Photography: Vaibhav Dhanawade
Hero MotoCorp needs no introduction as far as Indian two-wheeler brands go. It is the largest two-wheeler manufacturer by volume across the world, and in India. Having a major hold in the market, Hero has been top dog in sales volumes for decades, but the company’s success has been largely on the back of the mighty Splendor as well as other commuter motorcycles in its portfolio. Over recent years though, Hero’s brand image has slowly and certainly been evolving with new inroads into more premium segments, with several impressive products.
Hero’s ‘Xtreme’ moniker was introduced by Hero several years back, first as the 150 cc CBZ Xtreme nearly two decades ago, and from then on with several models, most recently being 125 cc, 160 cc and 200 cc iterations. Over the past few years, Hero seems to have got the formula right with the Xtreme 160 4V and the most recent being the Hero Xtreme 125R, which has become one of the highest-selling motorcycles in the 125cc segment.
Building further on this momentum, Hero has now expanded its Xtreme range by launching the all-new Hero Xtreme 250R. It’s a radical-looking 250 cc sport naked offering targeted at young riders looking to upgrade from 150 cc products. Problem is, the quarter-litre naked street segment already has several impressive motorcycles like the KTM 250 Duke and the Suzuki Gixxer 250 sitting pretty, having captured the hearts and minds of consumers. For Hero to take a shot at volumes in this segment, the Xtreme 250R needs to be sharper and more engaging to ride than what it looks like. Is it though? That’s the biggest question on our minds when we headed to Udaipur to get up close and personal with the new Hero Xtreme 250R!
Also Read: Hero Xoom 125 Review
Hero has significantly changed its design approach with the modern lineup of the Xtreme models and so far, it has worked well. The Xtreme 250R takes it to the next level, as Hero has clearly put in a lot of effort with the design. Based on the Xtunt 2.5R concept that was showcased at the EICMA show two years back, the production version maintains the sport-naked theme that gives the Xtreme 250R an imposing and muscular look. In Hero’s own words, consumers in this segment wants to “show off” their ride, and the Xtreme 250R clearly doesn’t hold back in that department!
The Xtreme 250R’s aggressive design is further accentuated by the sharp-looking LED headlamp assembly with the H-signature LED DRLs flanked by meaty upside-down fork. The gold-finished USD fork (only on the Firestorm Red colour option) and the radiator shrouds further add more muscle to “show off”. The muscular look is further carried over to the rather bulbous looking but sculpted fuel tank, which has several panels layered over each other. The rounded shape of the fuel tank is something which, to our eyes, takes getting used to. It doesn’t come in the way of the riding position, but visually, the rounded shape does somewhat take away the overall sporty and sharp design of the Xtreme 250R.
The compact tail section with a split seat design complements the overall proportions, as does the stubby exhaust. The 17-inch wheels with multi-spoke diamond-cut alloy wheels and bronze-coloured engine covers (only on the Firestorm Red), petal discs, a tyre hugger mounted rear number plate and a three-tone colour scheme with decals complete the streetfighter stance of the motorcycle. For some, the overall design might feel a tad bit busy with the multiple body panels, colours and graphics, but aesthetics is a subjective matter, and in our opinion, it surely looks appealing and deserves more than one look.
The Xtreme 250R comes with a digital LCD console for instrumentation which is laid out well for most of the information it packs. The unit is also Bluetooth-enabled so you also get turn-by-turn navigation updates and call alerts while on the go. You also get a lap timer and a 0-60, 0-100 and a top speed readout which are fun things to have. However, for a 250 cc class motorcycle, we found the size of the display to be small. Ideally it should have been the same size as the outer dimensions of the display unit to maintain proportions. A full-colour TFT console would have added some more flair to the “premium” positioning of the Xtreme 250R.
Besides that, the quality of the switchgear, the fit-and-finish of the body panel and the quality of the paintwork are good for its class and a noticeable step up for the brand. However, how the multi-layered body panels will hold up in the long run is something that time will tell.
In this department, Hero has made sure not to leave out any opportunity as it is extremely crucial for performance to match design philosophy. Powered by a 249 cc, four-valve, liquid-cooled DOHC mill, it is currently the most powerful motor engineered by Hero. Yes, it is derived from the Karizma XMR’s 210cc mill, but the stroke is longer and the engine tune is more focused on low- and mid-range performance. The high-lift cams are different as are the overall cam profiles to give the Xtreme 250R’s engine a completely different personality than the XMR 210. And the differences are apparent the moment you set off and explore the engine’s rev range through the six-speed gearbox.
The 6-speed gearbox with a slip-and-assist clutch offers smooth and precise shifts, and clutch lever is light enough to let your focus on more important things like the next turn ahead and enjoy the lovely intake roar from the engine as it spins above 6,000 rpm. The motor is tuned to produce a max power output of 29.6 bhp at 9250 rpm and 25 Nm of peak torque at 7250 rpm, and it is eager to rev close to 10,000 rpm on the rev counter.
Hero claims that the Xtreme 250R is the fastest accelerating motorcycle in its segment, capable of doing 0-60 kmph in 3.2 seconds and 0-100 kmph in 8.5 seconds, which we will only be able to confirm with a detailed comparison test later. However, as far as top speed is concerned, we managed to clock a speedo-indicated top speed of 150 kmph, and the engine feels relaxed and effortless even at speeds of over 120-130 kmph. The power delivery is spread out well across the rpm band, with a strong focus on the low- and mid-section of the rpm range. The gear ratios have been spaced out well, and the setup scores well for tractability and overtaking. The sweet spot for the motor is around the 85-100 kmph mark, which is enjoyed the most on open roads and corners.
The Xtreme 250R is built around a steel trellis frame with the engine as a stressed member of the chassis. This layout is popular with performance-based machines, and we can confirm that the engineers at Hero have done an impressive job here. The motorcycle tips the scales at 167.7 kg kerb, which is decent for a 250cc motorcycle, and the weight distribution has been done well which is equally distributed between the two ends. Suspended by 43 mm dual cartridge type USDs at the front and a 6-step preload-adjustable gas-charged monoshock at the rear, the suspension setup felt firm for the most bit, but not stiff at any given point.
While most of our ride route was on smooth tarmac, on the few occasions where the road surface was uneven, the suspension setup did a good job of ironing out undulations without transferring any shocks to the spine. The riding triangle on the Xtreme 250R is on the sportier side, but not committed or aggressive with a flat and wide one-piece handlebar offering a relatively upright stance for the rider, with good leverage to steer the motorcycle. With a seat height of 806 mm, most riders should be able to get astride comfortably. The seat cushioning is firm and well-contoured and so is the recess in the fuel tank that allows the rider to hug the bike while cornering. However, the full-lock turning radius is slightly wide so taking U-turns sometimes requires the bike to be moved back a bit before completing the turn.
In the handling department, the Xtreme 250R packs all the attributes for a fun and engaging motorcycle that loves to attack long sweeping turns and sharp bends. The suspension has the right amount of firmness to inspire confidence and so does the chassis to lean into a corner. However, it is the tyres that limit the motorcycle’s capabilities. On straights, they perform fine offering the required grip level and feel, but the same can’t be said while cornering. Despite dropping the tyre pressures a bit or riding the motorcycle for a good period to warm them up, the tyres didn’t inspire the confidence to trust and lean into a corner with commitment. We feel that Hero should consider having tyres that offer more grip and better complement the capabilities of the motorcycle.
Despite the reduced braking performance due to the tyres, the bite on the front brake is quite soft and requires a good squeeze of the lever to get the front brake to operate as required, although overall performance from the dual-channel ABS set-up is quite nice. And talking of the brakes, the ABS on the Xtreme 250R is offered with two modes – Road and Race. The ABS intervention in both modes is designed as per the application with Race switching off ABS on the rear wheel, and rear wheel lift-off protection disengaged for more aggressive riding, like on track, or for those into stunts.
The Hero Xtreme 250R The Hero Xtreme 250R is available only in one variant but can be opted in three colourways – Firestorm Red, Neon Shooting Star and Stealth Black. The gold-finished USD fork and bronze engine cases are only available in Firestorm Red, although the sticker price is same for all colour options. Priced at Rs 1.8 lakh (Ex-showroom), Hero has managed to undercut all of the Xtreme 250R’s rivals including the Suzuki Gixxer 250, Husqvarna Vitpilen 250 and the KTM Duke 250. After riding it around all kinds of road conditions, we can say that the Xtreme 250R has a lot of potential to become a formidable contender in the 250 cc motorcycle segment.
It has a striking design, a refined and punchy powertrain, a slick gearbox and is engaging and sharp in the dynamics department as well. In all, the Xtreme 250R certainly ticks all the boxes to make it an aspirational motorcycle that is easily one of the best products from Hero MotoCorp till date. Better tyres, better instrumentation would have made the Xtreme 250R more engaging and exciting for sure. But at its price point, the Xtreme 250R still is a bike that should be on anyone’s consideration looking for a 250 cc sport naked!
