(Photography: Arvind Salhan)
Sporty, flashy and feature-rich! Not exactly the adjectives you’d reserve for a 125 cc commuter motorcycle, but that’s how much this segment has changed over the past few years. Gone are the days when a 125 cc motorcycle was considered boring and almost unattractive. Today’s motorcycles in this segment have become premium and stylish, catering to a young customer base, who not just seeks fuel efficiency, but also premium features and sporty appeal. And that’s what both the Hero Xtreme 125R and the TVS Raider offer in spades!
Since its launch in 2021, the TVS Raider has become a popular choice in this segment and has today become TVS Motor Company's bestselling motorcycle. And now, we have the Hero Xtreme 125R, which follows the same blueprint as the Raider’s, but goes a bit more in offering aggressive and sporty looks, coupled with efficient but engaging performance, and more importantly, desirability. The question is, if you were to buy a 125 cc motorcycle with sporty looks and premium features, which one from these two should you choose?
Also Read: Hero Xtreme 125R Review
The TVS Raider strikes a handsome pose, but it's the Hero Xtreme 125R which has the flashier and more flamboyant design.
Both bikes look sharp, sporty and premium, and even though the TVS Raider has been around for a few years, it still strikes a handsome pose. It has the right combination of sporty appeal, excellent fit and finish and practicality. With its unique LED headlight design, the Raider has a friendly face, giving it a playful and child-like personality which is quite likeable. With its seat height of 780 mm and kerb weight of just 123 kg, the Raider also nails it when it comes to being accessible and easy to handle the moment you swing a leg over it. Despite the better paint quality though, the Raider doesn’t get LED turn indicators which the Xtreme 125R does come with.
The Hero Xtreme 125R gets an aggressive face and has a sporty design.
But it’s the Hero Xtreme 125R which has a more aggressive and sportier design. With its sharp body panels, muscular fuel tank and an aggressive face which screams attitude, the Xtreme 125R gives off vibes of a naked street bike which sits a segment above, in the 150-160 cc segment. And with its fat 120-section rear tyre, the Xtreme 125R also gets more visual mass. When you sit on it, the taller seat height (194 mm) and fat tank shrouds makes it feel like a bigger motorcycle than a 125 cc.
The TVS Raider has better overall fit and finish, and build quality.
Compared to the TVS Raider, the panel gaps, overall build quality, paint finish and quality of plastic and switches of the Xtreme 125R aren’t up to the level of the TVS, but aren’t necessarily poor, or anything to find fault with. Overall, it’s the Hero which has the sportier and flashier design. But in my opinion, the design of the face looks a little busy, and somewhat being inspired by premium Italian motorcycles, while the Raider seems to have a more original design language. The TVS’ design is a little safe, yet it’s a good-looking and handsome motorcycle.
Also Read: TVS Raider First Ride Review
The Hero Xtreme 125R gets a negative LCD display which has all necessary information, but pales in comparison to the TVS.
In the features department, both bikes get useful USB charging points, but the Xtreme 125R only gets a negative LCD console, while the top-spec Raider gets a full-colour TFT screen. The TVS also boasts of the TVS SmartXonnect system, boasting of more than 99 connected features.
the top-spec Raider has the upper hand, boasting of a full-colour TFT console with the TVS SmartXonnect system, which offers more than 99 connected features, including turn- by-turn navigation, notifications, ride reports and more.
The Hero Xtreme 125R gets segment-first single-channel ABS.
But there’s one feature where the Xtreme 125R gets the upper hand, and that’s the single-channel ABS. In my book, if you have single-channel ABS, that’s a feature you should opt for, because when you have an emergency and you need to brake hard, that could make the difference between you staying upright or skidding and having a fall.
The top-spec TVS Raider gets a full-colour TFT console with a long list of connected features.
The TVS Raider doesn’t get an engine kill switch, and that’s a bit of a letdown because it’s a very handy feature to have. Instead, what it gets is a Eco and Power mode toggle switch. Now, for a 125 cc, I don’t see the point of an Eco or a Power mode, and in regular riding conditions, you can’t really make out the difference between the Eco and Power modes. A kill switch definitely would have been more convenient.
Both bikes are evenly matched when it comes to performance, with identical claimed 0-60 kmph acceleration time in 5.9 seconds.
The TVS Raider’s silent starter brings the 3-valve engine to life quietly and is freer breathing with a meatier exhaust note. From a standstill, both bikes are evenly matched in acceleration, with identical 0-60 kmph claimed acceleration timings in 5.9 seconds. But it’s the Raider which feels like it’s got better lungs and a more tractable engine, thanks to the three-valve head. The Xtreme 125R also has smooth performance, but the difference the 2-valve head makes, is immediately apparent. In city speeds, it just doesn’t feel as refined and free breathing as the TVS.
The TVS Raider's engine has a three-valve head, and also makes slightly more torque of 11.2 Nm.
The Raider also produces slightly more torque and that too at lower revs, so it has the upper hand in tractability. With slick and precise gearshift, while working through the five-speed transmission, the TVS also offers a better feel from the engine in the mid-range. But at higher speeds, it’s the Xtreme 125R which feels less stressed and still offers a refined experience. On the other hand, the Xtreme 125R’s gearshift, even though precise, feel slightly rubbery compared to the Raider.
| TVS Raider | Hero Xtreme 125R |
| 124.8 cc, 3-valve engine | 125 cc, 2-valve engine |
| 11.2 bhp @ 7500 rpm | 11.4 bhp @ 8250 rpm |
| 11.2 Nm @ 6000 rpm | 10.5 Nm @ 6500 rpm |
| 123 kg kerb weight | 136 kg kerb weight |
The Hero Xtreme 125R gets a two-valve head, and engine feel is less throaty than the Raider.
On the dynamics front, the Hero Xtreme 125R comes with suspension tuned by Showa, and the ride quality is plush and supple, which is more apparent when you go over broken patches. The TVS Raider has a firm ride in comparison, but not something which is stiff or uncomfortable. But when it comes to pillion comfort, it’s the TVS which has the upper hand, offering more real estate and better pillion comfort. The Hero offers a taller pillion seat, and isn’t as comfortable for the pillion as the TVS is.
The Hero Xtreme 125R has good dynamics, and offers very good stability and handling.
The lightweight advantage of the TVS also gives it an edge when you’re filtering through traffic. And when you’re cornering, it’s the TVS Raider which gives you a sense of more control than the Xtreme 125R. The Hero’s front end feels lighter, even though the suspension is quite well-sorted, but it will take a little more time to get used to the Hero’s dynamics, while the TVS feels immediately at home, and more planted. But then, in terms of braking, it’s the Hero, with its single-channel ABS, which is an important safety feature, and offers more confidence. The TVS so far, doesn’t get single-channel ABS, even as an option.
The TVS Raider also offers very good handling, and it's more agile and nimble, thanks to its 13 kg lighter kerb weight.
Prices for the Hero Xtreme 125R’s prices begin at Rs. 95,000 for the base variant, with integrated braking system, and the top-spec variant with single-channel ABS is priced at Rs. 99,500 (Ex-showroom). The TVS Raider’s prices begin at Rs. 95,219, going up to Rs. 1,03,570 for the top-spec variant.
On the top-spec variant, it's the Hero Xtreme 125R which has the price advantage.
| Variant | Price (Ex-showroom Delhi) |
| Hero Xtreme 125R IBS | ₹ 95,000 |
| Hero Xtreme 125R ABS | ₹ 99,500 |
| TVS Raider Single Seat | ₹ 95,219 |
| TVS Raider Split Seat | ₹ 97,019 |
| TVS Raider SSE | ₹ 100,119 |
| TVS Raider SX | ₹ 103,570 |
Both bikes offer decent fuel economy which is par for the course, in the 125 cc segment.
Depending on how you ride them, in what conditions, speed and weight of the rider, expect average fuel consumption figures to be in the ballpark of around 62 kmpl on the TVS Raider, which is also the lighter bike. On the Xtreme 125R, you can also expect average real world fuel efficiency of around 60 kmpl, again depending on your riding style and traffic conditions.
If the TVS Raider offered single-channel ABS, even as an option, it would be the clear winner, without a doubt. Right now, both bikes have their strengths which make them neck and neck.
There’s no easy way to answer which bike is the better bike between the two. The TVS Raider certainly has better build quality. It feels like a much better built product than the Hero Xtreme 125R. Engine refinement is better, it’s a lighter bike, it’s more tractable in terms of engine performance. But if you look at visual appeal, it’s the Xtreme 125R which looks more desirable. And at that price point, that kind of sporty appeal is perhaps not offered in any other motorcycle in is segment. But as an overall product, it’s the TVS Raider which has the slight edge over the Hero Xtreme 125R.
