Ask any bike mechanic in a small Indian town which motorcycle he sees most often, and there’s a good chance he’ll point at a Splendor Plus parked outside. This isn’t a fluke of habit or old-timer loyalty. Hero’s Splendor Plus has sat near the top of India’s sales charts for over two decades, and it’s still doing that in 2026 despite a market flooded with flashier, feature-loaded options from every rival brand.

That staying power deserves a proper explanation, not just a shrug and “everyone’s father owned one.” So here’s what actually keeps this commuter bike relevant for Indian buyers right now — the real numbers, the genuine trade-offs, and the parts of the bike that quietly justify its reputation.

1. The Price Has Barely Moved, Even With a 2026 Update

Hero raised prices across the Splendor Plus lineup by just ₹250 for the 2026 model year, which tells you something about how Hero treats this bike — as a volume product that needs to stay accessible, not a cash cow to squeeze every year. The base Drum Brake variant with OBD2B compliance starts at ₹77,123 ex-showroom, while the top-spec Million Edition tops out at ₹79,835. On-road pricing in Delhi lands around ₹90,199 to ₹93,232 depending on variant, once RTO and insurance charges are added.

• Base Drum Brake variant:
• ₹77,123 ex-showroom, the most affordable entry point into owning a Splendor Plus.
• i3S variants:
• Priced marginally higher, adding idle stop-start technology that genuinely improves city mileage.
• Million Edition:
• ₹79,835 ex-showroom, Hero’s commemorative trim marking a production milestone with gold pinstriped wheels.

EMI options make this even more accessible — financing on the Drum Brake variant starts from around ₹1,287 a month, which is a big part of why the Splendor Plus remains the default first bike for so many working Indians.

2. Mileage That Genuinely Lives Up to the Reputation

This is the single biggest reason people buy this bike, and the numbers back up the reputation rather than just repeating it. Hero’s ARAI-certified figure sits at 70 kmpl on E20 fuel, and while that’s a lab number, real-world owner-reported data across major bike portals consistently lands between 60 and 65 kmpl in mixed city and highway use. Even in pure stop-start city traffic, most owners rarely report figures below 55 kmpl, which is still excellent for a commuter motorcycle carrying daily loads.

Do the math on what that actually means for your monthly budget: with a 9.8-litre fuel tank, a full tank typically covers 580 to 620 kilometres before needing a refill. For someone commuting roughly 700 km a month, fuel costs land somewhere between ₹1,100 and ₹1,300, depending on local petrol prices. Over a year, that adds up to meaningful savings compared to less efficient rivals in the same price bracket.

3. The i3S Idle Stop-Start System Is a Genuinely Useful Feature

Hero’s i3S technology sounds like a marketing buzzword until you actually ride in Indian city traffic and understand what it does. When the bike sits idle in neutral for a few seconds — at a red light, in a traffic jam — the engine shuts off automatically to save fuel, then restarts the moment you pull the clutch back in. It’s a small mechanical trick, but across thousands of daily short stops in cities like Mumbai or Bengaluru, it adds up to a real difference in fuel consumption. Not every Splendor Plus variant gets this feature; it’s specific to the i3S trim and above, so buyers wanting maximum efficiency should specifically check for this before finalizing their variant.

4. A Proven 97.2cc Engine Built for Long-Term Reliability, Not Speed

The Splendor Plus runs on a 97.2cc, air-cooled, single-cylinder engine producing 7.91 bhp and 8.05 Nm of torque — numbers that won’t excite anyone chasing performance, and that’s precisely the point. This engine has been refined over decades of Hero’s manufacturing experience, prioritizing longevity and low-maintenance running over outright power. It’s mated to a 4-speed manual gearbox, kept deliberately simple, which contributes directly to the bike’s famously low repair frequency and the ease with which even small-town mechanics can service it without specialized tools or diagnostic equipment.

5. It’s Genuinely Light and Easy to Handle in Traffic

Weighing just 112 kg, this motorcycle is noticeably lighter than several rivals in its class, and that weight advantage translates into real everyday benefits rather than just a spec-sheet number. Manoeuvring through dense city traffic, squeezing between cars at a signal, or simply pushing the bike into a tight parking spot all feel less physically demanding than on heavier commuter motorcycles. Combined with high ground clearance, it also handles India’s inconsistent road surfaces — potholes, speed breakers, unpaved stretches — with more composure than its low weight might suggest.

6. Where It Genuinely Falls Short: No Front Disc Brake, Anywhere

Being honest about weak points matters more than pretending a bike is flawless, and this is its clearest shortcoming. Hero has never fitted a front disc brake to any variant of this motorcycle, sticking with drum brakes on both ends across the entire range, purely to keep the price low. Autocar India’s own testing confirms this trade-off directly, noting it as the model’s biggest compromise. For city commuting at moderate speeds, drum brakes are adequate, but if you frequently ride in heavy traffic at higher speeds or on wet roads, the stopping power gap compared to disc-brake rivals is worth genuinely considering before you buy.

7. Highway Riding Isn’t Really What This Bike Is Built For

Reviewers have been fairly direct about this, and it’s worth passing along rather than glossing over. This bike’s light 112 kg chassis can feel unsettled around fast-moving multi-axle trucks on highways, and its 87 kph top speed leaves little room for sustained high-speed cruising. This isn’t a flaw so much as a design decision — Hero built it specifically for city and short-highway commuting, not long-distance touring. If your daily riding involves frequent highway stretches at higher speeds, it’s worth cross-shopping against bikes specifically built for that use case rather than assuming this one will handle it comfortably.

8. A Genuinely Comfortable Riding Position for Daily Use

Where this bike quietly wins is comfort over long riding hours, which matters enormously for people using it as a daily work commute rather than an occasional ride. The upright seating posture keeps strain off your back and shoulders during extended city rides, and the wide seat distributes weight more evenly than the narrower saddles found on some sportier commuter bikes. A simple dual-pod instrument console with a speedometer and fuel gauge keeps things easy to read at a glance — no cluttered digital displays to squint at while riding, just the essentials done well.

9. Low-Cost Ownership That Actually Holds Up Over Years

Hero’s genuine strength with the Splendor Plus isn’t any single feature — it’s the entire ownership experience stacked together. Spare parts are inexpensive and available at practically every mechanic shop in India, even in small towns where authorized service centres might be hours away. Hero’s service network is one of the largest of any two-wheeler brand in the country, meaning routine maintenance rarely involves long waits or travel. Resale value has also historically stayed strong compared to most rivals, since used-bike buyers trust the Splendor Plus badge almost as much as new buyers do. Add in a wet multiplate clutch and tubeless tyres standard across the entire range, and the total cost of keeping this bike running over five or ten years remains genuinely lower than most alternatives in its segment.

10. The XTEC Variant Adds Just Enough Modern Tech Without Losing the Core

For buyers who want a slightly more connected experience without abandoning what makes the Splendor Plus dependable, the XTEC variant fills that gap sensibly. Priced from around ₹81,083 to ₹84,326 depending on city and colour choice, it adds Bluetooth connectivity, call and SMS alerts, and an LED daytime running light, while retaining the same reliable 97.2cc engine and mechanical simplicity underneath. It’s not a dramatic reinvention — Hero clearly understands that most Splendor Plus buyers value dependability over gadgetry — but it gives younger, more tech-conscious riders a version that doesn’t feel entirely stuck in the past.

How the Splendor Plus Compares to Its Closest Rival

The Splendor Plus’s most direct competitor is the Honda Shine 100 DX, and the comparison is closer than casual buyers might assume. Autocar India’s own comparison test found the Splendor Plus priced slightly above the Shine 100 DX, a gap the review attributes to the extra features and variant choices spread across Hero’s lineup — including i3S and the XTEC’s connected tech, neither of which the Shine 100 DX currently matches. Within Hero’s own range, the HF Deluxe undercuts the Splendor Plus on price and even claims marginally better mileage, but buyers consistently choose the Splendor Plus anyway for its slightly more refined ride quality and stronger resale reputation in the used-bike market.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Splendor Plus

What is the on-road price of the Splendor Plus in India?

Ex-showroom prices range from ₹77,123 to ₹79,835 depending on variant. On-road prices in Delhi typically fall between ₹90,199 and ₹93,232 once RTO charges and insurance are included, and will vary slightly by city.

What is the real mileage of the Splendor Plus, not just the claimed figure?

Hero’s ARAI-certified figure is 70 kmpl on E20 fuel, but real-world owner data consistently reports 60 to 65 kmpl in mixed riding conditions, dropping to around 55 kmpl in heavy city traffic.

Does the Splendor Plus have a front disc brake?

No. Every variant, including the top-spec Million Edition, comes with drum brakes on both wheels. Hero has never offered a front disc brake option on this model.

Which Splendor Plus variant should I buy?

If budget is your primary concern, the base Drum Brake variant covers the essentials well. If you ride mostly in city traffic and want better fuel efficiency, the i3S variant is worth the small price difference. Buyers wanting Bluetooth and modern touches should look at the XTEC trim instead.

Final Word

The Splendor Plus hasn’t stayed on top of India’s commuter bike segment through nostalgia alone — this Splendor Plus has earned that position through genuinely low running costs, a mileage figure that holds up under real-world testing, and an ownership experience built around reliability rather than flash. The missing front disc brake and its limited highway comfort are real trade-offs worth weighing honestly, not minor footnotes to skip past. But for Indian buyers who need a dependable daily commuter that won’t drain their monthly budget on fuel or repairs, the Splendor Plus remains one of the smartest, most sensible choices available today.