Hero Moto Unveils 15 New Motorcycles; Claims 35 More Soon!

At a massive event yesterday, Hero has unveiled as many as 15 new products from their stables that will soon hit the market. Once again, Hero fans have their hands full, or are they!

New-2014-Hero-Karizma-ZMR-Facelift

All the products, refreshed and new were amassed at the event. The flagship bikes, Karizma and ZMR, are probably the ones that will hog the limelight. Everything appears to be well-planned, but we don’t get one thing: Why hasn’t Hero created enough publicity?? The event comes close on the heels of another similar one in Macau – supposedly – and is probably reserved for dealers and stakeholders.

New-2014-Hero-Karizma-R

This is what Mr Pawan Munjal, Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer, had to say :

Innovation, Technology, Youth & Speed – these are the key buzzwords at New Hero. It has just been over two years since we commenced our solo journey, and in such a short span of time, we have made significant upgradation of our existing line-up, incorporating next generation technology and features. As the market leader, this is also a reiteration of our capability to develop indigenous technologies, and catapult to an era of technologically superior and aesthetically appealing, youthful two-wheelers.

“This is, however, just the beginning. Innovation is a way of life at New Hero, and I have given complete freedom to our young engineers to think beyond the conventional and give shape to their ideas. Come Auto Expo in February next year, and we will be showcasing yet another range of two-wheelers on new platforms.”

New 2014 Hero Karizma R and ZMR

The specifications chart for Hero Karizma and the Karizma ZMR has been unveiled; Nice, Glossy, Shiny! Focusing on those areas where the company exactly wants to create attention. Oh shucks….the engine is still the same 223 cc of Raw Power. Never Mind.

2014-Hero-Karizma-ZMR-Spec-sheet

Let us move on. After all, we should be Always Game and Above All.    😀

But hey…where are the power figures?? Can you spot them?? Well, we can’t. All we see is the Maximum Torque – 19.35 Nm for the Karizma and 19.7 Nm for the Karizma ZMR.  We are sure Hero MotoCorp has a surprise for us. All they have claimed is that both the engines churn out more power.

New-2014-Hero-Karizma-R-Brochure

Read more about the new 2014 Karizma R and ZMR here. There were other vehicles at the event, too.

Here is a list and a brief info about a few of them.

New 2014 Splendor iSmart:

This is the new Splendor iSmart, about which we had reported in detail few days back. The model is created with a specific target of holding on to Hero MotoCorp’s dominance in the 100c category.

2014-Hero-Splendor-iSmart

It has the new i3S technology (Idle Stop and Start System) for two-wheelers that automatically shuts the engine when idling and turns it on when needed, thus giving more mileage in congested cities (claimed). However, we aren’t so sure about the styling and the paint scheme. Hero MotoCorp might need to have a relook.

New 2014 Hero Xtreme

The new Hero Xtreme was also on the stage.  Much has been said about the Xtreme’s design cues and styling. It has got a snazzy looking console, but the omission of a few features were unwarranted.

2014-New-Hero-Xtreme-facelift

Hopefully, the introduction of Electronic Immobiliser and Side Stand Switch with automatic ignition cut-off should compensate for that. You can have a look at our earlier report here.

New 2014 Hero Pleasure

And we present the all-new Pleasure with Integrated Braking System (IBS)!! It is expected to improve riding safety, and prevent potentially dangerous situations. It  is loaded with new utility features that include mobile charger socket, lockable glove box, boot light in luggage box, combination ignition lock with seat opening and side stand indicator among others. Nevertheless, the rear-end of the scooter is just the same as the old one. It appears as if the front-end was bolted on…uhm, retrofitted…in a hurry. The difference in paint also suggests that, as the transition doesn’t appear to be seamless.

2014-New-Hero-Pleasure

The new Pleasure should appeal to all the ladies who have the fashion sense of a cow wallowing in deep mud!!  😀

Hero MotoCorp Marketing Head Mr. Anil Dua was present at the event, along with Mr. Pawan Munjal. He explained that they have been growing very fast, and the future looks bright for them. He also said that the demand for scooters has been staggering, and they have seen 40% growth in those numbers within the last few years.

Hero to Launch 35 More Products

In a shocking declaration, Hero MotoCorp also claimed that they have….wait, hold your breath…..35 more products to hit the market by March 2015. They felt that an aggressive stance was needed to keep their leadership position intact, and hence such a move was needed. Well, we feel they need to get their definition of New Products right.

They have also stated that they will not be offering any festive discounts this season. The reason is that they feel the monsoon has been good, and hence people’s pockets are already heavy. Demand is consequently on the higher side, and hence they don’t feel the necessity to offer incentives.

This was just a short report of the event. Let us inform you that Hero MotoCorp is working on quite a few products, ranging from a new Impulse to a vehicle that will be priced below the Hero HF Dawn (It will just be a Beast-of-Burden). They have a few more refreshes like the the new 100-cc HF Dawn & HF Deluxe,  New 100-cc Splendor Pro & 125-cc Super Splendor, the new Splendor Pro as well as the Passion Pro and the HF Deluxe Eco. Last but not the least, the new Glamour & Glamour FI with new graphics.

Keep tuned!!