Hero will soon launch their first 125cc scooter in India, the Duet 125. The scooter will face competition from the highest selling 125cc scooter in the country, the Suzuki Access 125. Let’s preview how the scooters will put up against each other.
Design
The world saw the Duet 125 for the first time at the 2018 Auto Expo in February. Taking a ‘if it’s not broke don’t fix it’ with the design of the Duet 125, Hero has given the scooter the same design as its younger 110cc sibling. To differentiate itself, the Duet 125 gets a chrome element on the front apron of the scooter that are flanked by turn indicators on either side. The Duet 125 gets its headlamp on the steering unit.
On the other hand, the Access 125 sports minimal chrome on the rectangular headlamp bezel and exhaust shield. The front apron houses vertically stacked turn indicators. All-in-all the Access 125 has a design language that would appeal to a wide audience.
Engine
The Duet 125 uses a 124cc single-cylinder engine which produces 8.7bhp and 10.2Nm of torque via a CVT gearbox. The Access 125’s 124cc motor puts out a slightly lower 8.4bhp of power although the torque figure is the same at 10.2Nm.
Cycle parts
The Duet 125 showcased at the 2018 Auto Expo had a drum brake setup on both ends. While the scooter is unlikely to get a front disc anytime soon, it will be equipped with a combined braking system (CBS) as standard. The Suzuki Access 125 is offered in three variants with different braking setups for the front; drum brakes, front disc and front disc with CBS. All three variants get a drum brake at the rear. While the Hero Duet 125 rides on 10-inch wheels on both ends, the Access gets a 12-inch front and 10-inch rear.
Pricing
Pricing for the Suzuki Access 125 starts at Rs 55,045 and goes up to Rs 58,980 for the CBS version. The Hero Duet is expected to be priced in the price range of the standard Access 125; around Rs 55,000.
