TVS Jupiter: 10,000km Long Term Review

Published October 12, 2018
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A thorough service and good weather makes life easier for our long termer this month

Of all the things that one can do to make the going smoother for his or her beloved vehicle, giving it a comprehensive service should be right there at the top. Nearing the good ol’ 10k mark with us now, it was time for us to have our TVS Jupiter MillionR serviced. And so we promptly did that, courtesy the ever helpful guys at Century TVS in Pune.

Our Jupiter had a crack in the left headlight housing, so it was replaced. Fluids were changed and replenished. Brake pads were preemptively replaced at my request. Tyre pressures were adjusted and it was all wrapped up by a washdown with liberal soapy water. The end result is that our long termer came out of the service centre looking as dainty as her first day on earth, and with a new spring to her step.

A small yet noteworthy aspect of the Jupiter is the sheer quality of its paint job, especially in our MillionR dark burgundy colour. Even now, she has a glint to her edges that makes her look as if she has just stepped out of showroom floor, and not something that has almost 10k on the odo.

In case you missed our earlier update, we were also sent a pair of TVS Dragon scooter tyres that we promptly slapped onto our Jupiter just before the monsoons. Although a bit less impressive in the dry, these came as a godsend during the rains, imparting a newfound surefootedness. As we’d predicted, its generous tread lends it far more grip and poise than the standard tyres in such rainy conditions. This, coupled with the new brake pads, have endowed the scooter with noticeably surer road manners.

I haven’t had the opportunity to take her on any long rides this month, so it was the same old short commutes to and from the office, scything through traffic. Although she could do with a bit more gusto on the move, her robust engine and perfectly neutral manners still make her the perfect city runabout. The ability to chuck in groceries and other shopping that I can’t fit into my office backpack into her underseat storage is still welcome, and so is the protection she offers from the elements. I do wish the seat was a bit firmer for longer rides.

Fuel efficiency has been another area where the Jupiter has been consistently spreading a cheer across my face and a small encouragement to my mutual fund SIPs. She has been delivering around 47-48kmpl, and that is with liberal throttle wringing to zip past bleary-eyed morning commuters once the signals turn green. That said, I will still keep on cribbing about how almost all scooters, this included, has fuel tanks so small that render them practically on the opposite pole of “Fill it, Shut it, Forget it.”

The Jupiter has been with us for quite a while now, so it is only a matter of time before she goes back to her makers. I have grown genuinely fond of this understated yet superbly capable machine that just goes about its business without making a fuss about it. That said, I wouldn’t mind having something a bit livelier, something with a bit more pep, in the same practical package. Time to swipe the NTorq’s keys off Karan’s desk then?

Date Acquired: November 2016

Total Km Till Date: 10,120km

Fuel Efficiency: 48kmpl

Costs: 1000 (Service)

Cheers: Smooth engine, Mileage, Front disc brake

Sneers: Soft seat, Beige floor mats get dirty easily