D-lifestyles have set a statement with their Vespa scooters and now they have Aprilia to step up their game. The SR series of scooters by Aprilia has been in the market for quite some time with the presence of SR150 offering people with a sporty scooter. Now, D-lifestyles has brought in the second iteration of the sporty scooter, the SR125. We sat down with Mr. Salil Shrestha, Marketing Officer at D-lifestyles to know about the growth of the company and the SR series of sports scooter offered by Aprilia.

What has the journey of D-lifestyles been like till now?
How would you explain the growth of D-lifestyles? D-lifestyles was just established three years ago by a team of young and vibrant people. Ever since then we haven’t looked back and have been growing bigger and getting more successful year by year. Being the authorized distributor of one the most iconic scooters in the world, Vespa, the brand has been able to establish itself as the most desirable scooter and one of the most loved two-wheeler brand in Nepal. However, the recent growth of D-lifestyles has been even bigger in scale, with the introduction of the renowned Italian brand, Aprilia, with its crossover sports scooter being the very first of its kind in Nepal.

How has Aprilia as a brand developed in Nepal?
Aprilia has been renowned around the world for its high-performance motorcycles, with 70 years of legacy and innovation in the two wheeler industry. With the SR series of sport scooters, Aprilia has taken the Nepali market by storm. Aprilia SR series is a crossover that carries the attitude of a motorcycle with the comfort of a scooter, hence, we think that it can take over any roads in Nepal. In fact, Aprilia has been able to successfully change the twowheeler scenario in the Nepalese market with its best in class technology and design; something new and exciting for everyone to experience.

The SR150 has to be among one of the best sports scooters in the market right now, but let’s hear it from your side. How well has the SR150 been competing in the market?
We do feel there are lots of competition in the market currently. However, the SR150 is different with a class of its own and the scooter has been able to mark its own place in the 150cc scooter segment with its performance and uniqueness. We do see various brands entering Into the market and it has been quite competitive for us in past two years.

With the recent launch of the SR125, what are your predictions for how well the scooter will perform in the market?
With the popularity and wide success of SR150, the Aprilia SR125 had been widely anticipated and awaited in the Nepali market. It has definitely created a standard in 125cc scooter category. We are hoping to cater the 125cc markets with a competitive price range and features of the SR125 like best braking system, higher ground clearance and wide tires. We believe that the SR125 has a lot to offer and will bring something exciting to the market with its bold colors and best in class features.

What are the main strategies that you have come up with for the SR125?
SR125 is not just a regular scooter but it offers more to its riders who are looking to have fun in their daily rides and experience the quality and performance of a world-class brand. So, we are focusing on delivering a ride that serves more than just a purpose of commuting. Our campaigns itself suggest,” What the Fun!” which gives a sense of adventure and never-ending thrill of riding an SR.

Do you think that the introduction of the SR125 might affect the sales of the SR150 since there isn’t a very big price difference between the two?
Current response from the market has shown us that SR125 and SR150 are equally good contenders when it comes to customers satisfaction. SR150 is loved by people who understand the mechanism of two-wheelers and seek the comfort of a scooter in a high-performing motorcycle and may be that is what sets it apart from other being a crossover. Whereas, SR125 is for people who are looking for comfort and something with a milder engine. The introduction of 125cc has helped us reach out to a much wider customer base. Both scooters carter to different needs, thus the price difference doesn’t matter. Also, the difference is temporary because a new upgraded SR150 is in the pipelines, ready to take the market by storm.

What do you think will possess more threat to the SR125 with availability of various 125cc models from competitors?
SR125 is undoubtedly best in its class with all the features that it has to offer, be it the wheel size, ground clearance, or comfort, ease and handling. However, what we have learned is that it is the merit of the product that draws customers, and the customer’s want that they fulfill. Definitely with many 125cc in the market, we have a lot of competition, but we believe that our products are already standing out. If we were able to sell same product at 150cc, where we saw customers upgrading from 111cc with wider price gap towards our product, the market trend is showing easier movement to 125cc since now the number of people who can move from 111cc and 125cc itself is larger. So, it is a golden opportunity for us through which we seem to be sailing quite strongly, and we hope to continue to do so.