Hero Splendor Plus i3s Price in Kolkata

Bike:- hero splendor plus i3s (bs iv).
Colour:- cherry red.
Bought on:- january 2018.
In 2018, i was just out of college, into my first job, but just short of enough money to buy an expensive two-wheeler out of my own salary (without opting for any loan/emi), when i zeroed in on splendor plus and decided to buy it as a daily commuter. Simple, unassuming, slim, with no brawny or sporty looks, it is obviously not a bike of first-choice for a teenager, but I opted for it according to the old adage “simple living but high thinking.” my only requirement was an entry-level city commuter, and being a slim person myself, the kerb weight of the bike of just about 112 kg was another deciding factor.
So off i went to the nearest hero showroom with a friend, and despite a few raised eyebrows as to a teenager buying a seemingly old-fashioned bike, closed the deal with a down-payment of about rs 63000 including taxes, registration costs, insurance and some other hero add-ons like ‘hero good life membership.’ i had chosen the then-available cherry-red i3s bs iv model, and came out of the showroom with a broad smile - having bought my first-ever vehicle out of my own earnings.
Four long years have passed, and this bike has remained with me as a faithful friend, through several ups and downs of life, and our loving relationship has only become stronger with each passing day.
Now i will try to state its pros and cons, impartially, as befitting an engineer, and finally arrive at my unbiased rating of the hero splendor plus i3s. I will strive to provide my own ratings and reviews on the ‘performance parameters’ listed on the bikewale website. I am not sponsored to write these things. These are my own experiences.
Performance parameters:-
1) visual appeal:- rating 4.
While the splendor plus has a very basic setup, and no flashy muscular looks or attachments, i really have fallen in love with its simple, retro-style look and the smooth curves of its oil tank. It seems to give a hint of old-school racers, and the shiny cherry-red paint of my bike adds to its charms. After every session of washing and polishing, the bike seems brand new and attracts quite a few eyes because of its shine.
However, i have deducted 1 point because of its rectangular headlamp and tail-light, which i do not quite approve of, aesthetically.
2) reliability:- rating 5.
The splendor plus has never ever let me down in any situation in these four years, either in rain or sunshine, and has instilled in me the confidence to ride it without any fear of a break-down on the road.
3) performance:- rating 3.
This is one factor for which people nowadays opt for other bikes even if for commuting purpose. The splendor plus, given its 97 cc engine, gives a very average performance on road. It just serves the basic purpose of commuting, with no punch of power or boost. A single rider will very well sail along on this bike, but with a commuter, or on inclines, it strains to pull along. There is no rush of adrenaline or excitement to be obtained on this bike.
4) comfort:- rating 5.
I will mention a little incident here. I was riding on this bike with a friend of mine as pillion. This friend happens to own a hero xtreme, and he was quite surprised when, on a patch of pot-hole ridden road, my bike sailed along smoothly with hardly any bumps or jerks. He remarked that the suspension of my bike is very good, as compared to his bike which is very stiff and nearly throws off the pillion from his seat on rough roads.
Really, the splendor plus offers a great up-right seating position, has a long, comfortable, padded seat, and has soft front and rear suspensions that absorb most of the bumps easily.
5) service experience:- rating 3.5.
This is another factor where i find hero to be a little lagging. At the hero service-centres, both the initial free-services and the paid ones are only basic cleaning of parts like chain and air-filter, and washing and polishing; and customers are often insisted upon changing parts much before it is really required, just to bring in revenue for the shop. People stick to hero service-centres just to ensure that the 5-year warranty provided by hero does not become void due to servicing by unauthorized persons.
6) maintenance:- rating 5.
The splendor plus is loved so much because it is literally maintenance-free. Just an engine-oil change and a few basic checks, and you are good to go:- just refuel and ride. It is perhaps the most faithful friend a person can ever have: no nuisance, no hustle.
The spare parts are cheap and available with any motor-parts shop, garage or mechanic. The mechanics of the bike is also very simple, and the owner himself can take care of the basic things.
7) value for money:- rating 5.
With all the above performance parameters, the splendor plus is a fully value-for-money bike. I personally feel that i have profited from every rupee that i have invested on this bike. It is cheap, reliable, literally maintenance-free and a must-have bike for every household as a daily commuter.
8) extra features:- rating 1.
There is, unfortunately, no extra feature. The splendor plus is just a basic bike. Even the latest models of this bike would not perhaps get features like gps, bluetooth, etc, because the makers of this bike need to keep it cheap and affordable for the common man.
Pros:- (most of these are already highlighted in the parameters reviewed above)
(i) affordable:- it is an entry-level commuter bike, and is among the most affordable bikes available in the market.
(ii) light-weight:- at 112 kg kerb weight, this bike is really like a feather. Also, the bike is slim and helps to glide through the city traffic very easily. However, the light weight might pose as a disadvantage on the highways, when bigger vehicles like trucks overtake you, and the draft of air almost puts you off-balance.
(iii) comfortable, soft, long, flat seat; upright seating position; soft suspension:- all these combine to make the ride experience really nice, and is less taxing on your spine and back.
(iv) literally maintenance-free; cheap and easily available spare parts.
Cons:- these are the problems that i faced in real-life with this bike:-
(i) the parts are seemingly not so durable. The spark-plug got damaged within one month of buying this bike. While i had it replaced under the warranty cover, it again got damaged within another year. The odometer got damaged within two years, while the brake and clutch cables had to be changed, too, within two years. It needs to be mentioned that i am a very careful rider, and ride in the city without hard acceleration or any kind of rough use. In spite of this, i had to face such issues.
(ii) the mileage offered is not at all satisfactory. While i have not tested till the last drop of petrol is consumed (literally), the mileage is just about 55. The hero service-centre personnel have not been able to rectify this issue. Keeping in mind that mileage is a selling-point of this bike, i am really disappointed with the mileage of my bike.
(iii) the bike picks up speed very slowly at the starting, and strains to pull on inclines or with a pillion.
(iv) the brakes are not quick or very responsive.
(v) the tyres do not provide much grip on the road, and i need to be cautious while braking or swerving at turns so as to avoid skidding.
(vi) the analogue fuel gauge is not very reliable and i need to be cautious so as not to run out of fuel.
My overall rating of my hero splendor plus i3s bs iv model, based on the above, is 3.93.

About the Reviewer

The mileage is good but the engine stops anywhere suddenly when the speed decreases. Even when the gear is less. I3s is on or off its stops my bike. Very hopeless product. The old ones didn't have this problem. Dont, know why they put this silly bike for sale. On uphills and in traffic it's very irritating to have to start your bike every few minutes.

About the Reviewer