TVS Jupiter vs Yamaha Ray vs TVS Wego Comparo
February 7, 2014
First things first, let me bring the list down to two scooters: The Jupiter / Wego on one side and the Ray on the other. The Jupiter and the Wego are basically same scooters with different bodies. They behave exactly the same and if one were to ride them blindfolded, it would be very hard to tell them apart. Since the consequences of doing so could be severe, it is advisable to choose one between the two. And after riding both scooters (with eyes wide open), the choice boils down to purely the looks (and tubeless tyres in the Jupiter). In my case, I chose the Jupiter.
First things first, let me bring the list down to two scooters: The Jupiter / Wego on one side and the Ray on the other. The Jupiter and the Wego are basically same scooters with different bodies. They behave exactly the same and if one were to ride them blindfolded, it would be very hard to tell them apart. Since the consequences of doing so could be severe, it is advisable to choose one between the two. And after riding both scooters (with eyes wide open), the choice boils down to purely the looks (and tubeless tyres in the Jupiter). In my case, I chose the Jupiter.
Ironic as it may sound, when it comes to looks, Jupiter is from Mars and Ray is from Venus. In terms of appeal, both TVS and Yamaha have done a good job at targeting the respective genders that they intended to. Sit across the Jupiter and the scooter doesn’t feel as heavy as it looks. TVS has done some brilliant mass centralization on the Jupiter (Wego) which makes it feel very light and maneuverable. The fit and finish of switches, paint job, monograms, foot pegs, hooks, electricals, etc. is just top notch. Sit astride the Ray and it feels not just small but puny. The footboard, the handlebars, the instrument panel, everything about the scooter feels close to you, tiny and fragile. I got the feeling that I could break the scooter into two with my bare hands without much effort. The fit and finish is what you would expect from a Yamaha. No more, no less. But in my biased opinion, the Jupiter beats the Ray in terms of quality.
Moving on to the features. TVS has packed so many practical features in this scooter that I don’t even know where to begin. Let me make an attempt. The 12 inch tubeless tyres (as against 10 inch available on any other scooter in the market) along with the telescopic front forks and the gas filled rear suspensions coupled with a soft seat do a great job at gobbling up potholes and bumps. The scooter has a fairly large footboard and TVS claims that one can carry a full size LPG cylinder on the footboard of the Jupiter. Good thinking TVS. I’m sure the young prince of India would be very proud of you. The external fuel lid ensures that you don’t have to open the seat while refueling. You would still have to dismount since the key hole for opening the external fuel lid is the same as the one for opening the underseat storage. All you have to do is turn the key in the opposite direction. The mainstand design is smart and TVS has been smart enough to get it patented. It woud be fairly easy for women to put the scooter on the mainstand, provided they use the technique correctly (there ends the debate). There is more than enough storage for a full faced helmet under the seat. And finally the feature I loved the most: You can kickstart the Jupiter (Wego) without putting it on the mainstand! Thank you TVS and sorry if I missed out on some of the features like retractable hooks, black alloy wheels, pass switch, brighter headlamps, low fuel indicator, etc. it’s just too much to cover in one review. The Ray is much behind the Jupiter in terms of features but still does fairly ok considering the target consumer. For example, you can’t fit a full faced helmet under the seat of the Ray. But then, how many women riders that you know wear a full faced helmet anyway? It has got low seat height for her feet to reach the ground and telescopic forks for her shoulders to stay where they are. It is lightweight and can take her from point A to point B without much hassle. This is the kind of women empowerment that India needs today. The Ray too will score points with the prince then.
Moving on to performance and keeping the spec sheet aside, the Ray feels slightly sluggish off the line but makes up for it with good mid range torque making it well suited for navigating through traffic. The Jupiter delivers linear power from the word go and feels more firmly planted at higher speeds. I didn’t exactly get a chance to carve out corners but both the scooters feel nimble enough. The Ray, despite its lower seat height did feel a bit top heavy as compared to the Jupiter. Both the scooters are at par when it comes to braking. The brakes are progressive, offer good feedback and instill confidence in the rider to push harder.
Conclusion:
The Jupiter packs in a host of features that would make more sense for a guy but at the same not be completely worthless for a girl. The Ray however is quite sexist in this regard. Its smaller dimensions come at the cost of lesser storage. With its plastic body, it also feels more fragile and delicate. And no guy would want to be seen riding around town on a Ray. Yamaha’s best attempt at launching a guy centric scooter ended at the Ray-Z which is basically a Ray in different clothes and a feather stuck on its head. I don’t see much bromance happening there either. Based on my likes, dislikes and needs, the Jupiter would emerge a clear winner in this test. As for you, as always I would advise you to take a test ride and let the bike choose you.
