For decades, the Splendor has stood for trust, thrift, and trouble-free ownership. The Hero New Model Splendor wants to preserve that DNA while moving the goalposts on performance and efficiency. The brand’s brief is clear and ambitious. Deliver a commuter that can stretch a litre further on weekday runs, feel calmer at 70–80 km/h on the ring road, and still wake up a little wild on open stretches.
The promise sounds audacious on paper. A claimed 90 km per litre and a 160 km/h top speed do not usually belong in the same sentence, especially at a low price. Yet this is where India’s most recognisable badge is trying to surprise loyalists and tempt fence-sitters. If you grew up around a Splendor and still whisper the words Hero Splendor Pro with affection, this update is meant to press those same buttons with a more modern touch.
Design
The first look feels comfortingly Splendor, not cosplay. The silhouette stays clean, with a fuel tank that sits low and tidy panels that do not try too hard. What changes is the finesse. The headlamp now carries an all-LED signature that is bright without being harsh. The indicators get crisp optics, and the tail-lamp is sleeker, drawing a fine line rather than a blob of red.
The side panels tuck tighter, shaving visual bulk and helping airflow. The paint palette is classic commuter from a distance and a little premium up close, with metallic flakes that pop under sun. It is the sort of thoughtful design that respects the office parking lot and still makes you smile when you wipe dust off the tank on a Sunday. Old fans who still remember their first Hero Splendor Pro will recognise the stance while appreciating the cleaner surfacing.
Ergonomics Built Around Indian Roads And Indian Backs
Step over the saddle and you notice the small wins. The seat foam is denser and spreads weight more evenly. The handlebar is a touch wider for better leverage in traffic. The footpegs sit where your legs want them, not where the brochure insisted they belong.
That triangle between bar, seat, and pegs becomes a natural posture for mixed days. Twenty minutes of stop-and-go, ten minutes of mild highway, and a creeped-along market lane later, you are not thinking about your knees. Riders who grew up with a Hero Splendor Pro will feel instantly at home, but taller owners also get that extra centimetre of room missing on older bikes.
Instrument Cluster And Everyday Tech That Actually Helps
The cluster replaces clutter with clarity. A calm LCD shows speed, gear position, instant and average mileage, distance-to-empty, and service reminders. The Bluetooth basics are there for call and SMS alerts without trying to be a smartphone. A USB-C slot under the bars tops up your device.
The little quality of life bits continue with a side-stand engine cut-off and an auto-off indicator logic that does not leave you blinking for kilometres. The switchgear clicks with a reassuring feel, moisture protection is improved, and the mirrors remain Splendor-honest in the way they show you what you need to see without jitter.
Engine And Performance
The heart is an updated fuel-injected, air-cooled single, that familiar Splendor layout now mapped with two riding characters. Eco mode pulls the levers that matter for fuel saving. Throttle response is gentler, ignition timing leans conservative, and the gearbox asks you to upshift early. Ride this way and the claimed 90 km/l becomes an honest aspiration on flat commutes with light wrists and sensible speeds. Flick to performance mode and the mapping wakes up.
The mid-range grows a second wind, the throttle feels tighter, and the motor holds gears with more confidence. The headline 160 km/h figure is a claim born of favourable conditions and a tucked rider, yet even if you spend your life far below three digits, the easier overtakes and calmer cruise at 70–80 km/h are where the update changes your day. People who loved the Hero Splendor Pro for its fuss-free nature will appreciate that the new tune adds feel without adding drama.
Gearbox And Gearing
A five-speed box joins the party with a taller top gear that is genuinely useful. In the city, the ratios are tight enough that you are not hunting for torque every block. On a bypass or expressway fringe, that top cog settles revs, saving fuel and scrubbing buzz.
The shift feel is cleaner than old units, and false neutrals stay out of the highlight reel. Clutch effort is light enough for marathon clutch work in the evening crawl, which is where commuters live half their lives anyway. Riders coming from an older Hero Splendor Pro will find the step-up natural rather than jarring.
Ride And Handling
Suspension sets the tone on a commuter, and this one is tuned for real life. The telescopic fork has firmer initial control, so the nose does not dive comically under braking. The rear shocks, adjustable across five steps, soak up the broken bits that define our back lanes. Mid-corner stability benefits from a lighter, stiffer wheel design and a tyre compound that reduces rolling losses without feeling like plastic. The chassis encourages tidy lines around buses and predictable brakes into roundabouts.
This is not a track toy and does not pretend to be one. But it is a calm city tool that feels stable when a crosswind nudges you on a flyover and surefooted when the monsoon paints marble across manhole covers. If the phrase Hero Splendor Pro sits in your memory as shorthand for stability, this update tries to re-earn that compliment.
Braking Confidence
A front disc anchors the system with a steel-braided hose on higher trims for more consistent feel in heat or rain. The rear can be drum for purists or disc for those who prefer firmer bite. Combined braking is standard so that hard grabs on the lever do not translate into rear-wheel theatre. The tuning philosophy stays simple. Give owners a lever feel they can trust every morning and keep maintenance straight. Pads last well, spares are easy, and the bite builds progressively, which matters more than one-time magazine numbers.
Lighting, Tyres And Efficiency Tricks
All-LED lighting does the double duty of visibility and efficiency. The headlamp spread is wider than old halogens and adds a clean cut-off to avoid blinding oncoming traffic. The tyres carry a low-rolling-resistance compound that finds that friendly middle. You get easier coasting and nudge-light take-offs without the slippery feel at paint lines.
The chain gains better seals and longer lube intervals, shaving maintenance minutes and grams of drag. The net effect is not some marketing miracle. It is a hundred little nudges that make the bike easier to ride and cheaper to run. The essence of any machine that once wore a Hero Splendor Pro badge is this kind of slow, sensible optimization.
Fuel Economy
The claimed 90 km/l headline arrives with caveats like every test figure. What riders will notice is the consistency. Eco mode shepherds new riders into smoother throttle habits. The live economy bar makes you playful about easing off earlier.
Tall gearing means you are not buzzing the motor on short hops. Put it together and the Splendor earns back rupees in quiet, daily ways. For households where the two-wheeler is the default commute and errand-runner, that matters more than what happens above 120 km/h.
The Price Play
“Low price” is not a race to the bottom here. The strategy is to stay inside reach for first-time buyers and upgrade-minded owners of older commuters, while adding a perceived premium through features you can feel. The LED lighting, the clean cluster, the disc option, and the comfort saddle do that job, while Hero’s scale keeps the service and spares story friendly. In towns where a Hero Splendor Pro still roams every lane, the dealership network remains a familiar face, and that reassurance often seals the deal more than any spec sheet.
Life With The New Splendor
The commute becomes a sequence of small satisfactions. The first thumb-start on a lazy Monday, the way the engine settles into an even idle, the roll-on in second that threads you past a delivery van, the light clutch in a kilometre-long jam, the LED headlamp that throws a measured pool at 10 pm on a wet road, the USB-C that saves your phone at 12 percent, the fuel gauge that does not wobble like a drunk. By Friday you have spent less money at the pump and fewer moments cursing at traffic.
That is what commuter greatness looks like in 2025. It is not noise. It is the removal of noise. It is the updated spirit of a Hero Splendor Pro for people who ride because that is how life keeps moving.
Rivals, Alternatives
There are rivals that shout with larger displacement and flashier decals. Some will beat the Splendor in a sprint or add gadgetry for showroom drama. But the blend here is different. It is the feeling that the bike was tuned by people who commute, not just race. It is the service map that means your village, town, or city has a familiar gate to roll into. It is the trust earned by machines that ran morning after morning, year after year. That is what the badge buys, and why a Hero Splendor Pro from memory can be a bridge to this new machine.
Ownership
Insurance quotes stay friendly because parts are shared and priced sensibly. Service intervals are spaced to match real usage rather than revenue targets. The valve check is easier, the air filter is accessible, and the chain care is cleaner. The result is a commuter that consumes less money and fewer weekend hours. If you are switching from an older carb’d bike, fuel injection eliminates the choke ritual and cold-start tantrums. If you are moving up from a scooter, the stability and range will feel liberating on longer days.
Who Should Buy
If your calendar is full of everyday miles and your wallet prefers predictability, this is your lane. Students who shuttle between classes and internships, delivery pros who need thrift without pain, office riders who split lives between metro and bike, and families who want a front-gate-to-market companion that just works will all find their reasons here. If nostalgia for a Hero Splendor Pro sits in your chest, this is that story retold with brighter lights, calmer gears, and a cluster that speaks your language.
Verdict
The Hero New Model Splendor does not sell a fairytale. It sells the humble idea that your daily ride can be cheaper, calmer, and a little more fun. The big numbers grab attention, but the small decisions keep it. A friendlier seat. A clearer speedo.
A tighter throttle map. A safer brake. A steadier light on a wet street. The Splendor script continues, and for a country that moves on two wheels, that is good news. This is the commuter that remembers what you need Monday to Friday and still winks on Saturday. If that sounds like your kind of machine, swing a leg over and take the long way home.
FAQs
What real-world mileage can riders expect
The claimed figure is up to 90 km/l under ideal conditions. In mixed city use with Eco mode and smooth throttle, many riders should see consistently high numbers that keep fuel bills low.
Can the bike really reach 160 km/h
The stated top speed is a manufacturer claim under favourable conditions. The meaningful takeaway for daily riders is improved mid-range and more relaxed cruising, which makes quick overtakes and highway hops easier.
How does it compare to an older Hero Splendor Pro
It preserves the simplicity and thrift of a Hero Splendor Pro while adding a cleaner cluster, brighter LEDs, a more useful fifth gear, stronger brakes, and smarter fuel mapping for both efficiency and punch.
Is maintenance more complicated because of fuel injection
No. Fuel injection reduces cold-start issues and helps with consistent mileage. Service schedules remain simple and the dealer network is widespread, keeping ownership predictable.
What about long-ride comfort
The seat foam, bar position, and adjustable rear shocks make a noticeable difference. Daily commutes are easier on the back and shoulders, and short highway runs feel calmer thanks to taller gearing.
Does it support tubeless tyres and quick roadside fixes
Yes. Tubeless tyres are standard, which makes puncture fixes faster and safer. The 18-inch size balances agility with stability on broken surfaces.
Are there safety aids beyond CBS
Combined Braking is standard, with a front disc and optional rear disc. Higher trims add a steel-braided front line for consistent lever feel and hazard lights for quick signalling.
Is the pricing actually “low” at launch
The positioning is deliberately aggressive to keep it accessible for first-time buyers and upgraders. Running costs and spares pricing are structured to stay friendly over years of use.
Will it feel too different if I learned on an older Splendor
Not at all. The core balance is familiar. You will notice better lighting, a calmer engine at cruise, a fifth cog for relaxed riding, and a more informative console, but the Splendor ease remains.
Why choose this over a scooter for the same budget
Range per tank, stability at speed, and rough-road resilience tilt the scales for many riders. If your days include longer stretches and mixed surfaces, the Splendor format still makes practical sense.