Hero Pleasure +

After almost 14 years of existence, Hero MotoCorp decided to give a major facelift to the Pleasure. It’s now called the Pleasure Plus and gets some big aesthetic and mechanical updates because ‘Why should boys have all the fun?’ Thanks to its compact design and lightweight – the Pleasure was the first choice for girls who were entering the world of two-wheel commuting. But the lack of newness and old design resulted in decrease sales and brand recall. So the new Pleasure Plus has been launched to address the concerns of the new world. 

The Pleasure Plus offers a good amount of freshness, thanks to the retro design language. The big headlamp and the large plastic unit flanked by turn indicators makes the scooter look a bit bigger and more attractive. The side angle showcases some curvy lines that flows really well throughout. At the rear, there’s a bit of aggression due the presence of a sharper tail lamp unit. 

The instrument cluster is a bit better than the old Pleasure but still looks dull and uninspiring. For a 2019 model, Hero could have equipped with a much nicer looking cluster. But the company has played really well with the colours. They are bright, have the matte options and have a total of six. So there’s a big variety for the Indian market. 

The Pleasure Plus is for the entry-level customers. So in order to keep the price in check, Hero has equipped the Pleasure Plus with basic features only. So things like 10-inch wheels, two front gloveboxes and integrated braking system are present. There’s a USB phone charger present as well, but its placement could be a bit problem as there will be a wire dangling right in front of the legs. 

Surprisingly, the Pleasure Plus misses out on the i3s start stop system. It’s a city scooter, and just like the rest of the Hero two-wheelers, this should have gone one too. 

The Pleasure Plus is peppier and faster than the Pleasure, and the credit goes to the new 110cc engine. This one makes around 8bhp and peak torque of 8.7Nm which is around 16 per cent and 7 per cent more than the older engine respectively. The engine is smooth, has the oomph to get around tight situations pretty easily and linear. The throttle response too, is crisp. 

This Hero reaches around 70kmph pretty comfortably. Try to go over that, and you would be disappointed. The best place to sit around is between 45kmph and 50kmph and that’s the ideal city speeds. Post that, vibrations kick in and could be felt on the floorboard. 

The Pleasure Plus behaved quite well in the Delhi traffic. The compact dimensions and lightweight made it easy to pull through crazy airport traffic. The scooter feels agile, but lacks the stability as it is equipped with 10-inch wheels at both end. Plus, due to the smaller wheels, the floorboard had to be raised so that the scooter can go through Indian speed breakers easily. On the downside, it feels cramped for taller individuals. The trailing arm front suspension setup worked decent, but we are yet to test it exhaustively on bad roads. The Pleasure Plus gets decent set of brakes. For a beginner, it works efficiently and gets the job done without any drama. 

The 2019 Pleasure Plus is a great looking scooter. But more importantly, it still retains the two most important traits of the scooter – lightweight and compact dimensions. With these in place, and a good pricing of Rs 47,300 for the drum variant and Rs 49,700 (ex-showroom Delhi) for the disc variant (ex-showroom Delhi),  the Pleasure Plus makes a perfect option for someone who is looking for an easy to ride and live with scooter. 

Photography by Kaustubh Gandhi