Hero Xtreme 125R long-term report

Motorcycle buyers today are spoilt for choice when it comes to choosing the perfect commuter. There’s something for everyone but for those seeking a dynamic 125cc commuter that does everything with good poise, do yourself a favour and put your money on the Hero Xtreme 125R.

After using it for six months and covering over 2,400km, the blend of performance, comfort and agility this bike offers has left us impressed. But there are a few things that bugged us, the biggest of which is the braking performance. This is probably its Achilles’ heel. The brakes lack bite, especially the front, which shows noticeable fade after heavy use. The build quality is also nothing to write home about. While there aren’t any creaks from the body panels and they feel fairly solid, the bike has a lot of unconcealed screws scattered about. There’s already some rust on the handlebar, not something you’d expect from an almost brand-new bike. The pointy rear grab rails are shin-breakers and the angular mirrors don’t offer a great view of what’s behind either.

But one tends to quickly forget all this after getting behind the ’bar, thanks to that sweet 124.7cc mill. It’s a gem, smooth and fairly quiet in the city, but a truly enjoyable engine for some spirited riding. Yes, it could do with a little more low-end grunt, but it has a strong top-end and just loves to be revved hard. Where it feels stressed though is at cruising speeds, because at 80kmph it’s almost hitting 7000rpm, transferring noticeable vibrations to the footpegs. For a ‘sporty’ commuter, the Xtreme also rides incredibly well. Over bad patches, it behaves like a much bigger bike and irons out rough roads and potholes very effectively.

Lastly, a full tank can easily last for over 500km when ridden sedately. In the city, at a normal pace, it delivers over 50kmpl, but that engine begs to be ridden hard, and as a result, the fuel efficiency drops to about 40kmpl which is still pretty respectable. All-in-all, the Xtreme is an extremely fun bike to ride daily in the city. It’s light, flickable and we love the way it looks. There are a few rough edges that need polishing, but even so, this bike offers a lot for the price it demands.