have the consummate commuter. So I am not surprised to see the TVS ace the commuter test in the anniversary issue at all. I'm just wondering why we do not have pinker pictures of Mr Mody in the Shaken & Stirred section in the October issue.

But I digress. So while the TVS is in the pink (ahem) of health and it works rather well, I feel that there is something missing. I couldn't put my finger on it until I rode a, you guessed it, a pink Scooty Zest. The Plus lacks a spot of zest. It's a lovely little commuter, I just wish it was just a wee bit more fun to ride, then it would be perfect.