While Hero’s new Xoom scooter did impress us throughout our brief first experience in Delhi, we didn’t get an opportunity to expertise what it was like in the actual world. We’ve now ridden the sporty scooter for just a few hundred kilometres over every week and right here’s what it’s wish to stay with.

The very first thing I seen after thumbing the starter button was that this explicit mannequin doesn’t really feel as refined because the one on our first experience. You can really feel gentle vibrations on the handlebar and the floorboard at idle, which solely improve beneath heavy acceleration. It does subside as you decide up the tempo or speed up slowly, however it’s nonetheless fairly evident, a lot in order that the flyscreen has began rattling and that’s irritating whereas driving. It’s price noting that our check unit had a service pending, so hopefully it should smoothen out a bit as soon as that’s accomplished.

Apron cubbies maintain 1-litre bottles.

Thankfully, what’s pretty much as good, if not higher, than what we skilled on the primary experience was the general consolation. The seat is nicely padded and it isn’t painful even after lengthy hours on the saddle. The ergonomics are comfortable as nicely, however very like on the primary experience, I discovered the handlebar fouling with my knees when making lock-to-lock turns in visitors (I’m 5’11”). But other than this small subject for tall riders, it feels nimble on the transfer and filtering via visitors is a breeze.

What aids consolation additional is the absorbent experience. While it did really feel good on Delhi-NCR’s clean roads, the actual acid check was all the time going to be Mumbai’s bumpy streets. And I’m joyful to report that it offers with most bumps with ease and the 12-inch rear wheel helps stability too. We additionally had a pillion on board briefly and so they discovered the rear seat of the Xoom to be snug and spacious. Only taller pillion riders will discover the foot pegs to be a bit too excessive.

Bluetooth provides name alerts and extra.

The Xoom additionally scores excessive on the practicality entrance. Apart from a half-face helmet, you may as well comfortably match a small backpack within the under-seat storage. The solely gripe right here is that it doesn’t get a mixture lock, so it’s a must to take the important thing out to open the boot and refuel, and it is a comfort it actually should have. There’s additionally two giant cubbies within the entrance apron, which might accommodate one-litre bottles, with a USB port positioned between them. However, it will have been higher if the port was beneath the seat or not less than one a part of the apron cubbies was lockable to offer safety from the weather and potential theft whereas your telephone is charging. The Xoom additionally packs in a hook to maintain grocery luggage safe on the transfer.

Spending extra time with the scooter additionally enabled us to place it via our rigorous testing course of for efficiency and gas effectivity. Hero claims a 0-60kph time of 9.35s, which it says is the quickest within the section. However, we managed to higher Hero’s declare as we had been in a position to clock a 0-60kph time of 8.75s. The Xoom feels brisk up so far, however after this, acceleration begins to path off – it takes 19.77s to go from 0 to 80kph. It’s fast when it comes to roll-on acceleration too, taking 4.41s to do 20-50kph and 11.87s to do 30-70kph, each of that are faster than the higher-capacity, however a lot heavier Aprilia SXR 125.

USB port is positioned awkwardly.

When it involves gas effectivity, we managed to get 55.78kpl within the metropolis and 58.33kpl out on the freeway, which is suitable for a 110cc scooter with sporty aspirations. Hero’s i3s begin/cease system works decently in visitors, however it does take a superb few seconds to show off the scooter and, every now and then, it took 3-4 cranks earlier than the scooter lastly began up.

We additionally skilled the Xoom’s options in additional depth, particularly the cornering lights and the Bluetooth connectivity. The latter makes use of a Hero app to connect with the scooter, which then shows name alerts, telephone battery proportion and community vary. The cornering lights additionally did a superb job of lighting up the perimeters of the highway whereas making turns, however on the entire, it’s not a function that may make or break a purchaser’s determination. Most streets in city areas are nicely lit and the principle headlamp is highly effective sufficient as is.

To summarise, the Hero Xoom appears like an interesting bundle that’s suited to life within the metropolis. For what it lacks in refinement and a few comfort options, it makes up for with sufficient efficiency, gas effectivity and practicality in a striking-looking bundle.

Also see:

Hero Xoom video assessment