But for the buyers to look beyond the many new EVs and the petrol market leaders like Honda Activa, TVS Jupiter, and Suzuki Access there must be something strikingly unique about a new scooter.
BHPian bblost recently shared this with other enthusiasts:
Riding the Hero Destini 125
Right off the bat, the Hero Destini 125 is a comfortable scooter. It has enough power to get you around the city. Turn the key, pull on the brake lever and press the starter key and the motor springs to life. There is a little extra vibration on a cold start but it settles down fairly quickly. There is no eerie silence of the new age EV’s. This is an air-cooled, four-stroke 125cc engine that churns out 9 BHP @ 7,000 rpm with a max torque of 10.4 Nm @ 5,500 rpm.
The dry centrifugal CVT transmission is responsive and quickly gathers speed crossing into the 40 km/h and the 60 km/h mark quite well. I weigh around 100 kg. The scooter did not feel lethargic when carrying me to the normal cruising speed of these two-wheelers. The scooter felt like it could go faster but I limited the speed to under 80 km/h as the road conditions were quite wet and traffic not very conducive. The target segment for this scooter will find its performance to be more than adequate for their daily needs.
The midrange acceleration from the 30 km/h to the 60 km/h was ok. This was the only part where you could feel the predictable rubber band effect of the CVT. The scooter is not meant for aggressive driving.
The suspension is a tad bit stiff and thanks to the 12-inch alloy wheels, you do feel the bad roads. Overall, the ride is comfortable for the most part. The brakes are adequate but it would have been nice if they had provided ABS.
This scooter is ideal for those who prefer petrol engines, use it for commuting to the office and also occasionally need to carry something as large as a 20-litre water can comfortably kept in the footwell.
Petrol Tank Capacity, Mileage
The petrol tank capacity is 5.3 litres. With a claimed mileage of 59 km/l, this should mostly be a good 200 km range before you enter the anxiety zone:
Final Thoughts
Hero stormed into the scooter market with the very successful Pleasure but they have never been able to match its success. The New Destini 125 is a nice scooter that has a comfortable seat, a decent engine, class-leading mileage and vibrant colours.
Sure the mechanics will love the thoughtful design that makes this bike so easy to service. But for the buyers to look beyond the many new EVs and the petrol market leaders like Honda Activa, TVS Jupiter, and Suzuki Access there must be something strikingly unique about a new scooter. Sadly, while this scooter is very good, it lacks that “Ooomph” factor.
Disclaimer: Hero invited Team-BHP for the Destini 125 test-ride. They covered the expenses for this riding event.
