The Passion is a strong brand for Hero, having been around for nearly 20 years. Over the years, it has evolved quite a bit but the most recent upgrade is the most substantial. That said, the motorcycle continues to be true to the original in the way that it offers a little bit more than the standard Splendor, for not a lot more money. Th
The Passion Pro, when it was updated a couple of years ago, received the in-house developed 109.1cc motor. For 2020, it gets the updated BS6-compliant 113cc engine from the iSmart, which puts out 9.15hp and 9.9Nm of torque.
The fuel-injected engine is hard to fault. It is smooth, punchy and gets the bike to 60kph in 7.21sec and 80kph in 14.9sec. What you will really like is how unstressed it feels at 80kph. At lower speeds, it chugs along quite nicely without needing a lot of clutch control. With its ‘Autosail’ tech, the new Passion Pro lets you move forward by just letting go of the clutch. The only thing here that will remind one of the older Passion is the clunky 4-speed gearbox.
- Cubic Capacity - 113cc
- Fuel Delivery System - Fuel-injected
- Max Power - 9.15hp at 7500rpm
- Max Torque - 9.89Nm at 5000rpm
- No of Gears - 4
- Front Brake Type - Disc / drum
- Front Brake Size (mm) - 240mm / 130mm
- Rear Brake Type - Drum
- Rear Brake Size (mm) - 130mm
- Front Suspension - Telescopic fork
- Rear Suspension - Twin shock absorbers
- Acceleration - 0 - 60 kph (sec) - 7.21s
- Braking - 60 - 0 kph (mts) - 18.94m
The bike is also incredibly fuel-efficient, delivering 86.4kpl on the highway and 75.9kpl in the city. A feature that helps with this is the start-stop function that Hero calls i3s. Another big change comes in the form of the new diamond frame, which has made the motorcycle more responsive in its handling. Though the bike feels more stable, the skinny 80/100-18 tyres at both ends do not inspire a lot of confidence on wet corners.
The Passion Pro also has an increased ground clearance of 180mm. Hero says the suspension travel has increased by 14% at the front and 10% at the rear. The Passion Pro also has a really soft seat, although riding more than 50km at a stretch might leave you feeling sore.
With its new flowing design, the lines on the Passion Pro appear more pronounced; tank extensions are larger and its bright two-tone colour options stand out.
The new Passion Pro also features a redesigned and updated head and tail lights. The instrument cluster on the new Passion Pro uses a small digital screen to showcase the fuel-level, odometer, trip meter and the i3s function.
With an ex-showroom, Delhi price of ₹65,740 (drum brake) and ₹67,940 (disc brake), the Passion Pro is among the more expensive motorcycles in its segment. That said, it has witnessed a massive overhaul that makes it significantly better than the model it replaces in almost every way. Another benefit comes from the strong service network that Hero has in India. As to how it fares against rivals, only a comparison review can tell.