Hero’s Passion brand is well-known and has provided to the company’s presence as a large mass-market manufacturer. The Passion, unlike the Splendor range, is more modern in terms of design and appeal. Since Hero is bound to keep the Passion rugged looking, they can evolve it considerably, at every stage. The result of this evolution is the two motorcycles you see here - the Passion Pro and the XPro.
What are the Changes?
To make it simple, both bikes now use the in-house developed 110cc engine that was earlier seen on the Splendor iSmart 110. The output figures on both the new Passion models are the same at 9.5hp and 9Nm of torque. Both bikes use the same 4-speed gearbox as well. Other similarities include the same electric stators and carburettors. Hero’s i3S (idle-start-stop feature) also makes its way on both motorcycles and will be available as standard.
What Differences do the Changes Make?
The Passion Pro is the easier and more conservative bike while the XPro attempts to be slightly sportier. The motors on both bikes are identical which means the difference comes thanks to the dynamic setup. The length of the Pro is 1,962mm while the XPro is 1,967mm. The wheelbases of the motorcycles are also different at 1,236mm and 1,249mm. If you are wondering how that is, it is because the XPro gets a longer swingarm ad this affects the cornering abilities considerably. Moreover, the XPro also has a firmer rear shock which contributes to the handling abilities. The Pro gets a softer set-up making it the more comfortable commuter.
The two bikes are different on the outside as well, and the XPro has the better looking design. However, owing to the changes to the bodywork, the Pro gets the sportier-styled seat while the XPro gets the more-regular seat. In addition to this, the XPro gets tubeless tyres. Both motorcycles can be optioned with a 240m front disc.
On the road
The XPro is undoubtedly the more fun bike, but that is not something the average buyer of this time of commuter motorcycle is looking for. The motor on both motorcycles do not enjoy being revved and the shifter makes shift a slow task. The motor on these bikes is linear and has sufficient low-end grunt but lacks the smoothness of the Honda Dream range, especially at high rpms. The best way to go about riding these motorcycles is by short-shifting them; this will also reward one with the best efficiency. When being tested out we took the motorcycle upto 80kph but 65kph is where it felt most comfortable. The vibrations from the motorcycles only get annoying if one rides the motorcycle aggressively.
Hero most surely could have made a better attempt at increasing its refinement levels, now that they have an impressive Rajasthan-based R&D centre.
How Rugged are They?
Both motorcycle use the bare minimum amount of bodywork necessary and with the low kerb weights of 116kg (Pro) and 119kg (Xpro), these will come by as friendly and simple machines. Both bikes also absorb rough patches with the Pro being kinder thanks to its softer suspensions set-up. The large 18 inch wheels contribute to additional level of grips but, we preferred the XPro for its lengthy swingarm. This swingarm works to considerably well to increase the stability.
The front disc brake overpowers the grip levels of the front tyre which results to the handlebar twisting to the right during heavy braking. This feels unsafe, but we would still have to take the disc brake variant over the less powerful drum brake option.
Which One Should I Buy?
To be honest, even though the XPro is more appealing, the Pro is the variant to go for, it is significantly more comfortable. Plus, visually they don’t look all that different. The Pro is lighter, taller and has a larger fuel tank when compared to the XPro. Moreover, it’s more practical and suits its purpose better. However, if you are the person looking for a Pro with a marginal sporty flavour, the XPro is the better option.
In terms of pricing, the Passion Pro is expected at ₹53,000 and the XPro is expected at ₹54,000.
