2012 Mahindra Duro 125 DX unveiled: Photo Feature

The latest two-wheeler company to enter the booming Indian two-wheeler industry, Mahindra 2 Wheelers has revealed the 2012 model of its scooter, the Duro 125 DX. Ready to take on the might of established players in the scooter segment, the Indian company is putting a solid effort in improving its product quality and the performance of its models. The first one to get a solid  makeover is Mahindra' 125cc scooter offering, the Duro. Complete with fancy new decals and impressively good quality of paint, the new Duro 125 DX certainly looks the part with a solid confident stance. There are no odd-looking panel gaps or shoddy-looking welding spots on the joints and the overall build quality looks very neat and tidy. Powering it is the 124.6cc 4-stroke engine mated to the tried-and-tested smooth fucntioning continuously variable transmission (CVT). Pumping out 8.1PS of power at 7,000rpm and 9Nm of torque at 5,500rpm, the Duro is well-equipped to challenge its current 125cc rivals.

One of the most striking change on the new Mahindra Duro 125 DX is the inclusion of a well-balanced and sturdily built telescopic front suspension that replaces the previously employed old-school leading link front suspension. The telescopic front suspension has awarded the new Duro with overall better handling dynamics and stabiltity as well as improved ride quality over its predecessor. Another improvement in order to aid handling and stability is the 4-point mounting for the 10-inch wheels for better distribution of forces and rigidity. These changes on the new Duro have definitely bettered the handling dynamics inline with its rivals.

One field where the previous Duro failed to shine was its not-so-scooter-friendly ergonomics that many of the consumers compained about, especially the lanky riders. With the new 2012 upgrade of the Duro, Mahindra 2 Wheelers has specifically iroed out this glitch with revised ergonomics on the scooter. The new seat is lower, wider while the handlebar position is raised to accomodate riders of varying physiques. Even at full-lock, the handlebars do not touch the rider's knees when tunring at slow speeds or riding through tight spots. It is a significant improvement, one which makes a big difference with regards to rider comfort as well as feel from the scooter. The cushy saddle is wide enough to seat two large adults comfortably and offers neatly drawn contours.

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Apart from the improved finish on parts and handling, the new Duro also gets a fair bit of new equipment. for instance, inclusion of the brake-lever lock mechanism to keep the scooter from rolling or moving when parked on steep inclines. A system found on scooters as early as the iconic Kinetic Honda, the brake-lever lock feature is a must-have for non-geared scooter and is a much-welcomed development. The brakes on the new Duro too have been tweaked for a stronger bite along with minimal brake fade. Also, the new telescopic front suspension further aids the braking performance of the scooter with balanced feel and stability.

Wide and grippier 3.5" MRF rubber on both ends coupled with the new front suspension and a dual rated coil spring progressive hydraulically damped rear suspension hands the new Duro with iimpressive ride quality on our roads, although the light front-end does feel a bit too floaty when riding over low-traction surfaces like gravel or sand. But on the usual tarmac or cement roads, the scooter feels absolutely sure-footed and planted with the increased wheelbase of 1270mm handing it with good stability even with a light rider onboard it. The raised handlebars are easy to reach while the wide-footboard offers enough room for tall riders to fit in comfortably and leave some more space to keep luggage.

An absolute necessity for our road conditions - better headlights, they have been largely neglected on most of the motorcycles or scooters sold in the country. But keeping in line with the consumer demands as well as the feature list of some of its top rivals, the new Duro gets a large improved headlamp with a halogen bulb and better design for improved throw and spread of the beam. The mirrors too have been revised to accomodate larger view of whats happening behind and offer a clear picture of the rea without the rider's arms obstructing the view.

Coming to one of the most important aspects found on scooters - storage space. A favourite amongst women and college-goers who like to carry their world around but not their helmets, the under-seat storage space in scooters is a boon. On the new Duro too special attention has been given to improve the storage quota and offer maximum space for the rider to keep their belongings. The 20-litre under-seat storage compartment can fit in a full-size helmet and still leave space to keep small bags or packages. Add to that, coming standard, as against its competition is the front inner box to keep one's sunglasses, paperwork and other small items for convenience. 

Overall, the new Mahindra Duro is a significantly improved and upgraded model from Mahindra and it highlights the company's intent to get a grip in the premium 125cc scooter category. Armed to the teeth, the new Duro packs in enough grunt for city runs as well as occasional highway bouts along with good ride quality and commanding road grip. The quality of parts has definitely been improved by a huge margin as the scooter feels a lot more sturdier and well put together than its predecessor. Stay tuned on ZigWheels for a complete road test of the 2012 Mahindra Duro 125 DX.