Hero Passion Plus

Hero Passion Plus has been one of the most popular commuter bikes in India. However, its looks & design has now started to feel outdated. The front of the bike has a rectangular halogen headlight with a cowl and a small windscreen. It gets alloy wheels in a matte black contrast and telescopic front suspension. Also, the overall design has not changed from the previous model. Hero is only offering new colours and new body graphics to make it look enticing. The overall quality of the bike is good and it feels it can last for years if taken care of. The wide single seat offers decent cushioning to the rider & pillion. Hero also equips it with a standard engine crash guard. Majority of the mechanicals are matter black.

The dimensions of the Passion Plus are relatively slim and nimble for city riding. The slim fuel tank design and the short wheelbase offers a decent riding experience inside the city. Also, the turning radius of it is small hence it offers good maneuverability in the tight traffic areas. The length of Passion Plus is 1,982mm, width is 770mm, & height is 1,087mm. Also, the 790mm of seat height offers easy control for the short riders. The 168mm of ground clearance makes it easy to use the Passion Plus over the undulated roads or even on rough trails where there is no available tarmac.

The engine of Passion Plus has been its USP since day one. The bulletproof 97.2cc single-cylinder ‘Sloper’ engine is an air-cooled unit. This 4-stroke unit generates a peak power of 8 bhp & 8.05 Nm of peak torque. It also comes with FI technology and now the engine is OBD2 compliant which means it is BS6 Phase 2 emission norms compliant. This power is mated to the rear wheel via a 4-speed transmission. The performance of Passion Plus is decent enough for the city use. It is mainly made for city commute riding and the short gear ratios will never let you feel that it is out of torque or power. However, once you cross the 60 kmph mark, the engine does feel strained. The Passion Plus can easily go upwards of 80 kmph as well. The ARAI figures for it are not revealed yet but we suspect that it can easily deliver upwards of 55-60 kmpl of fuel efficiency.

The tyres on the Passion Plus use 18-inch alloy rims and tubeless rubber. The size of both the tyres is 80/100 which helps in attaining easy balance for the rider. Also, the large wheel means plush ride quality over the potholes and undulated tarmac. Hero also offers rim tape on both wheels to make the bike look smart on the road. The braking department, however, is a little weaker on it. Why so? Because Hero doesn’t offer a front disc brake on it. Hence, the drum brakes offer a decent braking but due to no ABS it feels a little scary to ride it above 50 kmph. Also, the features on the latest iteration are respectable. It gets a semi-digital instrument cluster that displays info like tripmeter, odometer, etc. Hero also offers a USB phone charging option on the switchgear while on the right side underneath the fuel tank is a utility box as well.