Ruling the road

The street motorcycle segment is booming in India, with all manufacturers wanting a slice of the pie. By definition, street bikes are dual purpose – they can be simple commuters but can dish out plenty of pizzaz when you want to cruise in style as well. Hero was one of the first manufacturers in India to jump onto this bandwagon with the 150cc CBZ, and after a considerable passing of time has now come out with an appropriate flagship, the Xtreme 250R. A naked bike in terms of styling, this motorcycle has everything on paper, but can it take on its rivals? Read on to find out.

Let’s start with the styling, something that Hero Motors has been actively working on since establishing its own R&D facilities. The futuristic front and rear end are matched with a muscular fuel tank, a front bikini fairing and a sleek and upward pointing rear sub-frame that looks good and gives the bike a sporty stance. Topping all this is a premium digital instrument cluster that displays all relevant information and can be further customised with Hero’s own app. We wouldn’t call the features class-leading but there can be no doubt in the value proposition that they offer.

The engine is one of the biggest attributes of any motorcycle and this where the Xtreme really shines. With a 249cc liquid-cooled DOHC, this powerplant shines with its 29.5 bhp of power and 25 Nm of torque, mated to a 6-speed tranny with a slipper clutch. It revved freely right upto its redline, and there were no inconsistent jerks in the fuel delivery. Ample low and mid-range torque ensures smooth riding in all types of city riding as well. Top end torque has not been ignored either, and a 120 km/h speed can be dialled up in no time! The smooth gearbox, the light clutch and overall sense of things working like clockwork despite a 150 kilometres of pushing the machine hard, was testament enough to Hero’s dramatic prowess in this segment – a major improvement over the last decade.

The other thing that we must talk about here is the damping and the suspension. Suspension travel is good and with appropriate tyres, a feeling of invincibility just creeps in. Braking also gives you a positive feeling, with no fade even after quite a few repeated jabs.  On twisty roads you realise the ergonomics and spacious seat that gives you so much room to move around. The forgiving front-end handlebar setup makes the bike a fun ride than all the other bikes in this class with an extra layer of confidence from the chassis. There is no doubt that at this pricing, the Hero Xtreme 250R out does the TVS Apache 200 and Yamaha FZ-25 and comes very close to the new Bajaj Pulsar N250. This is Hero's clever response to Honda's CB300F and KTM Duke 250 by balancing multiple aspects.

Priced at INR 1.80 lakhs, ex-showroom.

Story by Mohit Soni