Hero Splendor iSmart 2014

Hero Motocorp introduced a new variant to its bread and butter model, Splendor earlier this year. Called iSmart, the bike is primarily made of the same components that have been used on Splendor for years. However one crucial addition is the i3S technology which stands for ‘Idle Start Stop System’. The objective of i3S is to help you save fuel when your bike stands idling at traffic signals. Typically, i3S enables the bike or car to shut off the fuel supply system when you press in the clutch at a signal. And when you want to start moving again, release the clutch to restart the supply – it’s a huge fuel saver. But on iSmart, things are a little more clumsy – you will need to bring down the gear to neutral in order to effect a fuel supply stop. When you are in slow moving traffic, it’s not always possible to bring the gear down to neutral, and so this diminishes the effect of the i3S technology. But if you obsess over fuel economy, this is one bike you should consider.

Hero Splendor iSmart

So, let’s get started on the specifications first. Like every other variant in the Splendor line, the Splendor iSmart is powered by a 97.2 cc engine that can power a maximum power of 5.74 kw (that’s 7.8 PS) at 7500 RPM. In terms of torque, this engine can provide up to 8.04 Nm at 4500 RPM. If you hadn’t guessed it already, it’s the same old 4 stroke single cylinder engine at play here. The bike measures 1965 mm x 770 mm x 1095 mm in dimensions, has a wheelbase of around 1235 mm and a ground clearance of 160 mm. The kerb weighs around 110 Kg with the fuel tank capable of holding 8.7 liters with 1.8 liter reserve. The starting price of the Hero Splendor iSmart (ex-showroom, Delhi) is at Rs. 47,550 for the Self Spoke model, with Self Cast costing a thousand rupees extra. Do note that the on-road price will be much higher and will include local levies, octroi, and other taxes.

Manufacturer Mileage Claim

Given that the Splendor iSmart is primarily no different from any other Splendor in the market; but with the i3S technology, one should expect the mileage to be typically higher than what other Splendor bikes offer. Although there is no claim about the mileage from Hero on their official website or in the press release, from what I have gathered from other websites, Hero is claiming a a standard mileage of between 85-90 kmpl on the iSmart. Note that this is not very different from the other Splendors. That’s because mileage studies are not performed under traffic conditions – the i3S kicks in only when there is heavy traffic (when you have to stop-start a lot). So there is nothing out of the ordinary here.

Reviews from Customers & Test Rides

OverDrive in their review call the iSmart “the best looking Splendor ever”, although the i3S decal in the middle of the tank may seem like an eyesore. In terms of fuel efficiency, the i3S appears to save under 5% of fuel over a 50 km test run. With i3S disabled, the reviewer clocked 46.25 kmpl in peak hour Mumbai traffic on the iSmart. When it was enabled, the mileage increased to 48.46 – it might not seem like a lot, but if you are someone who has to endure long traffic signals every day of the week, you can realize that the benefits can easily add up.

In the review on TopGear, reviewer Christopher Chaves commends the “funkier-looking” headlight cowl on the new iSmart, the comfortable seating and the close handlebars that allow for upright riding. In terms of mileage, the reviewer was able to extract 64 kmpl from the bike, although this appears to be at a speed of around 50 kph on the highways. The review from MotorBeam, on the other hand, is much more positive about the mileage. The writer says that this bike is “99% sure” to deliver a 70 kmpl mileage – sounds like a lot and I presume they are talking about the bike’s performance on the highway.

Motoroids is equally excited about the bike. They point out that they tried their best to emulate a typical highway riding scenario without focussing on extracting maximum mileage. Even with that, they noticed a mileage of 67-69 kmpl, which is commendable and on par with what has been said in the earlier reviews.

Finally, let us see what the regular customers have got to say. Sadly, MouthShut doesn’t even have a category for iSmart yet. However, there are a couple of reviews from real customers on BikeWale – the reported mileage from these people is between 70-72 kmpl which is quite impressive. However, one customer points out that the i3S technology sometimes causes the engine to stop when riding at the 40-50 kmph mark. I could not find similar comments elsewhere, but if this were true, Hero seriously have an important task at hand to fix the problem.

So there you go. As usual, here is a summed up version of mileages as reported by different reviewers. Do let me know what you think in the comments below.

Source City (kmpl) Highways (kmpl)
Manufacturer 85-90
OverDrive 48.46
TopGear 64
MotorBeam 70
Motoroids 67-69
Bikewale 70-72

Bajaj Discover 100T Vs. Hero HF Dawn

Bajaj Discover 100T and Hero HF Dawn are two of the most popularly searched bikes on MileageInfo.com. Both these bikes are in the 100cc category and they are a terrific value for money. However, the Discover 100T is priced almost 16,000 higher than the HF Dawn. While you can get a Dawn 100cc ex-Delhi at a price of Rs. 34,500, the corresponding price for Discover 100T is Rs. 50,500.

Hero HF Dawn vs Bajaj Discover 100T

Let us first talk about the technical specifications of both these bikes. First up, the engine – the Hero HF Dawn is built with a 97.2cc 4 stroke single cylinder engine that delivers a maximum power of 7.8PS and a corresponding torque of 8.04Nm. The Discover 100T on the other hand is equipped with a 102cc 4-valve DTS-i technology engine that delivers 10.2PS power and 9.2Nm torque. While the Discover offers a better power, it also comes heavier. The 100T kerb weighs 121kg while the HF Dawn is much lighter at just 109kg. The basic fuel tank of both the bikes are similar though with a capacity of around 10 liters although the 100T has a higher reserve at around 3.5 liters. Let’s tabulate all of this below for easier reference.

Specification Discover 100T HF Dawn
Displacement 102cc 97.2cc
Max Power 10.2PS @9000 7.8PS @7500
Max Torque 9.2Nm @6500 8.04Nm @4500
Kerb Weight 121kg 109kg
Wheelbase 1305mm 1235mm
Fuel Tank 10 liters 10.5 liters
Reserve 3.5 liters 1.8 liters
Price (ex-Delhi) Rs. 50500 Rs. 34500

Fuel Comparison

While both the HF Dawn and Discover 100T are both targeted at the entry level audience and hence are both focused heavily on mileage, the price-tag of Discover 100T may suggest that this bike is positioned at the younger college demographic who demand more stylish features. According to the manufacturers, the Discover 100T can deliver 87kmpl while the HF Dawn can deliver 82.91kmpl. Both these claims are made under standard test riding conditions which are very different from the every day city road conditions these bikes may otherwise subjected to. The mileage that you see on these bikes may hence be vastly different.

Let us now look at what reviewers have got to say with respect to the fuel efficiency offered by both these bikes. I was unable to get a source that has reviewed both these bikes. For the HF Dawn (earlier known as Hero Honda CD Dawn), members of IndiaGarage have together rated the economy to be somewhere between 55-60 kmpl. The best figure comes from two source – Wheelmela and AutomobileIndia. Both these sources claim a mileage of around 75 kmpl on the HF Dawn. InfiBeam too concurs on this number although they say out of the box, the bike only offers 65kmpl that increases by 10 units after the first servicing.

Customer reviews have not been so kind though. MouthShut users together rate the fuel consumption of the bike to be somewhere between 55-60 kmpl. Olx, the popular classifieds site has quite a few HF Dawn bikes on sale where the listed efficiency is between 60-70 kmpl. Take this number with a pinch of salt though considering that these users are trying to sell their bike and wouldn’t be saying bad things about it.

There have not been as many reviews for the Discover 100T though. MaxAbout claims a city mileage of around 65 kmpl on the 100cc bike. While xBHP claims a similar figure, reviewers at MotorBeam paint a more optimistic 70kmpl on the 100T. Overall I would say that although the number is pretty similar to what the HF Dawn seems to offer,we still do not have enough real customer reviews here to understand what the actual city road figure might be.

So there you have it. Here’s a tabulated listing of mileages as offered by various sources.

Source Hero HF Dawn (kmpl) Bajaj Discover 100T (kmpl)
Official 82.91 87
IndiaGarage 55-60
WheelMela 75
MotorBeam 70
InfiBeam 65 (75 after servicing)
AutomobileIndia 75
MaxAbout 65
MouthShut 55-60
Olx 60-70
xBHP 65

It’s a difficult proposition to have a pick between these two bikes based on mileage alone. I would suggest customers looking to purchase a bike to look into the other features offered by the Discover 100T and see if it justifies the Rs.16000 extra cost. Don’t forget that 100T is a new brand that should be seen favourably too. All in all, this is a decision that is not easy to make for me. What would you pick between the two?

Hero Glamour vs. Hero Glamour PGM FI

The Glamour has been one of Hero Motocorp’s highly visible motorbike brands. The Glamour is a 125cc 4 stroke engine bike that comes in two variants – one with the advanced microprocessor based ignition system and the other PGM FI model that comes with a full transistorized fuel injection technology ignition. Fuel injection is a much more efficient way to burn gas and as a result of this, the latter variant can offer a better fuel efficiency compared to the former. This increase in efficiency comes at a cost though – the Hero Glamour is priced at Rs.52525 ex-Delhi while the PGM FI comes at a price of Rs.61650 ex-Delhi.

Tech Specs

Before we compare the fuel consumption of both the bikes, let’s look into the specifications and features both these bikes have to offer. The Glamour has a 124.7cc engine while the PGM FI has a 124.8cc engine. Both bikes deliver a max power of 9.1PS @ 7000 RPM with a corresponding max torque of 10.35Nm at 4000 RPM. Except for the ignition system, most of the other specifications are comparable. The bikes weigh around 125kg on dry mass with the kick-start variant while the self-start variants weigh around 129kg. The fuel tanks have a capacity of 12 liters with an additional 1.5 liters in the reserve.

Fuel Efficiency Comparison

Let us now look at how both these bikes compare with respect to their fuel efficiency. According to Hero Motocorp, the PGM FI is built with a technology that offers a more optimal fuel consumption system that will ensure the mileage offered is better than what is delivered by Hero Glamour. So that’s a given. What needs to be seen now is how much better is the PGM FI compared to the Glamour to see if this justifies the extra cost of the bike.

Let us start with the review on MaxAbout. The site notes that the latest variant of the PGM FI has these tinted visor with sleek cowl that make it that much more alluring. As for the mileage, the PGM FI is reported to be offering 5-6 kmpl more than the 60-65 kmpl offered on the Hero Glamour.

BikeAdvice is not happy about the graphics and the power output from the engine. However, on the mileage front, the Glamour FI makes every bit of justice to the additional price. According to the review, teh Glamour FI could deliver close to 75kmpl on city roads which is way more than the 50-60 kmpl offered by Hero Glamour.

MouthShut, the popular user reviews site has had mixed reviews of the Glamour FI. While some reviewers are extremely happy with the 70-80 kmpl mileage they have noted on their bike, others report a paltry 40-55 kmpl. With the Hero Glamour, the reviewers on MouthShut report between 60-70 kmpl of fuel consumption.

There have been other reviews too. For Hero Glamour, the Infibeam reports a mileage of around 55.2 kmpl. For the Hero Glamour FI, we have BikeDekho that reports around 60 kmpl of fuel economy. Again, IndiaGarage, a bikers forum reports between 60-65 kmpl which is good but not as great as what a few other reviews have made the bike to be.

Here is a tabulated list of fuel consumption as reported by various news sources:

Source Hero Glamour Hero Glamour PGM FI Difference in kmpl
Official 81.1 81.1
MaxAbout 60-65 65-70 5
BikeDekho 60
BikeAdvice 50-60 75 15
Infibeam 55.2
MouthShut 60-70 40-55 / 70-80 10
IndiaGarage 60-65

Should you go for the PGM FI?

Technically, the fuel injection based Glamour should offer a better mileage. This is because fuel injection atomizes fuel and outputs a better air fuel mix to the engine. This should increase both the power and fuel economy by around 5-10%. From our review of mileages from various sources, we see that the PGM FI on an average increases the mileage by around 10 kmpl.

To be on the conservative side, let us assume 6kmpl to be the average gain in mileage going for the Glamour FI. Let’s now see how long it takes to recover the additional cost of the bike from these savings.

Average cost of Petrol/liter Rs. 75
Additional cost of the PGM FI bike Rs. 9125
Increase in distance covered from 1 liter of petrol 6km
Avg mileage on Hero Glamour 60kmpl
Savings on every liter of petrol 6/60*75= Rs. 7.5
Fuel taken to recover additional cost of bike 9125/7.5 = 1216 liters

So by the time you fuel 1216 liters of petrol, you have recovered the additional cost spent on the Glamour FI. 1216 liters contributes close to 72,000 kilometers. So if you are someone who is going to travel so much with the bike, you should be definitely going for this bike. In any case, better fuel consumption is good for the environment and so it’s always good to go for a bike that offers better mileage although it comes with a cost.

So what would you be going for?

Hero Hunk Vs. Suzuki GS150R

It’s been a while since we discussed 150cc bikes. So let’s get back to where the heart is. Today we will compare two bikes that have both been around for a good 4-5 years now and are both popular among people seeking 150cc motorcycles.

Hero Hunk vs Suzuki GS150R

The Hero Hunk was first launched back in 2007 and is one of the most masculine bikes around. Weighing 146kgs, this is heavier than most bikes in the market. Of course, a reason this is the case is also because the Indian market is full of entry level 100cc+ bikes. The GS150R on the other hand, is more of a traditional variety and focuses on the functionality aspects – it gives you mileage and power at the same time. NDTV conferred the GS150R with the ‘Motorcycle of the year award’ in the year after its launch. So without mnuch ado, let’s look up the tech specs of both the bikes.

Tech Specs Comparison

Both the Hunk and GS150R are known for their power. The Hunk delivers a max power of 14.4PS while the GS150R offers a slightly lower power of 14PS which is nothing to scoff at either. The torque is good to from both bikes. The Hunk delivers 12.8 Nm @6500 rpm while the GS150R can deliver 13.4Nm @6000 rpm. Let’s look at the other specs as well in a side-by-side comparison chart.

Specification Hero Hunk Suzuki GS150R
Displacement 149.2cc 149.5cc
Max Power 14.4PS @8500 14PS @8500
Max Torque 12.8Nm @6500 13.4Nm @6000
Wheelbase 1325mm 1335mm
Ground Clearance 145mm 160mm
Kerb mass 146kg 149kg
Fuel tank 12.4 liters 15.5 liters
Price (ex-Delhi) Rs. 66125 Rs. 72457

Most of the specs are comparable among the two bikes. However, the GS150R has slightly higher power and weighs slightly more than the Hunk. So gut feel tells me that the Hunk could deliver a slightly higher mileage than the GS150R given similar engines. However, like many times in the past, I could be wrong on this. Let’s look compare the mileages from both these bikes to see how it goes.

Fuel Consumption Reviews

The Hero Hunk is built with a low friction core-2 engine and the ignitition system is microprocessor controlled that effectively helps optimize fuel usage. According to the manufacturers, the Hunk will deliver 65.1 kmpl under standard testing conditions. Suzuki does not have similar tall claims on its 150cc bike though. They say the GS150R could offer a mileage of around 55.7kmpl under standard conditions. Do note that standard testing conditions are vastly different from regular city roads and so you should be seeing much lower fuel efficiency in your everyday commute.

The city performance of bikes are pretty different from official claims. So before we conclude the Hunk as the winner in this fuel economy contest, let us look deeper into what the reviewers have got to say about the two bikes in their city road tests.

First up, the Hunk. We looked at seven different sources. Both Wheelmela and IndiaMart report an economy of around 53kmpl on city roads. Three of the reviewers claim a figure of under 50. While IndianDrives claims 47.2kmpl from their test ride, ProdEase report 49.1 kmpl. We looked at the claims from actual customers on the BikeAdvice forum and the reported numbers consistently falls in the 45-50 kmpl range. This is also matched by customer reviews on MouthShut where the reported number falls in the 45-55kmpl range. The best review is offered by MaxAbout who report a city road economy of between 52-58kmpl on the Hero Hunk.

Let’s now look at the Suzuki GS150R. There are again seven sources we looked at. Both IndiAuto and MotorBeam report a fuel consumption of between 45-50 kmpl. The xBHP forum has a much wider base of reported numbers with the figure lying between 40-56 kmpl. MaxAbout which reported a 52+ kmpl figure on the Hunk reports only around 48kmpl on the GS150R. The reviewers on MouthShut have been more consistent with this bike reporting between 48-52kmpl on their bikes. The highest reported figure comes from Olx customers who report a number between 50-65kmpl. This is however a number that I will take with a pinch of salt considering that Olx is a classifieds site where customers will put up a pretty rosy picture for their bikes just so they elicit more response from potential buyers.

Here’s a comparison chart of mileages as reported by various sources

Source Hero Hunk Suzuki GS150R
Official 65.1 55.7
IndianDrives 47.2
MaxAbout 52-58 48
WheelMela 53
IndiaMart 53
ProdEase 49.1 52
BikeAdvice 45-50
MouthShut 45-55 48-52
IndiAuto 45-50
MotorBeam 45-50
xBHP 40-56
Olx 50-65

Both bikes fare almost equally in the comparison. However, the Hunk appears to have a slightly better mileage compared to the GS150R. Also, considering the fact that it is more macho-looking at a lower price, my choise in this comparison would be the Hunk. Is your choice different? Tell me why it is so in the comments below.

Hero Splendor Plus Vs. Bajaj Discover 100T

Yesterday we compared the new Bajaj Discover 100T against TVS Sport. It was a pretty interesting post considering we were pitting one new stylish 100cc bike against an older, more traditional looking bike. What’s interesting is that despite the differences, they turned out to be pretty similar on the mileage front and so there was no winner in that race.

Bajaj Discover 100T vs. Hero Splendor Plus

Today we will see how the Discover 100cc compares against the Hero Splendor Plus. This is again going to be exciting given the fact that the Splendor Plus has been around for almost a decade. Of course the bike has relaunched a few times since then and so we are not talking of a 10 year old model. So how do they measure up? Let’s find out –

Tech Specs Comparison

Specification Hero Splendor Plus Bajaj Discover 100T
Displacement 97.2cc 102cc
Max Power 7.5PS @8000 10.2PS @9000
Max Torque 7.95Nm @5000 9.2Nm @6500
Kerb Weight 109kg 121kg
Wheelbase 1230mm 1305mm
Fuel Tank 11 liters 10 liters
Reserve 1 liter 3.5 liters
Price (ex-Delhi) Rs. 42950 Rs. 50500

At a specification level, the Discover 100T is better than the Splendor Plus for most things. It has a higher displacement, a better power as well as torque. These things are extremely crucial to help you maneuver the road. In addition to this, the Discover also comes with extra stylish features that would definitely help you stand out. However that comes at an additional 8000 rupees. But let’s not jump the gun – we will compare the mileage delivered by these bikes first before arriving at which one is better than the other.

Fuel Economy Review

The Hero Splendor Plus weighs around 12kgs lower than the Discover 100T at dry mass. This difference is crucial because the Discover would now need more power to carry this weight along – that’s more fuel and lower mileage delivered. However, that doesn’t seem to be the case probably because the Splendor Plus comes with a less efficient engine overall. Hero claims the Splendor Plus to deliver 80.6 kilometers for every liter of petrol. In comparison, the Discover 100T is expected to deliver 87kmpl. Do note that these are both noted under standard testing conditions which are vastly different from the regular city roads. So unless we compare the two under these real world conditions, it is pretty hard to say. And that is exactly what we will do here.

Let’s start with the Hero Splendor Plus. We looked at reviews from five very reputed sources online for their report on the Splendor Plus’ fuel economy under city road conditions. Two reviews from BikeDekho as well as MaxAbout note a figure of somewhere between 65-70 kmpl. However the report from the rest of the sources don’t seem to be as high. IndiaGarage reports the lowest at around 55kmpl while the user reviews on MouthShut as well as on Olx report a slightly higher number at 58-65kmpl and 60-70kmpl respectively. Considering that MouthShut reviews are from real-world customers, I would suggest you give a lot of weightage to what these reviewers have got to say.

Next up, let’s look at the reviews for Discover 100T. Considering that this is a recent launch, we have not had too many customer generated reviews. However, the test-ride based mileage reports from the likes of MaxAboutand MotorBeam give a clear picture on what this bike is capable of. MaxAbout and xBHP report a city mileage of around 65 kmpl while MotorBeam notes 70kmpl.

I’ve tabulated all the findings below. At first look, it may look like the 100T is the winner among the two. However, it needs to be noted that test-ride reports for both the bikes have been positive and hover between the 65-70kmpl range. It is the customer reports on the Splendor Plus that has brought its average down. We will have to wait a couple of more months before we can get a similar report for the 100T.

Source Hero Splendor Plus (kmpl) Bajaj Discover 100T (kmpl)
Official 80.6 87
BikeDekho 65-70
MaxAbout 65-70 65
IndiaGarage 55
MouthShut 58-65
Olx 60-70
MotorBeam 70
xBHP 65

So for now, I would say both these bikes fare similarly on the mileage tests. If you think paying the 8000 rupees extra is justifiable considering the more stylish looks and features of the 100T, go for it by all means. If you would prefer to save on that amount, Splendor Plus is your friend. Have you made your decision yet? Tell us in the comments.

Hero Splendor Plus Vs. Hero Splendor Pro

A lot of people who have decided to go for a Splendor bike are still undecided when it comes to which of the Splendor series bikes they should be going for. Today let us just check out two of the popular models against each other and see which of the two is a better deal when it comes to fuel efficiency.

First the technical specifications. Both the Splendor Plus and Splendor Pro are sub-100cc motorbikes with similar power and torque levels. Both bikes measure the exact same dimensions (1.97m long, 0.72m wide and 1.04m tall with an equal 159mm ground clearance. Both bikes have a 11 liter capacity fuel tank.To put it in one word, the engine and dimensions of both the bikes are very similar.

Spec Splendor Plus Splendor Pro
Displacement 97.2cc 97.2cc
Max Power 5.5kw @ 8000rpm 5.74kw @ 7500rpm
Max Torque 7.95Nm @ 5000rpm 8.04Nm @ 4500rpm
Kerb weight 109kg 109kg

The difference then is in the features offered and not the specs. So the mileage delivered by the two bikes should not be very different.

Customer Feedback on Mileage
Before talking about customers and test reviews, let us first look at the official claim. Despite the extremely similar features, Hero Motocorp claims on fuel are very different on the two bikes. Hero claims that the Splendor Plus can deliver 80.6 kilometers for every liter of petrol. In comparison, they claim that the Splendor Pro can offer 90.1 kmpl of economy.

Let us now look at what MaxAbout has to say. In their review, the website says the new engine on the Splendor Pro makes is much more responsive and quick. At the same time, they note that the Splendor Plus has one of the slower engines among all variants of Splendor. They report a pretty similar fuel consumption from both bikes in city conditions (65 kmpl). However, on highways, the Splendor Pro can deliver 79 kmpl while the Splendor Plus can only provide between 72-75 kmpl.

BikeDekho has a very different review of both bikes. They like the Splendor Plus for being a sleek and attractive “commuter cum executive bike” while they commend the Splendor Pro for its ultimate comfort and flat seating positions. From the fuel efficiency testing, they report 65-70 kmpl from the Splendor Plus on city roads which looks better compared to the 60 kmpl they report from the Splendor Pro.

To get a feel of what real world customers feel, we had looked into the reviews on the popular classifieds site, Olx to check out the fuel ratings offered on both the bikes by the bike sellers. When it comes to Splendor Plus, most of the bikes put up on sale are reported to be seeing an economy of around 60-70 kmpl although there were more than a couple in the 47-55 kmpl range as well. For the Splendor Pro, the range of reviews posted on the bike put the fuel consumption in the 50-65 kmpl range although barring for a handful most of the others were in the 60-65 kmpl range.

I have put down the reported fuel efficiency figures for both bikes as reported by various sources side-by-side below. As I can see it, it is a very close call and it ultimately depends on the price, the other features that you would want in a bike, and your personal test ride of both the bikes that should decide which of the two bikes you are going to go for.

Source Splendor Plus Splendor Pro
Official 80.6 90.1
MaxAbout 65-70(c)/72-75(h) 65(c)/79(h)
BikeDekho 65-70 60
Olx 60-70 50-65

Hero Glamour PGM FI

The Hero Glamour FI is a variant of the Glamour that we reviewed yesterday. The only significant difference between the two bikes is the fuel injection technology on the FI variant which is available at an ex-showroom price of Rs. 61,650 at Delhi.

Hero Glamour PGM FI

Let’s take a look at the tech specs one time. The Glamour FI is equipped with a 124.8cc 4 stroke single cylinder engine that can crank up a power of 9.1PS and a torque of 10.35 Nm. The ignition is powered by a full transistorised ignition technology. The bike measures 2.005meters in length, .735 meters in width and 1.07 meters in height. Other features on the bike include a real time mileage indicator, a bank angle sensor and a new digital analog combo console.

Company Claimed Fuel Economy

The Hero Glamour FI is not very different in many aspects from the Glamour except for the ignition technology. FI is likely to add a wee bit of mileage to the bike. According to Hero Motocorp, you should be able to see 81.1 kilometers for every liter of petrol on the Glamour. While the company website does not seem to carry any numbers specifically for the Glamour FI, we expect it to be a little higher than the original variant.

Customer Reviews

MaxAbout commends the bike on the tinted visor with sleek cowl both of which have been introduced in the latest version of the Glamour FI. In their test ride, the reviewers were able to see 65-70 kmpl on city roads and around 75 kmpl on highways. This is around 5-6 kmpl better than what is offered on the original Glamour.

The BikeDekho review notes that the PGM FI is better than Super Splendor in terms of its “super cool” looks and features. However when it comes to mileage, I am not so sure. The reviewer reports a 60 kmpl economy which is lower than what one may have expected from this variant.

In their note on the Glamour FI, BikeAdvice calls the stylish graphics that are one of the bigger selling points as a bit over the top. Another area where the reviewer is not very enthusiastic is in the power output of the engine despite the superior technology in place. However, all that should not matter if fuel consumption is your biggest concern. The review reports an overall mileage of 75 kmpl which is pretty extraordinary for a 125cc motorcycle.

On IndiaGarage, a Glamour FI owner reports a fuel efficiency of around 60-65 kmpl on city roads and 75-78 kmpl on highways when riding in the 50-55 kmph range. The reviewer however notes that this bike may not please those who are looking for power and the grunt of the engine. Instead, if you are looking for a refined and smooth engine, this could be a thing.

There are 13 reviews of the PGM FI on the user reviews site, MouthShut. As expected, the reviewers have given the bike a 4/5 rating for fuel consumption. There are mixed reviews however in terms of fuel. While a bunch of customers are effusive in their praise saying they have been able to see between 70-80 kmpl on their bikes, a few others have reported disappointing results of between 40-55 kmpl. I do not have a dog in this fight and so I think the best thing to do is put both these reports here and leave it for you to pick.

Here is a summary of reviews from various sources we have covered above. Would I recommend this bike? Absolutely.

Source City (kmpl) Highways (kmpl)
Official 81.1
MaxAbout 65-70 75
BikeDekho 60
BikeAdvice 75
Indiagarage 60-65 75-78
MouthShut 40-55 / 70-80

Hero Glamour

We wrote about the 125cc Hero Super Splendor just a couple of days back. Today, we will review one another 125cc bike from Hero – the Hero Glamour. The bike is equipped with a 124.7cc 4 stroke single cylinder engine that can deliver a max power of 9 BHP and torque of 10.35 Nm at 4000 RPM. At this power, the Glamour looks more or less similar to the Super Splendor and although this is lower than the likes of Phoenix 125 that cranks up 10.8 BHP, it is still in the mid-range since it is higher than what the likes of Slingshot Plus have to offer.

Hero Glamour

Speaking of the other specs, the bike measures 2.005 meters in length, 1.07 meters in height and 0.735 meters in width and comes with an average 150mm ground clearance. The kerb weight of the bike is around 125kg for the kick start variety. Overall, the Glamour comes at a price of Rs. 52,525 ex-showroom Delhi.

Official Word On Fuel Economy

When the erstwhile Hero Honda launched the Glamour way back in 2005, one of the primary selling points of the bike was the fuel economy at the higher power range. So it goes without saying that Hero has gone the entire mile in ensuring the mileage of the bike is not compromised at the expense of higher power or features. Hero Motocorp has claimed that the Glamour 125 can offer a mileage of 81.1 kmpl under standard test conditions. However, this is not the best fuel economy even among the 125cc bikes from Hero. The Super Splendor if you remember had an official claim of 83.1 kmpl.

Customer Reviews

Let us start with the review from MaxAbout. The reviewer is not so happy with the engine that he says is not as powerful as the rivals in the market. But the mileage is a huge plus. MaxAbout was able to notice 60-65 kmpl on city roads while on highways, this went up to 70 kmpl.

Next up, BikeAdvice. The main review is not so generous on the mileage front rating the bike as offering only around 50-60 kmpl after the third month of servicing. However, the comments there are from totally happy customers who consistently report mileages of between 60-70 kmpl.

The reports are pretty similar with Infibeam as well. While the reviewer commends the bike for its stylish graphics, things are not so great in the fuel consumption section. The website reports an economy of 55.2 kmpl on city roads that goes up to 58.3 kmpl on highways.

There are over 115 reviews for the Hero Glamour on the popular user review website. MouthShut. These users have together rated the bike 4/5 in terms of fuel efficiency. Talking about the mileage of the bike, one customer who has completed 10,000 kilometers says he gets 72 kmpl on highways and not below 65 kmpl on city roads. Another customer who has just had his first bike servicing reports 73.2 kmpl. Not every review is a happy one though. One user reports his bike’s mileage to have dropped to around 40. Overall, the average customer reports a mileage of between 60-70 kmpl.

So there you have it. The mileage reported for the Hero Glamour are consistently good and in my personal opinion, it is a definite buy – not just for the fuel economy it offers, but also because of the stylish looks that it comes with for the 125cc range.

Here is a snapshot of reviews as provided by the various sources.

Source City (kmpl) Highways (kmpl)
Official 81.1
MaxAbout 60-65 70
BikeAdvice 50-60
Infibeam 55.2 58.3
MouthShut 60-70

Hero Super Splendor

This has been a rather splendid week as far as bike reviews go – we have already reviewed three Splendor bikes. Today we will review the fourth of the Splendor variants – the Hero Super Splendor. This model was launched close to three years back and is the only Splendor bike in the 125cc range. The bike is equipped with a 124.7cc 4 stroke single cylinder engine that can crank up a power as high as 9 BHP and torque as high as 10.35 Nm at 4000 rpm.

Hero Super Splendor

The Super Splendor measures 1.995m long, 0.735m wide and 1.095m tall. The wheelbase measures 1.265m with a ground clearance slightly lower than the rest of the Splendor bikes at 150mm. In terms of fuel capacity, the Super Splendor can hold 13 liters and is heavier than the rest of the Splendor bikes at 121 kg. kerb.

What this all means is that the Super Splendor with a higher power and heavier kerb weight could technically deliver a mileage lower than the rest of the Splendor variants as compromise. But we will have to look at the reviews to actually confirm if this is true. The Super Splendor is available at a price of Rs. 50,650 ex-showroom Delhi.

Official Claim on Fuel

According to Hero Motocorp, the Super Splendor will give you 83.1 kilometers for one liter of petrol. To give you a perspective on this number, here is the officially claimed mileage figure on all the four Splendor bikes that we have discussed now:

Bike Official (kmpl)
Splendor Pro 90.1
Splendor NXG 87.7
Splendor Plus 80.6
Super Splendor 83.1

This is actually contrary to what we had predicted earlier. The 125cc Super Splendor actuavlly has a higher official number on its fuel than the likes of Splendor Plus. Also, at 83.1, I believe the Super Splendor has one of the best economies in the 125cc segment.

Customer Reviews

Let’s start with MaxAbout as usual. In their review, the website calls the Super Splendor “the most mature bike” among the various Splendor variants. The bike has been tested to reach 60 kmph in around 8 seconds and according to MaxAbout can deliver 65 kmpl on city roads with highways offering 75 kmpl.

BikeDekho doesn’t seem to have had an in-house review of the bike. However, according to a user who claims to own a Super Splendor, the bike offers “excellent mileage” of around 66 kmpl. This is on par with what has been claimed on MaxAbout as well.

To better understand what real world customers have to say about the bike, let’s check out the reviews on MouthShut. There are over 75 reviews of the Super Splendor on the website and the reviewers there have rated the bike 4/5 with regards to fuel consumption. However when it comes down to the numbers, it gets pretty confusing. I honestly could not find a pattern in the numbers reported by various customers. The reported mileage has varied between those reporting around 48-51 kmpl to those reporting 65-70 kmpl. There are others that claim around 50-55 kmpl as well.

On Olx, the story is something very similar. The reported economy is anywhere between 48-65kmpl. However, unlike MouthShut, there is more consistency in the numbers where the average falls around the 55kmpl mark.

So there you have it. Most official reviews point to a pretty decent mileage of around 60-65kmpl. However reviews from real customers put it slightly lower. Here is a summary of what we have seen reported by various sources.

Source City (kmpl) Highways (kmpl)
Official 83.1
MaxAbout 65 75
BikeDekho 66
MouthShut 48-70
Olx 55

Hero Splendor NXG

We have been reviewing the mileages of the Hero Splendor motorbikes over the past two days. The Splendor NXG was launched by Hero Honda back in 2007 and since then has gone through more than a couple of upgrades. The Splendor NXG is regarded a ‘deluxe’ bike among the Splendor range of motorbikes.

Hero Splendor NXG

Like the rest of the Splendor motorbikes, the Splendor NXG also has a 97.2cc 4 stroke single cylinder engine that delivers a maximum power of 7.8 PS and a max torque of 8.04 Nm at 4500 rpm. The bike measures 1.965m in length, 0.720m in width and 1.095m in height with a total ground clearance of 160mm. The fuel tank capacity appears to be slightly lower than the other Splendor bikes with just a 9.5 liters fuel tank with 1.8L reserve. The basic kick spoke variant of Splendor NXG will cost you Rs.42,250 ex-showroom in New Delhi.

Official Mileage Claim

The fuel economy as claimed by the company for all the Splendor range of motorcycles is in the 80+ range. The Splendor NXG is no different either. According to Hero Motocorp, the Splendor NXG will give you 87.7 kilometers for every liter of petrol when rode on standard test conditions which is under extremely favourable highway-type road conditions. You will definitely see a lower mileage on a typical city road.

Reviews From Customers & Reviewers

MaxAbout praises the bike for its refinement and fuel efficiency and in fact says you can feel the refinement even as you start the ignition. In their road test, the website says they were able to see 65kmpl on city roads that goes as high as 70 kmpl on the highways.

BikeAdvice says the Splendor NXG which is designed for the ‘next generation’ could give the Platina and TVS Star City a run for their money and is pretty reliable with low cost of maintenance. Their test ride delivers a much higher fuel efficiency extracting 75kmpl combined on city and highways.

ProDease has a very short review and I am not sure if the mileage they claim on the review is something they were able to personally test or has been quoted from secondary sources. In any case, according to them, the Splendor NXG will give you an economy of up to 60kmpl with the average around 50kmpl. I would not vouch for this claim yet since it seems to be much lower than what other sources claim.

To validate this, let us dive right into MouthShut to see what real-world customers see. There are 21 reviews for the bike here and the customers have rated it 4 on 5 for fuel consumption. There are a few complaints that customers have posted that includes things like poor acceleration and that the bike is not really built for long rides. These are things that you should check out when you test ride yourself. However, on the fuel economy front, the bike is consistently rated between 60-70 kmpl which is pretty good for city rides. But I must note that there were at least a couple of unhappy customers who reported a lower mileage of between 48-52 kmpl.

On Olx, there are several Splendor NXG bikes put up on sale and if you look at the numbers reported by the sellers, it invariably falls between 55-70 kmpl. So I think the realistic expectation from the bike is around 60kmpl. Consider anything over this to be a bonus.

To conclude, I think the bike has a few issues to sort out as I see from the MouthShut reviews. But that apart, the bike appears to deliver great mileage on most counts. If you do not see it on your own bike, it could be because of some sort of wear and tear that you should get fixed at a service shop. Here is a summary of what the various websites have reported

Source City (kmpl) Highways (kmpl)
Official 87.7
MaxAbout 65 70
BikeAdvice 75
ProDease 50 60
MouthShut 60-70
Olx 55-70