Introduction
This is the Hero Xtreme 160R we all are familiar with. It's Hero's latest contender in the 150-160cc genre, which is now supremely competitive with the likes of the TVS Apache RTR 160 4V and the Suzuki Gixxer. As most of you may know, we have ridden the motorcycle twice before and you can read our opinion about it here and here.
Both the times we rode it, we came back utterly impressed. It has almost everything that Hero's previously failed products in this segment mostly lacked. Distinctive styling, sprightly performance, intuitive handling, comfortable ride quality, and modern features, you name it and the Xtreme 160R proudly flaunts it. However, spending satisfying few hours with a motorcycle doesn't guarantee a pleasant ownership experience. There are multiple factors that come into the picture when a motorcycle secures a spot in your garage.
The longevity of parts, the service cost, the degree of convenience while riding in the city, and the highway cruise-ability – these are some factors that can be judged only after living with it for a comprehensive period. And that's what we will be doing with the Hero Xtreme 160R. During our long stint with the bike, we will try to answer all the questions a prospective buyer of the Xtreme would want to know. Meanwhile, let us give you a lowdown on its design, features, and other on-paper data.
An eye-candy
We have said this before and we'll say it again - the Xtreme 160R looks gorgeous and proportionate, whichever angle you look at it from. The overall appearance of the motorcycle is dominated by its beefy and muscular fuel tank section which looks perfect behind the compact, geometric, and futuristic-looking headlamp. The stubby tail ends into a smoked tail lamp which further accentuates its visual finesse.
A few segment firsts
The Xtreme packs some elements which were unseen in this segment before. These include LED lighting all around, a hazard light switch, and a side stand engine cut off switch. It also incorporates a glide feature that keeps the bike going at the speed of 8kmph without any inputs from the rider; especially useful for city riding. Furthermore, the instrumentation comprises of a negative LCD dash which shows speed, engine rpm, time, odo and two trip meters.
One of the best power-to-weight ratios
Clinging on the diamond frame of the Xtreme 160R is a 163cc, air-cooled engine which pumps out 15bhp and 14 Nm. While these performance numbers are somewhat standard for this segment, do note that weighing at 138kgs, it's the lightest amongst its rivals which has resulted in a brilliant power-to-weight ratio. Transmission duties are handled by a five-speed gearbox.
The motorcycle rides on 17-inch alloy wheels which are suspended by telescopic forks and a preload-adjustable monoshock. Braking force is applied by a 276mm disc up front and a 220mm disc at the rear, both being petal type. Further stopping assistance is provided by a single-channel ABS setup.
Photography by Kaustubh Gandhi
Gallery
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Hero Xtreme 160R Instrument Cluster
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