Hero Splendor Pro Classic Long Term Review
Long Term Test No. 81
Bike Tested: Hero Splendor Pro Classic
Kms Done: 1993 kms
Test Started at: 2089 kms
Test Concluded at: 4082 kms
Mileage: 48.5 km/l (Combined), 46 km/l (City), 53 km/l (Highway)
Liters: 41.09 liters
Fuel Cost: Rs. 2670/-
Rs. per km: Rs. 1.34/-
Easy on the pocket and total retro styling makes the Splendor Pro Classic very appealing
Café Racers are the type of motorcycles which are light-weight and slightly more powerful with a focus on speed and handling rather than comfort. On the contrary, the Hero Splendor Pro Classic excels in comfort and efficiency. Hero MotoCorp brought both the equations together and made the Splendor Pro Classic with Café Racer inspired ergonomics on a cheap on pocket motorcycle. We had the bike for a good time and did about 2000 kms in our stint with it. Here’s our take on the most affordable Café Racer.
Retro design with a single seat, beautiful
The Splendor Pro Classic is a totally reworked Hero Splendor in terms of styling. The design is very much similar to the old Splendor with a huge round headlamp. Now this kind of a headlamp gives it a retro feel and the look goes around like a nice oldie. The Café Racer has a signature of having round headlamps and this exactly suits with the Splendor Pro Classic. The headlamp is pretty bright and give a good road coverage. Mounted onto just two screws, the headlamp is easily adjustable. Above this comes a pair of circular modules containing the instrument cluster which has a chrome cover for a premium look. Simple and clean with proper details, the instrument cluster looks nice.
Nothing extra, a simple console does the job here on this Hero
As we were talking about the signature styling of a Café Racer, the Hero Splendor Pro Classic does get a lot of bits for it. Something like a clip-on handlebar. Yes, it’s a handlebar! A single piece handlebar designed and placed in such a way to fit in like a pair of clip-ons. The curvy and thin tank fills in just about 11-litres of fuel and has a pin stripe design on it. A solo seat for the rider with a cowl cover behind gives the Splendor Pro Classic the Café Racer aesthetics. To keep the look classy all the way, there are no alloys but spoked 18-inch wheels and metal mudguard for both the front and rear. A straight out exhaust with a huge chrome cover and on the other side a chain cover rob away the Café Racer feel and bring us back to the normal Splendor look over here.
A very tiny motorcycle made specifically for city riding
Talking about ergos which isn’t much comfortable for a Café Racer, the Splendor Pro Classic manages it well with the softer seat and front set footpegs. Yes, the front set footpegs are totally opposite to the Café Racer signature but they are there to stick to the normal Splendor underpinnings and it feels a bit weird. The bike is very small considering the design and hence it does sit a lot low. Even a short heighted rider wouldn’t find it difficult at all. The clip-ons which is actually a handlebar is placed low and make you lean forward. This seating position will surely make you lose weight because you are almost performing some kind of yoga pushing your stomach in nicely.
Punchy low-end but lacks performance once past mid-range
The Pro Classic is lighter and slightly quicker than the regular Splendor
The 97.2cc mill on the Splendor Pro Classic is the same as on the normal Splendor just that this one makes a tad bit more power and the bike weighs a bit lesser. The 8.36 BHP of power doesn’t look much for a bike but this power is enough for a motorcycle weighing just 109 kgs. The tad bit more power gives a tiny punch while pulling out on the road but there’s no power in the top-end. Initial acceleration is great and going off a traffic signal is quick. Though there’s a thing that one would need to shift to second gear the moment the bike moves. The first gear is very short while all the other gears are pretty tall. Moving between second and third gear is best to ride in the city.
The Splendor Pro Classic does grab some attention
Hero Splendor Pro Classic Cost Of Service
* Service cost – Rs. 300/-
* Engine oil – Rs. 250/-
* Consumables – Rs. 50/-
Considering the amount of engineering being put up on this 97.2cc motorcycle which is the least, the NVH and ride-ability are quite a bit of concern. The engine isn’t very smooth and ride quality isn’t the best either. There are vibes all over once post 60 km/hr and boy, you need to take care if you are going fast. It’s light, very light. Though there’s a fun part, ride it slowly and stick below 60 km/hr, anyone passing by at a good speed will shake you away. That said, the riding position is also a bit weird, leaning forward to the handlebar which are designed as clip-ons and otherwise not having rear-set footpegs but instead front-set footpegs which help you do a good stomach ab exercise. Just a single seat which is soft and the shock absorbers which try to absorb the bumps but pass it all to the rider, this is to be ridden to just get some budgeted attention.
Totally weird riding posture yet the seat is comfortable and soft
To sum it all up, the Hero Splendor Pro Classic is a good but not much appealing bike from Hero MotoCorp. With all the classical traits on the top half while keeping the traditional Splendor traits on the lower half, this one seems like a quick done up work. As a long termer motorcycle, the Splendor did have its good times but to have a memory of it, this one would need some out of the box appeal. Hero MotoCorp did fancy a retro looking motorcycle but only if such a design would have been put up on a more powerful mill, the appeal would have been much better. And again as it comes under a budget and has that unique style which no other competitor has, the Pro Classic is visible on the roads quite a few times.
Thin tyres, unique design and an appeal which everyone can afford but a few would opt for. The Hero Splendor Pro Classic is a motorcycle very different from its competition yet competes well considering the appeal within a budget equation.
The Hero Splendor Pro Classic is made just to strike a pose
What’s Cool
* Seat is soft and comfortable
* Design and style appeals a lot with some attention
What’s Not So Cool
* Ride quality is just average while riding posture isn’t comforting
* Brakes are spongy and feedback is very less
Another Hero motorcycle targeted to a budget seeking audience
Picture Editing – Sri Manikanta Achanta
Further Reading –
Hero Splendor Pro Classic Review
Hero Splendor Pro Classic Long Term Review – Initial Report