This is the first time that Hero has developed a motorcycle from its Centre for Innovation and Technology in Jaipur and kudos to Hero for doing a good job.Here are a few observations and first impressions that we had of the motorcycle. Please bear in mind that these are our seat-of-the-pants feel and we did not have the time to ride the bike to our heart’s content, as much as we would have wanted to.
Styling: A definite plus. With its catchy dual-tone colour schemes, a sharper headlamp, the sporty split grab rail and the overall styling of the motorcycle feels upmarket and will go a long way in making decision easier for prospective buyers. Also, the instrumentation console being part analogue and part digital adds a further touch of premium-ness to the bike. Black alloy wheels come as standard.
Features: Perhaps the most feature loaded motorcycle in the segment. The list starts with the i3S technology or the Idle Start Stop System. Simply put, if you put the bike into neutral, the engine shuts off after 5 seconds and comes back to life at the pull of the clutch. This is way easier than switching off the bike at traffic signals and then starting it again. Plus, it adds to fuel conservation, if not exceptional efficiency. The second being the AHO or auto headlamp on. Yes, akin to big motorycles, the headlamp starts automatically when you start the bike and stays on till you shut it off. We are glad that Hero is finally making use of international standards on its commuter motorcycles as well.
3.Engine and Transmission: the engine on the Splendor iSmart 110 is a peppy 110cc unit which is good for 9.4bhp and 9Nm of torque. The numbers are more than enough for the motorcycle to trundle around in town. It is mated to a 4-speed gearbox. The cylinder of the engine now points skywards. The reason being that the combustion is better and power delivery. The engine is BS-IV compliant too. So no future headaches for Hero with regards to conforming to emission norms. The claimed fuel efficiency is 68Km/L.