Bike review: Hero Passion xPro

Faisal Ali Khan of MotorBeam.com reviews the latest two-wheeler offering from the Hero MotoCorp stable

Hero MotoCorp has been the leader in the commuter bike segment since time memorial, with its Splendor and Passion motorcycles dominating sales month after month. The company is the largest two-wheeler manufacturer in India and sells more bikes than number two and three combined.

One of the most important models for Hero is the Passion. A new version called the xPro was launched recently. We take a look at what the bike is all about...

The Hero Passion xPro sports clean lines and looks good. The graphic treatment on the body is well laid out and makes the motorcycle quite attractive too. The alloy wheels and engine are finished in black, while the tank sports unique decals. The design is very Hero-like and the xPro is instantly recognisable as a Hero offering.

The bikini fairing comes from the Xtreme, while the rear view mirrors are body coloured.

The instrument cluster is clean and neatly laid out.

Divided into three distinct sections, the left most has the neutral and headlight tell-tale lights, the centre has a speedometer with Passion written on it while on the right there is a small LCD display which shows odometer, trip meter and fuel level. The clear dials are easy to read on the move.

The seat is comfortable and made of good quality. You sit upright on the Passion xPro and both the rider and pillion feel comfortable on long journeys.

The tank is not protruding, allowing good breathing for the thighs. Mirrors are small but give decent visibility of what's behind.

Powering the Passion xPro is a 109cc engine which belts out 8.7 BHP of power at 7500 RPM and 9.36 Nm of torque at 5500 RPM, mated to a 4-speed gearbox. Performance is good and the xPro has good amount of low end grunt.

Mid range power too is good and only top-end feels a bit lacking. There is enough to touch triple digits but just.

The Passion xPro is light and easy to handle. Cornering is neutral and the xPro has decent grip and feels connected to the roads. Ride quality is comfortable but a bit on the stiffer side.

Hero has done well in ensuring stability at speed remains good while minimising wind blast.

Even though the Passion xPro is positioned as an entry level offering, it has good quality all around with finish levels being very good as well.

Taking a u-turn is easy and so is the turn-ability of this machine, making it at home in crowded city conditions.

The Passion xPro is quite frugal and returns 65 km/l mileage in real driving conditions. Various variants are on offer and our test bike came with front disc brake and electric start.

This variant costs Rs 59,100 (on the road, Pune).

The Hero Passion xPro is a trouble free bike which scores strongly in terms of performance, mileage and ease of use and riding.

It is indeed a fill it, shut it, forget it bike, which gives a hassle-free experience to the owner.

The one negative is the DC lightning but overall, there is nothing which really offers the mileage, comfort. performance and reliability of the xPro.