The Hero Passion Pro is an upgrade to the Splendor range of commuter motorcycles. What you get for a little extra money is the same dead-reliable drivetrain and cycle parts, but with stylish bodywork, a host of funky paint schemes and modern features.
At the heart of things is the familiar 97cc single cylinder air-cooled engine, which drives the entire commuter range of Hero motorcycles with the same displacement. This engine has been worked upon to deliver a little more power and torque compared to before: the current figures stand at 9.3bhp and 9Nm of torque. The ever-present four-speed gearbox with an all-up pattern does transmission duties.
The Passion Pro i3S is a commuter motorcycle that shares mechanical bits with the Splendor, but looks a whole lot better. It is targeted at those who want a basic and hassle-free motorcycle with a dash of style. For 2018, Hero has updated the Passion Pro with new paint schemes and decals to give it a fresh look. The instrumentation gets an analogue speedometer paired with a digital display for the odometer and trip meter. Powering the Passion Pro is the same tried-and-tested 97cc engine. This air-cooled single-cylinder engine delivers 8.2bhp and 8Nm of torque and is mated to a four-speed transmission. While this is already a very frugal engine, the Passion Pro further gets an i3S Start/Stop system to make it more fuel efficient. The Passion Pro rides on a conventional suspension setup that comprises of telescopic forks in the front and dual springs at the rear. The base variant gets spoke wheels and drum brakes, although the top-of-the-line variant can be specified with alloy wheels and a front disc brake. The Passion Pro is available in eight paint schemes, four of which are dual tone. It competes against the Bajaj Platina, TVS Star City Plus, Honda Dream Yuga and the Yamaha Saluto RX.
The Splendor iSmart 110 is Hero MotoCorps first ingeniously developed motorcycle. Shedding off the dependence on Honda, the Splendor iSmart 110 is based on a new platform and engine. Hero MotoCorp has stuck to a conservative design approach for the Splendor iSmart 110, though it now looks more elegant than its others stable mates. The bikini fairing, curvy fuel tank and the simple tail section give the motorcycle a simple yet refreshingly new look. The instrument cluster also gets a basic design, though it does integrate a small LCD screen that displays the trip meter, odometer and fuel indicator. Powering the Splendor iSmart 110 is a new 110cc engine that produces 9bhp and 9Nm of torque, and is mated to a four-speed gearbox. With a top speed of 87kmph, Hero claims that this engine offers nine per cent more power and 12 per cent higher torque than its older 100cc counterparts. The bike comes with idle start-stop system (i3s) that helps in saving fuel in stop-go traffic. The Splendor iSmart 110 is a part of one of most competitive segments in the country, where it rivals the likes of the Honda Livo, TVS Star City Plus and the Suzuki Hayate.
The 2018 Passion XPro is something to take note of, because unlike before, it doesn't have an engine sourced from Honda. The 110cc, 9.3bhp/9Nm engine is an all-new Hero unit that debuted on the Splendor 110. The company claims it offer 12 per cent more power and torque compared to the previous Passion XPro. Instrumentation is where the XPro is completely different to the standard Passion; it gets a part-digital cluster. A disc brake is an option on the XPro. The XPro is the premium Passion, competing with the Honda Livo, TVS Victor and Bajaj Discover 125.
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The Hero HF Deluxe is the second most affordable product from Hero MotoCorp. The Hero CD Deluxe was re-branded to Hero HF Deluxe after Hero ended its joint venture with Honda in 2010. Despite it being affordable, it offers electric start and alloy wheels as options. The Hero HF Deluxe is powered by an air-cooled 97.2 cc four-stroke single-cylinder OHC engine that produces 8.2bhp of power at 8000rpm and 8.05Nm of torque at 5.00rpm. This motor is mated to a four-speed gearbox. The company claims that the bike gives a fuel efficiency of 82kmpl. The bike competes with the Bajaj CT100, TVS Sport and Honda CD 110 Dream.
The Hero HF Deluxe is the second most affordable product from Hero MotoCorp. The Hero CD Deluxe was re-branded to Hero HF Deluxe after Hero ended its joint venture with Honda in 2010. Despite it being affordable, it offers electric start and alloy wheels as options. The Hero HF Deluxe is powered by an air-cooled 97.2 cc four-stroke single-cylinder OHC engine that produces 8.2bhp of power at 8000rpm and 8.05Nm of torque at 5.00rpm. It now has an i3s start/stop system as an option as well. This motor is mated to a four-speed gearbox. The company claims that the bike gives a fuel efficiency of 82kmpl. The bike competes with the Bajaj CT100, TVS Sport and Honda CD 110 Dream.
The Livo is Hondas premium 100/110cc motorcycle. It is an aggressively designed motorcycle for the segment, with the tank extensions serving the purpose of making the bike appear larger than it actually is. The Livo offers tubeless tyres and six-spoke alloy wheels as standard while a front disc brake is offered as an optional extra. CBS is also an option both with the front drum as well as the front disc brake. CBS will soon become standard fitment. The Livo is built around a diamond frame borrowed from the CB Twister. Powering the Livo is the tried and tested 110cc four-stroke single-cylinder engine that puts out 8.2bhp and 8.63Nm of torque through a four-speed transmission, and returns a company-claimed fuel efficiency of 74kmpl. The Livo rides on conventional telescopic front forks and spring loaded hydraulic rear suspension. The Livo is available in five paint schemes blue, black, grey, brown and red. Available in five variants, self-drum-alloy and self-disc-alloy with the option of CBS on each, the Livo competes with other 110cc commuter bikes like the Hero Passion X Pro, and TVS Victor.
The TVS Star City Plus was first showcased at the 2014 Delhi Auto Expo. Its an updated version of TVS popular commuter motorcycle, Star City. The model has several added features as well as cosmetic changes and is available with the option of an electric starter. The design upgrades on the Star City Plus have been inspired by the TVS Phoenix, with whom it shares the platform. The motorcycle is powered by a revised 'Ecothrust' 110cc DLI engine which produces 8.3bhp and 8.7Nm of torque. Mated to a four-speed gearbox, the engine is capable of returning a fuel efficiency of 86kmpl as claimed by the company. As for the features, the Star City Plus gets alloy wheels as standard, coloured five step adjustable rear shock absorbers, and clear lens indicators. The instrument cluster has an analogue speedometer and a digital information display. Linked brakes are now an option for each of the variants except for the base kick start version, for approximately Rs 1000 more. These will become standard fitment by April. TVS offers the bike in eleven colour combinations. It competes against other bikes in the commuter segment like the Hero Passion XPro, Honda Dream Yuga, and Bajaj Platina and Discover 110.
The Radeon is TVSs answer to the Hero Splendor. It offers quite a few features in an effort to deliver more value to the customer. Alloy wheels and an electric start are standard, but no front disc brake is available, even as an option. The Radeons engine displaces nearly 110cc. This air-cooled single cylinder unit generates 8.3bhp and 8.7Nm. The company claims 69.3kpl under the World Motorcycle Test Cycle. The brakes are drums only but it does have TVSs Combined Braking System. Features of this include a side stand indicator with a beeper, a USB charging port and LED DRLs. It also offers rubber tank grips like the Royal Enfield Classic does. The tank holds a maximum of 10 litres. TVS offers a 5-year warranty on the Radeon. The 110cc commuter motorcycle is available with the choice of six colour options comprising of Pearl White, Metal Black, Golden Beige, Royal Purple and the recently introduced Volcano Red and Titanium Grey. The Radeon faces competition from the Hero Splendor iSmart 110, Honda Livo, and Bajaj Discover 110 in terms of specs. However, on considering its pricing, it also competes against the Hero HF Deluxe Eco and Hero Splendor Plus.
