Performance
The engine almost made me believe I was riding a honed-for-years Japanese motorcycle. It is really smooth and refined. Early morning start was not a problem as the engine came to life with the very first dab on the starter button. The 109cc Ecothrust DLI engine produces 8bhp of power and 8.7Nm of torque which is decent for city rides, though the motorcycle feels a little sluggish on the highway. It feels at home in the 50-70kph zone but starts feeling uneasy upwards of 80kph. With throttle fully opened, we were able to achieve a top speed of 97kph (should vary from rider to rider), although the motorcycle did take some time to reach there. Even after all this riding, we were not able to bring the fuel level below the halfway mark. TVS claims a fuel efficiency figure of 86 kmpl. However, in real world conditions, expect a figure above 60kmpl.
The torque output figure on the new version is higher by 0.6 Nm as compared to the previous Star City, which stood at 8.1Nm. Engine delivers decent pulling power in mid and high range as torque comes throughout the 3500 rpm to 7000 rpm zone. Naught to sixty takes about 8.7 seconds (varies from rider to rider) which is pretty decent for a motorcycle in this category. The four-speed gearbox is crisp, and up and downshifts are butter smooth. TVS claim that the new 110cc Ecothrust series engine is equipped with an anti-friction (Moly) coated piston with the rocker arms featuring roller followers for smoother cycle movement. Carburetor has been resized and a high capacity air filter unit aid has been added for better fueling and breathing to the engine.
Handling
The rubber provided with the Star City Plus feels a little disconnected with the road surface sticks decently well once warmed up. TVS Dura Grip tyres offered with the Star City Plus are a combination of a softer compound with a block type pattern which provides better grip on tarmac than most other TVS tyres. The motorcycle remains fairly steady on straight roads And makes cornering fairly easy. The suspension took minor potholes and bad surfaces in its stride pretty well. The front suspension has decent travel while the rear setup provides good damping.
On the braking front, the motorcycle left us a little disappointed. The 130mm front and 110mm rear drum brake setup felt somewhat weak. A disc up front would have made the brakes more effective. Sadly, TVS does not plan to introduce a disc brake to this motorcycle to keep the cost in check. But that’s something that one can live with.
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