An average bike. Review on Hero Honda Splendor Plus

Will people ever change? There are some things which never change in India. One example is the Hero Honda Splendor. Even now if there are loads of new much better bikes in its segment, the Splendor breaks records on the sales chart every time. There are three reasons for this. First, the Splendor has the reliable engine of the CD 100. Second, fuel economy. And finally, it has a proven track record. Some bikes like the Centra are better than it. So should you buy an ageing bike just for reliablity or should you go on and buy a fresher and much more capable bike(which may be as reliable)?

The splendor definitely looks old. Even after it was freshened up and renamed 'Splendor Plus' sometime back. The headlamp is a multi reflector rectangular one. Its fairing is very basic compared to bikes like Centra, Passion plus and Victor. It is just okay. The side view is much better than the drab formal sides of the old Splendor. It is now fresh and lively. But still behind the Centra. The tail lamp is a new unit and it is better than the old one. The dials are quite nice. The quality is good, and so it is reliable. On the whole it is a very conservative bike with no aggressive lines. It is just okay for the normal citizen who just wants something presentable.

The Splendor is powered by a 97.5 cc engine that did duty on the CD 100. This engine is one of the only reasons why the Splendor sold like hot cakes. Also, HH took advantage of this and built a new bike called the Passion using this engine. The power output is an average 7.5 bhp. This is a commuter bike and performance is not the main criteria. But even if it is not determining, it is quite important. The Splendor has sufficient power and it is not very exciting. Just normal to ride. Suitable for a normal person. The engine is quite refined and vibrations come only a little later. It hits 60 km/h in 7 seconds. At around 75 km/h, vibrations start to creep in. The top speed it manages is 85 km/h. The performance is not exciting, but an average person who goes to work and comes back home, will find this bike perfect.

The Splendor's seat is quite comfortable. The ride comfort is okay. At almost all speeds, ride quality is good (just good, nothing very special). But at speeds above 60 km/h, it starts to become a little uncomfortable(anyway, how often are you going to touch 60 km/h in a city?). The handling is good enough. For normal city driving which involves a lot of twisting and cutting, the Splendor feels very good. So again, it is just okay, with no distinct advantage.

The fuel efficiency is the main factor in this segment. The Splendor is efficient in fuel consumption and that is one of the reasons why it sells well. In stop-go conditions in the city, it returns 60 km/l. On the highway it manages a max of 71 km/l. The ovarall average is close to 65 km/l. These figures are not the best of their kind, but are nevertheless very good.

So what is that secret formula of HH? Very simple. If you look at all the aspects, you will find that it boils down to what the average citizen requires. Presentable looks, sufficient performance, comfortable ride, a good average, good service and reliability. The Splendor has it all. But it is not an excellent bike. It is just average. And that is enough for normal Indians. The missing link in other bikes is that they are not as reliable. So the Splendor ends up stealing all the sales. Unfortunately, that is the way of Indians.

LOOKS-7.5/10

QUALITY-9/10

FIT AND FINISH-8.5/10

ERGONOMICS-8.5/10

ENGINE-8.5/10

PERFORMANCE-8/10

RIDE-8.5/10

HANDLING-8.5/10

FUEL EFFICIENCY-9/10

VALUE FOR MONEY-9/10

GRAND TOTAL- 85/100

Please give me your opinion on this bike and this review.