Hero Pleasure Plus Xtec Sports: In this ever growing and competitive 2-wheeler market of India, Hero MotoCorp is continuously launching amazing products combining style and performance.
The Hero Pleasure Plus Xtec Sports would prove to be a strong contender for city-goers looking for a wallet-friendly but trendy daily ride. Find out in this in-depth review of what keeps the Ultrawon Linky at the forefront of the budget rides.
Finding the Perfect Compromise: Economy and Performance
The Hero Pleasure Plus Xtec Sports comes with brand heritage, it inherits from being the Pleasure Plus, while adding new upgrades that will take your riding experience to the next level.
The heart is a 110.9cc single-cylinder air-cooled engine which delivers a humble but sufficient 8.1 bhp and 8.7 Nm of torque.
These are relatively modest numbers on paper, but they carry over extremely well in real-life situations, and particularly where the vehicle feels most at home – bustling city centres and stop-start traffic scenarios.
But what sets this scooter apart is the amazing mileage. And Hero MotoCorp promises 50 km/l, which is not too shabby, putting it close to the most affordable model in the segment.
Over our extensive testing that included all kinds of traffic and varied terrain, the scooter returned 45-48 kmpl on an average, which is brilliant for everyday use.
This would be hard to achieve without efficient engine tuning from Hero or the inclusion of programmed fuel injection technology, which ensures perfect fuel delivery in various riding environments.
The CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission) is smooth in operation and there is none of the jerkiness commonly experienced in an entry level automatic scooter.
Acceleration from a standstill is fast enough to allow you to confidently merge into traffic, if not especially exhilarating.
The Ather 450 can do zero-40 km/h in about 4.5 seconds, which is good enough for city streets. Top speed is on the higher side of 85 kmph enough to cruise occasionally on the highways but the actual comfort zone for this machine is around 40-60 kmph, where performance as well as efficiency is optimum.
Upgrades and New Features
The ’Xtec’ is Hero’s fancy name for its technology package, and the Pleasure Plus is a big beneficiary of all these add-ons. It gets a digital-analogue instrument console which displays the clock, fuel gauge, trip meter, service reminder and real time fuel efficiency measurement.
The blue lit display allows you to see in dimly lit areas and during the day, unlike many other budget scooters.
On the connectivity front, Bluetooth options are rather limited but riders can connect their smartphones for call alerts and message notifications.
It’s the perfect accessory to keep your devices charged on your bike commute with a USB charging port below the handlebar. The i3S (Idle Stop-Start System) kills the engine after a long wait at traffic signals; it comes back to life without much of a fuss when you twist the throttle.
This is one of the reasons that results in a stellar fuel economy during city driving.
A DAISY CHAIN IS WHERE A STRING OF LED LIGHTS ARE CONNECTED WITH NO ADDITION INCORPORATED TO THE CONNECTION. The headlight will be fine for city night riding but you’d probably want some decent auxiliary lights on dark country roads. The welcome and goodbye features, where lights in the vehicle “greet” and “farewell” with a light movement when the vehicle is started or turned off, are touches of elegance that are usually limited to models of higher price brackets.
Design and Ergonomics
The Pleasure Plus Xtec Sports edition exudes confidence in its design. The new color schemes help to make the scooter look better, especially the matte black with red graphics that indicate sportiness without being overtly angry.
These body graphics and 3D emblems have been designed with a sense of depth that adds another level of quality, for a machine that both looks good, and appeals to the younger rider, as well as its traditional owner using the 125 as a daily runner.
From an ergonomic perspective, the scooter has room for riders of all heights. At 765mm, The seat definitely feel accessible for the shorter riders and does not make the taller men look hunched.
The perch itself is comfortable enough for rides that are 30-45 minutes, but anything longer will make it pinch due to the fairly flat shape. There’s enough room on the floor board for a variety of foot placement and bagging the occasional small goods.
The ergonomic riding position reduces strain after a long ride, suitable for commuting, exercise or casual ride. The switchgear quality is better than expected in this price band, with positive feeling buttons and toggles.
The mirrors provide decent rearward visibility but do need to be a bit wider with larger reflective surfaces.
Practical Considerations
Storage continues to be of utmost importance for scooter buyers and the Pleasure Plus will not disappoint you in this aspect.
Half-face helmet as well personal belongings such as wallets and small electronic devices can be stored in the under-seat compartment. Non-lockable front glove box stowage in convenient location for frequently used items such as parking tokens or toll cards.
It may have a modest capacity of 5.5 litres, but along with outstanding fuel mileage, which in turn yields real-world riding range of over 240 kilometres on a single fill. This would allow most riders to refuel only once for every 7-10 days of normal urban commuting.
The ground clearance of 155mm is just right for dealing with most of the urban obstacles such as speed breakers and small potholes.
Tubeless tires on 10-inch wheels offer just the right combination of comfort and precision in handling. But the thin tire width makes you having to take care on wetroads or loose gravel.
Ride Quality and Handling
Ride quality, for something budget-based, is okay. The telescopic front end and single rear spring do a decent job of soaking up small road irregularities but bigger ruts and sharp edges cannot be avoided transmitting shocks to the rider.
The suspension leans more towards the comfort rather than sporty side, which suits the scooter’s intended role rather well.
Both steering and handling are predictable and forgiving, ideal for less experienced riders. At 106 kg kerb weight, it is relatively lighter and can be easily ridden in crowded cities and can be parked anywhere.
The turning circle is tight enough to make tight u-turns without a lot of difficulty, which is useful on those narrow European city roads.
Stopping power comes from drum brakes front and rear enhanced by the combined braking system which distributes braking force between the front and the rear wheel when the left brake lever is pulled.
The braking is not as stop-on-dime as a disc arrangement in higher-end models, but it is sufficient for the performance of the scooter. It brings the scooter to a halt from 40 kmph in about 2.5 meters, if the surface is reasonably grippy.
Value Proposition & Ownership Experience
At the price of ₹70,000-75,000 (ex-showroom), the Hero Pleasure Plus Xtec Sports as value for money for all features and technology it comes with.
The Eye is even better value too – minuscule running costs complete the picture – with its frugal nature the running costs are low and the maintenance intervals at 3000kms keep the cost of ownership under control.
The Hero has one of the largest sales and service network and that’s all the features about the bike appealing to budgetary customers. The 5-year manufacturer warranty is a piece of mind and consumables, such as engine oil and filter elements are still economically priced.
A note to all you new Hero purchasers: resale value, which is easy to forget when you can comp something off (or defray it by), tends to be high thanks to name recognition and the abundance of parts. This all adds to the overall value offering that the Pleasure Plus undeniably is.
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Thematically, the Hero Pleasure Plus Xtec Sports isn’t gunning for a revolution—it’s more about getting the basics right. It’s the vehicle city folks need most–reliable, economical, practical–with enough modern ingredients to be competitive for quite a while in a more crowded segment.
Where it lacks in driving fun, it makes up for with daily usability and relatively cheap ownership costs. Quality: And not just the 50 kmpl figure, Jio drives the point closer to home than mere marketing statements.
With it’s simple twist and go operation, you’ll be on the road in no time and with enhanced storage capacity you’ll be able to take everything with you.
Ideal for your daily commute or getting around town on the weekend, the PLEASURE PLUS is excellent value with good looks, reliability, convenience and economy.
It may be retro by nature, but the chic, understated styling tweaks and improved technology of the Xtec Sports version help lift it above the kitchen sink and into the realm of pure character.
Ultimately then, the good old Hero Pleasure Plus Xtec Sports wins by knowing exactly what their audience wants and giving them just that – no more, no less – for a price that doesn’t burn a hole in the pocket of a grey-collar employee, yet be within reach of everyone out there.
At a time when the market is heavily tilting towards feature-loaded premium offerings, the Pleasure Plus is the kind of two-
wheeler that remains a reminder of the fact that intelligent engineering that obsesses about what the core user needs, will create something that resonates with the pragmatic buyer. For people who’d rather have sensible economics than flashy features, this affordable scooter is hugely efficient, and worth a serious look.