We take the 2016 Hero Glamour for a quick ride at the Argentine capital to see if it is really capable of taking the game forward on a global stage.
Building a solid foundation is the key to success and Hero MotoCorp have simply done that by launching the new Glamour. After the scooter segment, the fastest growing class in the two-wheelers market is the 125cc category. Not only does this new motorcycle help Hero MotoCorp continue its dominance in this field but it also gives them a foothold into the international market. This is the reason why the world's largest two-wheeler company decided to launch the brand new Hero Glamour all the way in Buenos Aires, Argentina. We got to take the Glamour out for a short spin at Owner Club's 2.4 kilometer long circuit just outside the Argentine capital.
So, it is more of an evolution rather than a revolution. It was quite evident that the wise men from Hero MotoCorp spent a lot of time on the front and rear lamps. The front headlight is a bit longer than the previous Glamour's and now houses twin-pilot lights. Could they have added LEDs instead? We certainly think so as the rear gets LEDs, so they would have synced in beautifully. The Glamour is also the first motorcycle in its class to boast Automatic Headlamp On feature. Hero has virtually left the side profile untouched, except for playing around with the graphic stickers.
The Glamour comes with a brand new instrument cluster. The analogue speedometer dominates it, while the digital readings house fuel gauge, fuel economy reader and odo and tripmeter. If we had a grouse over something then it would have to be the quality of the switches, which look and feel very entry level. Also an engine kill button would have been a nice convenient feature. With the addition of Y-spoke alloy wheels, this was a nice premium touch by Hero.
The Glamour gets a brand new 124.7cc engine completely made by Hero. Based on the new Splendour's 110cc, it is BS-IV compliant and gives the Glamour an additional 27% of power and manages to produce 11.4bhp at 7,500rpm. The torque too has been improved by 6%, which translates into 11Nm at 6,500rpm. Like its previous generation, the Glamour comes in two variants - carburetor and fuel injection - and the company claims they will return 60km/l and 62km/l respectively. The Hero Glamour manages to achieve this impressive mileage thanks to the start-stop system, i3S, which is an addition boon in urban riding conditions.
We thought it was now time to put aside all the specs and figures and find out how the bike actually is. Press start the ignition button and twist the throttle, the first thing that we noticed was how refined the engine was. There wasn't any off-tune moaning from the motor and the acceleration was smooth yet controlled. The ratios were evenly spread in the 4-speed gearbox, which lets the rider tackle daily traffic conditions at ease. What impressed us further was that the gearbox didn't cough out any false neutrals. On the 309 meters straight line at the track, we opened the throttle to see how this air-cooled single cylinder engine would respond. It touched the 100km/h mark, but what surprised us was that the vibrations were down to minimum. We could only feel a niggle on the foot pegs, but nothing substantial to complain about. Again the Hero Glamour managed to score high points here as well.
Based on a new single-downtube cradle frame, which is lighter than the outgoing model, we could feel the difference in the handling. It felt very agile and the Glamour managed to take sharp corners comfortably and gave us the confidence to lean in further, even though it's not really made for that. Also come credit should be given to MRF Nylogrip Zapper-FQ tyres as they offered more than adequate grip and helped us boost our confidence on the track.
Coming to ride quality, unfortunately, we only got to ride the Hero Glamour on the track, therefore, we can't really comment on it for certain. But going by how Hero sets up their motorcycles, it should be soft and comfortable for it swallow any bumps on the road. The test bikes we rode came with 240mm front disc and 130mm drum, which provided sufficient bite and were responsive.
One can see there is a gradual transition taking place at Hero MotorCorp. The two-wheeler manufacturer is covering its base first. It is the leader in 100-110cc segment, has entered the scooter class and is strengthening its position in the 125cc category with the Glamour.The 125cc engine is the real Hero in this motorcycle and this will ensure that the Glamour will continue to be the leader in this segment. Its refinement is top class and knowing Hero MotoCorp, it should be well priced.
Also read: Global launch of Hero Glamour 125
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