It's Man Thing Hero Maestro

Introduction

A scooter for males? Is there more to this than just a marketing spin? We rode it to find out.

The Maestro, says Hero, is a scooter meant for males. So, compared to its only other scooter offering, the Pleasure, the Maestro is bigger, brawnier and surprisingly more stylised as well. And by stylised we don’t mean it’s heavily plastered with stickers; in fact it has none. But, the shape of the headlamp, the front apron and the rear, not to mention the slanting floorboard, make it look very up-to-date. We also found the carbon fibre like finish of the seat cover a nice touch.

The Maestro also feels big once you get astride. The floorboard is large and there’s good distance between the seat and the handlebar enhancing the feel of roominess. The clocks look great and are easy to read too, and the quality, be it for the paint or the plastic parts or even the fit and finish is right up there with the best in the segment.

The Drive

Now, the Maestro might be the second product from Hero after its split with Honda, but underneath that stylish shell, it still runs Honda hardware. So, the 109cc engine is the same reliable and refined unit used on the Activa. The CVT transmission too is the same. And one can feel it the moment you open the throttle. There’s no shudder at start up, the pick-up is smooth and linear, and the engine runs with the serenity of a monk no matter how hard you rev it. Only problem here is, the Maestro doesn't feel spirited, and is in fact a little mundane to ride.

Underpinnings, too are shared with the Activa including the chassis and suspension. But, the Maestro does run a mildly longer wheelbase. As far as ride and straight line stability goes, the Maestro is right up there with the best in the segment. The ride is supple for most part and it manages quick direction changes well too. And we like the fact that this Hero also comes with ‘Combined Braking’ as standard even though all you get are 130mm drums on both ends.

Verdict

If you like the Activa, you will like the Maestro, no doubt. Only the latter looks more modern and has some nice bits like fancier clocks and sturdy looking folding pillion footrests. It’s priced well too at Rs 52,000 on the road in Delhi, especially hen you consider that a large glovebox, 'Combined Braking' and a side stand are standard at this price. But, no, there's nothing specifically male about this scooter in case you were wondering.