Hero Xtreme 160R 4V Long Term Test: Introduction

The Hero Xtreme 160R 4V is one of those motorcycles that could be called a commuter’s delight. Its been a while since the model was launched and we did do a real-world review of the motorcycle last year. But now, since I have the motorcycle with me in our long-term fleet for a few months, the plan is to assess how the motorcycle is to live with. Now, I have already ridden the bike for a bit and put a few hundred kilometres on the odometer, here are the initial impressions.

Also Read: Hero Xtreme 160R 4V Real-World Review

The motorcycle is good-looking, and the sporty design manages to grab eyeballs on the road, particularly in the ‘Shooting Night Star’ colour scheme that our bike has. Hero sent us the top-spec Xtreme 160R 4V Premium model, which is currently priced at Rs. 1.36 lakh (ex-showroom). 

Now the bike has a seat height of 795 mm which means I can plant both my feet on the ground easily, and that is confidence inspiring, particularly in gnarly Mumbai traffic. The split seat is comfy for long commutes; however, I am yet to take the bike on a long ride. I will probably plan one soon, with my wife, so that in the next long-term report, I can update all of you on the pillion comfort as well. I feel that the handlebar could have been a bit wider and closer to the rider, that would have made commuting even easier. 

The bike handles decently but I found the ride quality to be a little stiff. I may tinker with the monoshock adjustment for a plusher ride. Stability at high speeds is good but the grip from tyres could have been better, particularly under hard braking. Speaking of brakes, I would have preferred a stronger bite from the dual-disc setup. 

In the few days that I have had the Xtreme 160R 4V, I managed to get an efficiency of 40.89 kmpl, which is far off from the claimed figure of 55 kmpl. My riding so far has been limited to daily commutes and short highway runs. 

The gearbox also tends to miss sometimes when I try to shift from 4^th to 5^th gear and goes to neutral. This is particularly scary when one needs to overtake. I am not sure if its technical problem or the position of gear lever which could have been 10 degrees down so the upshifts could be smoother. I will try that and let you know if it makes a difference to the riding experience. 

Stay tuned for more updates on the Hero Xtreme 160R 4V in our next report. 

Photography: Pawan Dagia