2023 Hero Xtreme 160R 4V first ride review | Sharper, faster and now with four valves

2023 promises to be an exciting year for Hero MotoCorp. In a recent business conference, the company announced that they will be launching a new product every quarter and that 2023 will see the most premium bikes come from India’s largest motorcycle manufacturer. A week after the announcement we have this — the Hero Xtreme 160R 4V. For 2023, the bike gets some significant upgrades including a four-valve cylinder head, upside down KYB forks on the Pro variant (more on the variants further in the story) and radical styling. With the four-valve Xtreme 160R, Hero claims that the bike is now the fastest in the class as far as 0-60kmph and 0-100kmph times are concerned. Bold claims, something which we look forward to testing in the near future, but for now, let’s see what this new Xtreme 160R 4V is like to ride.

Hero Xtreme 160R 4V design

On the design front it’s a bit of a same-same-but-different affair. The silhouette of the bike is almost identical to that of the 2V Xtreme. That, in my opinion, is a good thing because the Xtreme 160R was always a rather handsome motorcycle. What Hero MotoCorp has done, however, is make the bike look a little sharper and more butch. Look closer and you see that the headlight has been lowered slightly and has some extra cladding on the sides. This design inspiration, according to Hero, comes from a bull which is exactly why the fuel tank has a new panel as well with a raised portion right around the fuel filler cap. Other additions include the body panels around the belly of the motorcycle which now bear 4V lettering. There’s also a new split seat design which gets a panel under the pillion seat that is colour matched to the second tone of the new range of tone variants. You could also opt for the single piece seat if that’s what you like.

Speaking of, the Pro variant that I rode was finished in a shade of grey and rather bold fluorescent accenting, which does make the bike look quite “Xtreme” (no puns intended). I quite like the way this colour scheme looks, but if you want something a little more subtle, you could always opt for one of the other two colour schemes that Hero MotoCorp has to offer. In terms of fit and finish this feels like a solid product with very few panel gaps or inconsistencies to speak of.

Hero Xtreme 160R 4V engine and performance

Powering the Hero Xtreme 160R 4V is a heavily revised engine which now gets a four-valve head in place of the two-valve head and there is also an oil-cooler. Hero also says that the gearbox is different with new ratios that are better suited to hard acceleration. The bike continues to be air-cooled but the oil-cooler just aids in making the cooling process a bit more efficient. Coming back to the four-valve head, its addition has allowed Hero to extract a bit more power and torque than the earlier bike meaning that the outputs now stand at 16.6bhp at 8500rpm and 14.6Nm at 6500rpm from the previous bikes 15bhp and 14Nm of torque. The bump in power is obviously appreciated but once you ride the bike, what you will appreciate more is how flat the torque curve is and how there’s more power to use across the rev-range. It also feels like it’s got more to give in the top end of the rev range as well. The bike does feel fairly quick off the like and it is also plenty tractable. You can easily sit at 3000rpm in fifth gear and roll on the gas without any juddering or resistance from the engine whatsoever. Another highlight is refinement. The bike feels smooth in almost all riding scenarios and only gets mildly buzzy when you are coming close to the redline. Not a deal breaker in the slightest. The Xtreme has always been a comfortable bike, one that you could take on the highways as well. To that end, this bike is nice and stress-free at around 90kmph. Anything more and the vibes start to kick in and you lose the reserve to make a quick overtake. That being said, 90kmph on Indian highways is as fast as you want to be going, what with how unpredictable our traffic is. The bike remains to be mated to a five-speed gearbox which is slick and easy to operate. Clutch action is also extremely light but confidence inspiring. Although I must mention that some of the journalists did complain of inconsistent shifts. Though this is not something I experienced, it is something to note.

Hero Xtreme 160R 4V chassis, ride and handling

The next big update to the Xtreme 160R 4V comes in the chassis department, courtesy of the 37mm single-cartridge type upside down KYB forks. Oh and for those asking, yes, they are finished in golden. The USD forks are available only on the ‘Pro’ variant and the other two variants — ‘Standard’ and ‘Connected’ continue to get the same right side up telescopic forks.

The USDs on the Pro have been calibrated to offer a plush ride quality overall but still feel confidence inspiring when you want to attack the corners. The bike absorbs most undulations on the roads well and takes on speed breakers with a lot of composure. As for riding in the twisties, the bike feels sure footed and very responsive to steering input. The only thing I felt is that with my plus size weight, the setup feels a touch soft at times. But that is something I can live with considering how well it handles bad roads. The bike has put on a few kilos with the addition of USDs bringing the kerb weight up to 145kg but despite that, it is still the lightest in the class. The riding position is spot on for what you would expect from a sporty commuter. You sit nice and upright with your arms reaching comfortably to a fairly wide handlebar. As far as your lower body is concerned, your feet are placed in line right under you giving you all the control you need over the bike. I’m five-foot-ten and I felt extremely comfortable on the bike and I see even taller people feeling at home on the bike.

The braking setup is the same as the previous bike and you still get only single-channel ABS which is a bit of a miss in my opinion. In terms of performance, the ABS is well calibrated and non-intrusive, and there is enough stopping power on tap. But, I would have appreciated a bit more in terms of initial bite when you squeeze the lever.

Hero Xtreme 160R 4V features

In terms of features, the Xtreme 160R 4V in the Pro avatar gets a basic Bluetooth-enabled instrument cluster that has all the info you would need plus the capability to show incoming call and message notifications, along with battery status when you pair your phone via Bluetooth. Despite being the top-end variant, it doesn’t get the full connect 2.0 features. That is reserved specifically for the ‘Connected’ variant. Other features include the USD forks which are exclusive to the Pro variant, the split seat setup, and all-LED lighting.

Hero Xtreme 160R 4V price and verdict

The Hero Xtreme 160R 4V is quite a comprehensive update over it’s two-valved predecessor. It gets, as the name suggests, a four-valve head, which has made the power delivery and overall NVH much better. It gets sharper styling to keep with the times and on the Pro variant, it also gets KYB USDs which certainly take the ride and handling prowess one step further. But with the fatter spec sheet, you also need to cash in a larger cheque. Rs 1.37 lakh is what you will be shelling out for the Pro variant, that’s a pretty big jump over the outgoing model. And It’s primary rival, the TVS Apache RTR 160 4V in the dual disc variant costs Rs 1.31 lakh ex-showroom and in our books that has set the benchmark of performance in this 160cc segment. Can the Hero Xtreme 160R 4V dethrone the TVS then? Well that is something I look forward to finding out when we do our comparison test. But what I can say is that with this update the Xtreme 160R 4V certainly is readier than ever to take on the competition.