Hero Splendor iSmart 110 Long Term Review
Long Term Test No. 104
Bike Tested: Hero Splendor iSmart 110
Kms Done: 1891 kms
Test Started at: 889 kms
Test Concluded at: 2780 kms
Mileage: 55.5 km/l (Combined), 50 km/l (City), 61 km/l (Highway)
Liters: 34-litres
Fuel Cost: Rs. 2142/-
Rs. per km: Rs. 1.14/-
Economical engine and stylish design are the two USPs of the Hero Splendor iSmart
The Splendor has been the workhorse motorcycle in the Indian market for a very long time. The economical engine nature with optimum power output is the reason it’s always fun to ride the Splendor. Recently, the Hero Splendor iSmart was updated with a 110cc engine and we had it in our long term fleet for a good three months. We did do some numbers on it but most of the runs were in the city and very few but considerable rides on the highways. For the time we had the iSmart with us, we never let it take rest. It worked out to be a proper workhorse with superb mileage and current generation motorcycle looks.
The new colour scheme is dark and vivid on the Splendor iSmart
The Hero Splendor iSmart is a completely drawn upon Splendor in terms of design. The styling is very much similar to the regular Splendor with a ton of body design updates. A new body and new graphic design matches with the current generation motorcycle. This, however, is an update to the older iSmart with the new 110cc engine and does not have the i3S badge all over the tank and hence makes it less eye catchy. This commuter machine now features an AHO headlamp and a black and blue colour scheme making it quite noticeable. The TV advertisement shows that the Hero Splendor gets all the attention for its design and looks but for us, it was rather the headlight being on all the time and people showing hand signs for it
The Splendor iSmart is so lean, the headlamp covers all the flesh from the front
The upright handlebars and the softly cushioned seat helped out for a really comfortable ride every time we took out this 110cc commuter motorbike. A short spin or a decent 80 kms ride, the comfort was bang on. The seating posture helped in maintaining a right balance between keeping ourselves engaged into riding rather than falling asleep. The dimensions and the weight of the Hero Splendor iSmart 110 is rather less than what is expected and it’s a gem in traffic. For an instance, it took just an hour to clear out the Western Express highway evening traffic all the way from Andheri to Mira Road.
Upright and comfortable ergonomics for city riding
The Hero Splendor iSmart is by far the best long termer that can tackle city traffic so well. Then is the case of the fuel efficiency with a small fuel tank. In the whole duration, the fuel cap opened only five times to be filled up to the brim and we wouldn’t even care to look for almost 2-3 weeks once it’s full. The 8.7-liter fuel tank is pretty small but could do a lot and as we say that, we managed to pull off 420 kms on a single tank of fuel. That’s a lot for something that takes in so less. All this was possible with the i3S system of the Splendor iSmart. It would just cut off power when standstill for 3 seconds and put the engine back alive as we depress of the clutch.
Punchy low and mid-range but lacks performance once past it
The Splendor iSmart 110 is light and feels quicker than the other Splendors
The Splendor iSmart takes in almost 2.5-litres of less fuel, it produces almost 1.1 BHP of extra power and 1 Nm excess torque than the 100cc Splendor while weighing just 3 kgs more. On paper, it fairs out better but on the road, this one packs the tiny pocket rocket fun. The first gear ends in no time while the other three gears do the rest of the job. The final gear, the fourth one could work it out from 40 km/hr and take it all the way to 100 km/hr. The sweet spot was however between 55 to 70 km/hr and we used to stick to mostly 60 km/hr for maximum fuel efficiency.
The weight and a short first gear helps it lift a wheel
Hero Splendor iSmart Cost Of Service
* Service cost – Rs. 350/- (free for first service)
* Engine oil – Rs. 300/-
* Consumables – Rs. 80/-
The initial odometer reading was under 1000 kms and when checked, the bike was still raw, it hadn’t even been through its first service. We rode it for the first few kms and could understand the harshness from the engine because of the old oil and the bite of the brakes was not the best we would expect. Post the service, the Hero Splendor iSmart felt completely new and fuel consumption had improved marginally after that. The brakes felt better and as it is equipped with only drum brakes, the bite was gradual and we could feel the feedback being spongy. With the pair of Ceat rubber on 18-inch alloys, these tyres proved to be the best for what’s needed from them.
Once in motion, the Splendor iSmart would stop only at an empty tank
Overall, the Hero Splendor iSmart 110 was perfect for our daily chores and city runs. It was actually the best of the lot for tackling traffic and would return a marvellous fuel efficiency. It was a perfect workhorse that would get the job done at a really low cost and ask for literally nothing in return. Our last Splendor long termer was the Splendor Pro Classic, the Café Racer, a proper attention seeker while this Splendor, the iSmart 110 was a smart solution for daily needs and yet less of a looker which could get along with current generation motorcycles. This long termer was probably the most practical and most powerful Splendor with updated tech from the Hero Splendor line-up.
Sleek overall design while it’s the tiny tank that looks bulky
What’s Cool
* A complete city bike, handles traffic like a gem
* Seat is soft and comfortable while the ride quality is the best
* The engine is powerful and the overall efficiency is great thanks to the iSmart system
What’s Not So Cool
* Drum brakes feel spongy, front disc is missed
* 4-speed gearbox feels less for the capability of the engine
Not much glamour but the Hero Splendor iSmart is surely a poser
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