New Hero Splendor : Across the crowded showroom in Delhi’s Karol Bagh, my attention was drawn to the familiar-looking shape — this was unmistakably a Hero Splendor, but different in some way.
And upon closer inspection, the contrasts came into relief: curvier bodywork, digital displays where analog gauges had once reigned, and a visual that suddenly made India’s top-selling motorcycle look as if it had time-traveled from the future.
After spending three days riding, it’s clear that this is not just a cosmetic update to Hero’s iconic commuter motorcycle.
The all-new Splendor is equipped with technologies that were only even thought about in this category a few years ago, and yet manages to keep the reliability and frugality alive, which made it the cornerstone of Indian mobility for decades.
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New Hero Splendor The Commuter Motorcycle Gets Smart
“Ab Splendor bhi smart ho gaya hai,” (Now even the Splendor has become smart) joked Rakesh Kumar, the manager at the Hero dealership, who took me through the new model’s features.
His observation is spot on, invested as we are in the transition from what has forever been the most workaday, no-nonsense motorcycle in India’s market.
The most obvious change looming large up front is in the form of new all-digital instrument clustre – a far cry from the barebones analog dials that Splendor has been associated with since generations.
We are not talking any ordinary digital display here, but the 5-inch TFT display unit is something never seen before on a motorcycle of this segment.
On my test ride through the hectic, gridlocked streets of Delhi, I found the display to be particularly readable even in direct blazing sunlight – a very important detail for a machine that’s going to be out in the scorching Indian sun almost all the time.
The interface is simple, with button control on the handlebar to allow riders to easily navigate through the different screens without having to remove their hands from the grips.
What really takes this display to the next level for the segment are its connectivity options.
Using Hero’s new ConnectNext app, riders can connect their smartphones over Bluetooth and get not just navigation prompts but also call notifications and, believe it or not, music controls – something that until now, you could get only on models that cost several times the cost of the XPulse 200.
“Humne research mein dekha ki Splendor chalane wale bhi ab technology chahte hain par affordable price pe,” (We found in research that even Splendor riders now want technology now, but at affordable price) Hero product manager Vikas Sharma told me at the launch.
This democratization of tech seems to be what is motivating the new model.
The connectivity also transcends convenience aspects to encompass useful safety and security components.
The updated Splendor comes with a geo-fencing feature that gets activated when a motorcycle is ridden off designated boundaries, and sounds an alarm that is very useful for family vehicles, that are sometimes shared by 2-3 members to ride.
The app even has actual run time maintenance reminders, rather than just number of months reminders, which is said to help reduce the frequency of oil changes and helps keeps the engine running longer.
New Hero Splendor Looks That Turn Heads, Without Alienating Loyalists
As foundational as technology is to this update, the visual redesign should not go unnoticed. Hero has done something quite difficult: updating the Splendor with modern looks, and yet still keeping it the Splendor.
New bodywork has sharper lines and stronger definition than before, while the new bodywork features LED lighting elements that lend a premium feel.
The headlamp design is familiarly round but features an LED daytime running light that gives the motorcycle a distinctive face.
And yes, the LED taillight uses a contemporary light bar too, for better visibility just as much as cosmetic appeal.
Riding through Connaught Place in the evening, these light unit(s) cannot be missed to the passer-by and fellow riders.
At a stop light, a rider on the existing Splendor rides up to me and asks about the new model. “Ekdum premium lag raha hai,” he noted, clearly taken aback by how much his trusty commuter had changed.
Colour choices are available in more than just the conservative solid hues as new metallic shades and two-tone schemes not previously offered on a Splendor can be seen.
It bore the stylish Electric Blue with Silver livery that seems more appropriate for bikes in higher segments.
The brief we got was very clear – Updating while keeping the Splendor DNA intact,”says Rajiv Singh from the design team of Hero, whom I had the good fortune to meet at the tech presentation.
“We wanted Splendor owners to look at it as an incremental gain rather than getting on to a new motorcycle.
This balance seems well-tempered. Still, with modern sensibilities and technology, the new Splendor hasn’t moved away from its tried and tested upright ergonomics, well-cushioned seat and practical dimensions that made it the default choice for millions of Indian commuters.
New Hero Splendor Engine: Enhanced Performance Without Loss Of Efficiency
Hidden behind all the brand new bodywork and tech is an updated version of Hero’s indestructible 110cc single cylinder motor.
Despite the same displacement, there are a number of improvements that have enhanced the performance and efficiency.
Output from the engine is 9.15 bhp at 7,500 rpm, and 9.89 Nm at 5,500 rpm – which are mild upgrades of around 8 percent from the previous model.
What’s more impressive than the numbers themselves is how power is delivered. On my test through Delhi’s cluttered streets, I felt a marked improvement in low-end response, and the bike felt quite a lot more eager in stop-and-go conditions.
“Engine ki refinement pe bohot dhyan diya gaya hai,” (“We have given a lot of attention to engine’s refinement.”)Mahesh Tanwar, a senior engineer at Hero and the person I was speaking to about the technical changes, said.
“The target was not to add on power, but to improve usability in actual circumstances.”
This real-world emphasis also is found in the transmission, now a 4-speed unit that has been reworked for smoother shifts and improved city performance with a more suitable gear ratio line-up.
Over the course of extensive testing in the notoriously crowded streets of Chandni Chowk in Delhi, the motorcycle hauled cleanly from low speeds in higher gears – a godsend for riders straddling rapidly vacillating traffic speeds.
What’s perhaps just as impressive is the performance here doesn’t come at the expense of the iconic Splendor’s legendary efficiency.
Hero promises an ARAI-certified fuel efficiency of 83.2 km/l – a shade better than before despite the increase in performance.
In my three-day, 160-km combined city and highway testing, I achieved an average of 78.5 km/l which is a commendable number suggesting that Hero’s claims of fuel-efficiency are just not bogus numbers.
This balance of better response without sacraficing efficiency is the perfect progression for the customer who’s worried more about running costs than performance.
New Hero Splendor The Ride: The Same But Better
Swing a leg over the new Splendor and the riding position instantly feels reassuring — the same easy-upright ergos that have made this model the go-to choice for riders pounding long city miles.
The seat height is now as approachable as ever at 805mm, which means even the shorter rider can easily reach the ground at stoplights.
What you do notice is an extra sense of engineering polish. Vibrations, never bad to start on previous Splendors, are further reduced through better engine mounting and isolation.
And during a two-hour-long ride through Delhi and its suburbs, I didn’t even end up with the numb hands and feet I sometimes suffer through on longer rides on small-displacement motorcycles.
The suspension – telescopic forks at the front and 5-step adjustable twin shocks at the rear – is a good blend between comfort and compliance.
Over some of the rougher areas of the road, especially around Kashmere Gate, the Splendor handled bumps that would have made most others feel like they were shaking apart, without also feeling exceedingly soft or wallowy.
Breaking is going to become better as the commuter finally gets a front disc, a first for the Splendor series. It gives significantly better brake feel over the previous generation drum setup, with a 240mm front disc.
The IBS (Hero’s lingo for Combined braking system) also provides an extra safety net by activating both brakes when the rear brake is activated.
New Hero Splendor Positioning and Value Propostion
The new Splendor costs from ₹75,000(Ex-showroom, base variant) to ₹85,500 (fully-loaded connected) version, which also places it just slightly more than the old Splendor. But the tech and refinement upgrades seen to perhaps warrant this cost increase.
“The target customer has changed,” said market analyst Vikram Chandra, whom I asked for context on where the bike fits in the market.
“The Splendor buyer of today continues to seek reliability and fuel efficiency, but increasingly seeks style and features that they have been hitherto experiencing in the premium segment.
It’s this changing nature of customer expectations that explains Hero’s approach with this update — it has to keep the core values that have so far seen 40 million Splendors roll out the door, but in order to do so in 2020, we have to stay up to date with technologies and design elements that are increasingly expected by the buying public.
For Ramesh Yadav, a delivery rider I met outside the showroom who was pondering the new model, the value equation was straightforward: “Mujhe pata hai ki Splendor mein bharpoor (durability) hai,” he said. “I have been riding Splendor for 8 years.
The new model is a bit costlier, but going by its features, it seems to be a value-for-money deal.” (I’ve been driving a Splendor since 8 years. This new model is more expensive, but, well, check out the features, this seems like value for money.)
Amidst a market where eyes and wallets are increasingly pulled by feature-rich rivals and the charm of smaller capacity performance offerings, Hero’s high tech adoption on their cash cow should serve as a timely shot in the arm to retain its status in the fast-evolving Indian two-wheeler eco-system.
