We took the new Hero Duet for a spin. Check out what we think about the new Hero.
What’s better than launching one new scooter to take on segment leader Honda? Yup, coming up with two scooters! This is exactly what Hero MotoCorp has in store for us. Following the launch of the Maestro Edge, India’s largest two-wheeler manufacturer by volumes will roll out the Duet. While the Maestro and Maestro Edge have been burdened with the responsibility of taking on the mighty Honda Activa, the Duet will take the fight to the Activa-i. With this new scooter, Hero has pretty high hopes, but does it have what it takes to excel in our highly competitive market? We got a chance to take the two-wheeler for a spin and you can read all about our first impressions in our Hero Duet Test Drive review.
Also See – Hero Duet Scooter Unveiled | Hero Xtreme 200S
Design & Features
The Hero Duet gets a very elegant exterior. Up front, you get headlamps mounted on the handlebar flanked by turn indicators on either side. The designers have added some chrome to the front cowl to spruce things up. One can’t help but notice that the Hero Duet bears an uncanny resemblance the Honda Activa.
This resemblance ends once you move past the front and on to the rest of the shooter. Big ‘Duet’ badging occupies most of the side panel with a bit more chrome appliqué. The rear is perhaps the most interesting bit of the Duet’s design. There is a very elaborate taillamp housing and the tail sticks out quite a bit. Hero has made good use of this opportunity by bolting on a load carrier with a 10 kg capacity just above the taillamp. Neat. An uninspiring front, a very attractive tail and a bit of chrome thrown in for good measure round up the exterior design highlights of the Hero Duet.
The Hero Duet gets an analogue speedo and fuel level indicator along with a digital odo and trip meter read out. Silver inserts surround the dials and the whole setup looks pretty decent. On board the Hero Duet, you get pretty much the same features as the Maestro Edge. So, there is a side stand warning light, pass light, USB 3.0 charging and under seat illumination. Rotating the key anticlockwise opens the under seat storage while pushing and rotating the key clockwise opens the fuel filler cap. All in all, the scooter scores high on features and the riders will appreciate the generously long list of features.
[box type=”shadow” ]Also See – Hero Maestro Edge Review[/box]
Engine & Transmission
The same 110.9 cc unit which does duty on the new Maestro Edge also powers the Hero Duet. Peak power developed by this motor stands at 8.43 PS @ 8,000 rpm and peak torque is rated at 8.3 Nm at 6,500 rpm. Transmission duties are handled by a CVT. Although, on paper, both scooters have exactly the same specifications, the Duet felt a little bit more sluggish than the Maestro Edge. Hero claims the Duet will return a very healthy fuel economy of 63.8 kpl in mixed riding conditions. Refinement levels are top-notch and you won’t complain about any sort of excessive noise or vibrations.The scooter feels at ease while cruising around at speeds of 40-50 km/h, but taking it to speeds north of 60 km/h turned out to be a real struggle. But, then again, this scooter is intended for city use and you won’t face any issues zipping in and out of traffic.
Ride, Handling & Braking
One of the most impressive aspects of the Hero Duet is rider comfort and ride quality. The seats get ample cushioning and the riding position is also well sorted ensuring there is minimum discomfort caused to the rider even on long rides. The Duet comes shod with grippy MRF tyres making it very confident around corners and on bad patches of road the scooter does not get unsettled very easily thanks to the telescopic front suspension setup. We drove the Duet over a combination of smooth and rough roads and the scooter did not give us much to complain about. The only real issue we had was with the braking as the Duet felt a bit jittery under heavy braking. However, under normal braking the Duet feels just fine managing to maintain its composure well. The Hero Duet offers a very comfortable ride and performs well on most roads.
[box type=”shadow” ]Also See – Hero Maestro Edge Scooter Launched[/box]
Final Word
Hero’s attempt at developing an all new scooter from the grounds up is a very impressive one. The Duet offers everything its target audience could ask for- looks, features, ride comfort and more. It may not be as sporty looking as the Maestro Edge, but it does look elegant from most angles. Making long commutes easier is the comfortable riding position and the well-cushioned seats. Add to that a nifty set of features and you get a scooter that is very hard to fault. Sure, Hero could have put in a bit more effort into the front end instead of just slapping on some chrome and the braking could be better. But these are just minor faults in what is otherwise a very competent all-rounder which checks all the right boxes.
So, what do you have to say about our new Hero Duet review? Share your views by commenting below and do stay tuned for more car and bike reviews.
