Among the 100cc commuters, new Hero Splendor XTEC 2.0 emerges as the most feature-loaded offering and feels worth the added cost
Splendor has been a staple motorcycle in India and is country’s best-selling motorcycle and even the world. Hero recently launched Splendor+ XTEC 2.0 for Rs. 82,911 (Ex-sh) and it is a new top-spec variant of Splendor+ lineup and packs a lot more features than before. How does it stack up against stark rivals like Honda Shine 100 and Bajaj Platina 100? Let’s take a look.
Hero Splendor XTEC 2.0 Vs Rivals – Specs, Features
Honda Motorcycles and Scooters India (HMSI) is often not the one that achieves aggressive pricing or launches VFM products. However, the company’s Shine 100 was a surprising twist in strategies. At Rs. 64,900 (Ex-sh), Shine 100 undercuts Bajaj Platina 100 by around Rs 3K and Splendor XTEC 2.0 by Rs. 18K.
That said, Splendor+ base model without all these bells and whistles costs around Rs. 73K and the company has HF Deluxe 100 for under 60K (both prices Ex-sh). On the other hand, Platina 100 costs Rs. 67,808 (Ex-sh). All bikes have comparable engine displacement. Power and torque figures are in the same ballpark too.
However, Shine 100 makes its peak power and torque at lower RPMs than the other two. All engines are mated to a 4-speed gearbox and they all get self-starters along with side stand engine cut-off feature. Splendor is the only one to offer engine stop/start feature and claims the highest mileage (fuel efficiency) at 73 km/l as opposed to Platina’s 70 km/l and Shine’s 55 km/l.
Dimensions-wise, Platina 100 has the longest wheelbase at 1,255 mm and it is the heaviest too, at 117 kg. In comparison, Splendor+ is 112 kg and Shine 100 is 99 kg. Platina also has the biggest fuel tank at 11L. Splendor is the only one with an integrated luggage rack, which is among the big pulls for target demographic.
Also a big pull is the fact that Hero MotoCorp Splendor is the only one to offer tubeless tyres and larger 18-inch alloy wheels. Both rivals offer tube-type tyres and smaller 17-inch alloy wheels. Splendor is also the only one to offer a larger 130mm drum brake at the rear, while other two offer a 110mm drum. Front 130mm drum brake is standard for all. No disc brakes here.
Which one is the most feature-loaded?
Where suspension setup is concerned, Splendor offers preload adjustable rear shock absorbers, whereas the other two don’t. Non-adjustable RSU telescopic front suspension is standard in this comparison. The recently launched Splendor+ XTEC 2.0 is the only 100cc commuter with LED headlights and hazard lights in India and probably even the world.
Except for Shine 100, both Splendor+ XTEC 2.0 and Platina 100 offer LED DRLs. Where instrument clusters are concerned, Splendor+ blows its rivals out of the water by offering a fully digital instrument cluster. Not just that, it even has Bluetooth connectivity with notification alerts something both rivals miss out on.
Features like real-time fuel efficiency, average fuel efficiency, phone connectivity, app support, and USB Type-A charging port are only offered by Splendor+ XTEC 2.0. The added pricing with Splendor+ XTEC 2.0 is justified as it offers a lot more as well. With these attributes, Hero is targeting tech-savvy commuter motorcycle buyers and for everyone else, these are nice-to-have. If not, the base model is always there.
