Hero Xtreme 160R vs Honda X-Blade 160
With the arrival of the new Hero Xtreme 160R, the 150-200cc motorcycle segment seems to be lighting up with interesting options. Today we compare the numbers of two very promising motorcycles in this segment – Hero Xtreme 160R and Honda X-Blade 160. Sneak peak: The X in their names isn’t the only similarity between the two.
Hero Xtreme 160R vs Honda X-Blade 160 Design
The Hero Xtreme 160 and the Honda X-Blade 160 both look modern, and yet very different. The Xtreme on one hand, looks futuristic and is a completely new design by Hero. Hero has redesigned the whole motorcycle, and they have done an excellent job. The Xtreme gets LED headlamps and tail lights. While the rear end looks poised and polite, the front end, thanks to the headlight, looks as if the motorcycle is angry at you for not getting it serviced on time. We like the overall design of the 160R because it’s pretty fresh and looks complete.
On the other hand, the Honda X-Blade BS6 looks exactly like the BS4 variant. Don’t get us wrong, the X-Blade does look very stylish and radical but the proportions of the front and rear end just don’t seem to merge well together. We blame the big front headlight (also full LED) and the visor for this. Overall, while we love the sharp styling on the X-Blade, we’d give the points to the Hero Xtreme 160R for having a newer design and being more proportional throughout. The 160R is wider but the X-Blade is longer and taller.
Hero Xtreme 160R vs Honda X-Blade 160 Features
Both, the Hero Xtreme 160R and the Honda X-Blade 160, are feature rich motorcycles. The Xtreme 160R gets a fully digital speedometer which shows all necessary information like speed, tachometer, trip meter, odometer, real-time fuel-efficiency, etc. In addition to these, the Xtreme gets a side-stand engine cut-off too. Coming to the Honda, the X-Blade also features a fully digital instrument cluster just like the one on its BS4 variant. While it shows almost all information similar to the Xtreme, it misses out on the side-stand indicator. On the flip-side, the X-Blade gets a service-reminder function which the Xtreme 160R misses out on. Both come with a single-channel ABS setup, though.
Hero Xtreme 160R vs Honda X-Blade 160 Performance
The Hero Xtreme 160R gets a 163cc motor that makes 15 BHP at 8500 RPM and 14 Nm of torque at 6500 RPM. The specs are very similar to the Honda X-Blade which gets a 162.7cc mill that makes 14 BHP at 8000 RPM and 15 Nm of torque at 5500 RPM. Both motorcycles have air-cooling, a 5-speed gearbox, SOHC and a tubular diamond chassis. Coming to braking, both motorcycles have exactly the same disc sizes and both come with a rear-disc option. But, the Xtreme 160R edges over the X-Blade 160 in the handling department.
Hero Xtreme 160R vs Honda X-Blade 160 Handling
The Hero Xtreme 160R gets bigger 37 MM telescopic forks than the conventional ones on the X-Blade and unlike the X-Blade, the rear mono-shock on the Xtreme gets 7-step adjustability. The thicker front tire (100/80/17) on the Xtreme as compared to the 80/100/17 on the X-Blade, will also play in favour of the Xtreme. Other than this, the Xtreme also gets better alloys than the X-Blade.
Hero Xtreme 160R vs Honda X-Blade 160 Ergonomics
Both motorcycles come in the commuter segment and will most likely be ridden in the city. So what’s different? The little things. The Honda X-Blade 160 has a comfortable posture which is apt for city duties. While the same can be said for the Hero Xtreme 160R, it is a little sportier and more agile than the Honda. Why? Because the Hero is almost 5 kgs lighter. This is not the only place where the Xtreme gets plus points over the X-Blade, though. The Xtreme also has more ground clearance and less ride-height, which makes it more suitable for shorter riders. Coming to the seat, both get single seats but the Xtreme’s rear seat is raised quite high, while the X-Blade gets a pretty average one.
Hero Xtreme 160R vs Honda X-Blade 160 Verdict
The Hero Xtreme 160R costs Rs. 1,25,785/- and the Honda X-Blade 160 retails at Rs. 1,36,101/- (on-road Mumbai). The price difference comes to around Rs. 11,000/- between the two, which makes all this comparison one-sided. The X-Blade is a very promising motorcycle but is it worth the premium? Not really. With almost everything similar or better than the X-Blade and being the cheaper one, we’d put our money on the Hero Xtreme 160R.
We would definitely like to mention that the Hero Xtreme 160R is so much more like the Honda Hornet 160R. Even the names match but the Hornet is yet to be showcased with a BS6 update and the closest competition from Honda is the X-Blade.
