No way! Hero MotoCorp is not going to remain silent; it wants a firm foot in every segment plus some more. The automatic scooter segment has traditionally been ruled by Honda Activa which has, at times, beaten Splendor for the top slot as well.
Hero is not ready to live with that. It is going to come up with a range of products in the 110-150cc segment, which will be their attempt to snatch that market share.
Hero’s Upcoming Scooters:
They have lined up and showcased 3 scooters ranging from 110cc to 150cc. Here is the list.
1. Dash:
Unveiled in January, Dash will come with a 111cc forced air cooled single cylinder engine. It produces a healthy 8.44BHP of power and 9.4Nm of torque. The scooter is greatly similar to the Maestro in terms of design. Targeted towards a male customer base, it has quite a few handy features, like the key operated external fuel lid and a mobile charging socket.
The key is also a special one with a special e-signature. It also gets 12 inch front wheel, tubeless tyres and service due and side stand indication on the console. The Dash will be released in the second half of 2014.
2. Dare:
The upcoming 124.6cc scooter unveiled at the Auto Expo is Hero’s first entry into a segment ruled by Suzuki, Mahindra and recently Honda (with the new Activa 125). The engine produces 9.5PS of power and 9.8Nm of torque.
Dual-tone alloy wheels, LED daytime running lights, LED taillights, fully digital console, body-color painted brake calipers on the front disc and a handy 12V charging socket, all of these surely make it an interesting preposition in the market. Launch is again expected sometime towards the end of this year.
3. ZIR:
Here comes our favorite and a step which Hero will take to move a segment higher from the market. We do not have a single 150cc automatic scooter in the market and there doesn’t appear to be in the making at least till ZIR!
ZIR was the second scooter that Hero unveiled at the Auto Expo. Powering the Zir is a 157.1cc mill producing 14.3PS of power and 12.7Nm of torque (sorry Blaze, you won’t be missed anymore). Twin projector head lamps with daytime running lamps and LED turn indicators and tail lamps and a fully digital console. This will definitely be one of the most beautiful looking scooters in the country when released.
Oh, did I tell you that the fuel injection system of the ZIR can interact with your smartphone to send telemetry directly via an application? Amazing isn’t it? Launch is slated for next year!
Scooters seem to be the next segment every manufacturer is targeting including Hero. We have done a small comparo between the 110cc scooters available in the market. You can check it out here.