Hero Moto corp. is one of the largest two wheeler manufacturer in India. They provide their motorcycles not only in their own country but also in Bangladesh. At the commuter segment many of their popular bikes are running at the country roads of ours. A few years back one of their 100cc commuters was launched named Hero Splendor iSmart 100. Good response of that bike was heard in India and for that reason they recently launched the upgraded version of this bike with 110cc engine and stylish graphics.
So let’s check out the new features of Hero Splendor iSmart110 and their expected performance bellow the lines.
Design and dimension
Design of ismart-100 and ismart-110 are similar in pattern but the graphics and dimensions are advanced at the 110cc model. The new Splendor has a clearly longer seat that measures 35 mm longer than the iSmart 100’s. This will undoubtedly enable a lesser painful experience while riding for a long time and the rider and the pillion will have more space to move forward and back. The overlapping combination of the seat with the fuel tank is cleverly finished as it put in a style-factor to the entire bike and a sporty feel. Fuel tanker is much curved and bigger than ismart 100 and the new color combination gives the entire bike an amazing outlook as a commuter. Talking about the body dimension new model contains new and larger dimension than before. It has 2055 mm length, 770 mm width and 1055 mm height. Both the ground clearance and wheelbase is improved. Now the ground clearance of this bike is 165 mm and the wheelbase is 1265 mm. Fuel tank capacity is reduced a little bit and now it can hold 8.5 liters.
Ride and handling
Handling and riding experience remains similar and responsive as before but the enjoyment at iSmart 110 is better. Tyres and brakes are very helpful at the corners of the roads. Surprising grip will be offered by the tyres as 110 cc commuter motorcycle. Because of the seating position this bike offers great comfort, straight and nice long seat for the rider and pillion. Because of fantastic ground clearance and wheelbase this bike can run smoothly even at the zigzag and off roads. Same goes with the chassis, it also offer enhanced quickness and comfortable ride. Sharper response from the bike is expected at both rural and urban roads. The company says this bike has a much better take in ability between the chassis, suspension and tyres that this bike offers improved front-rear balance to enhance handling and reduce the chances of jerk under extreme circumstances.
Engine
Let’s come directly to the new 109.51cc engine of this bike. It’s a simple engine with carburetor, two valves, and single cylinder and there is nothing out of the ordinary. But Hero raised compression ratio to 10:1 where the past iSmart 100 is 9.9:1. And it’s done to extract more performance as well as fuel economy. Max power is now 9.30 BHP at 7,500rpm and engine torque is 9Nm at 5,500rm. Acceleration is effortless until the bike crosses 70KM/H. This engine contains an easy-shifting four-speed gearbox and a light clutch. The engine is placed in a new double support frame where the cylinders are placed much straighter. Hero says the straight up direction of the cylinder create numerous benefits. Firstly the cylinder gives more surface area to the incoming air so cooling is more effective than it was before. Next, the upright cylinder has allowed the manufacturers to lower the centre of gravity as also shorten the wheelbase. The only loss is the storage box/ tool box under the tank which is replaced.
Mileage and speed
Hero claims the top speed of this bike is at least 87kmph and 0-60kmph should take 7.45s. After the arrival of this bike based on the opinion of users top speed of this bike is near about 90 KM/H +. Fuel economy is also advanced, says Hero, and they say 65kmpl will be the lowest mileage of this bike. In the real world this bike actually gives 70-75 KM/L mileage. That’s good numbers overall.
Brakes and suspension
Brakes and suspension are the safety parts of a bike and iSmart 110 contains the same suspension and brakes as before. Engine power is enhanced so the brakes, tyres and suspension can be replaced with better ones but Hero didn’t do that. At the brakes it has both side Drum brakes which can be replaced with one side Disc brakes. Suspensions are also the telescopic hydraulic suspension at the front and Swing arm with Adjustable hydraulic Shock absorber at the rear side. Both side alloy rims are also there as the previous model.
Electrical
Electrical side also remains almost the same as iSmart-100. This bike also holds MF4 3Ah Battery, HS1 Bulb (35W/35W) Head lamp and P21/5 Bulb (5W/21W) lamp. At the instrument console analogue part is replaced with digital meter cluster. , digital trip meter and odo meter has been replaced with service due indicator. A digital clock would have been a great value addition but is not provided. Latest Headlamp technology AHO (Automatic Headlamp On) system is new added feature and LED turn lamps and pass light remains the same.
Latest added features
There are two latest insert which are found at this new model of Hero. And they are AHO (Automatic Headlamp On) system and the other one is Hero i3S system. With the AHO system the headlamp will not be turned off , during low-light conditions or at night, it can be really helpful and rider don’t need to put the light on them self but it will stay on whenever the engine is running. There are no On/Off switches for headlamp.
On the other side Hero i3S is made for automatic start and stop sensor on manual transmission when the bikes engine needs to be stopped. This system is useful but cannot offer the same aware simplicity of a start-stop on an automatic transmission. The problem rider are having is, they have to select neutral position of the gear to get the system started. To avoid this problem, Hero uses a 5s delay before the engine cuts out. And then when you pull the clutch in, the engine starts immediately and you can ride. The system works well enough and should produce economy benefits when used regularly.
Final words
At the end of the discussion it can be said that Hero Moto corp. changed the appeal of Splendor iSmart 110 from classy to catchy than the previous 100cc model. Not only the engine power but also the entire graphics and configurations are changed and upgraded.