Hero Pleasure

Features: Hero entered the scooter segment with the Pleasure, a traditional midsize scooter designed for the fairer sex. Over the years, it’s gone through many iterations in terms of colour updates and graphics. The major design update, though, came in 2014 with a sharper and sleeker set of indicators, headlight and tail. The steel wheels also got replaced by alloy wheels, now finished in black. Other latest updates include dual tone colours, new body graphics, front storage with a mobile charging socket, Integrated Braking System (IBS), underseat storage boot light and a side-stand indicator.

Engine: Powering the Hero Pleasure is a 102cc single-cylinder engine which develops 7PS of power @ 7000rpm and 8.1Nm of torque @ 5000rpm. Hero claims the Pleasure can achieve a top speed of 77kmph. Suspension duties are handled by a bottom-link front, which is still not updated, and a hydraulic shock absorber at the rear. Braking is done via 130mm drum units at both ends. The Pleasure gets 90/100 tyres at both ends and packs a 5-litre fuel tank, while tipping the scale at 101kg.

Rivals: Honda Activa i: The Honda Activa i is more or less Honda’s take on the Pleasure. The styling on the Activa i is also female-oriented. There is no front storage here and there is no boot light either. Mobile charging, though, is available as an optional extra. It is 1PS more powerful than the Pleasure, which should give it some more pep. But it clearly loses out on the feature front. It also sits the rider 5mm higher, with the Pleasure available with a seat height of 760mm. Storage space available is 18 litres. CBS (Combined Braking System) is available as standard TVS Scooty Zest: The TVS Scooty Zest checks all the boxes when it comes to features, performance, refinement and comfort. On the feature front, it gets DRLs on the front apron, LED tail light, front storage space, boot light with mobile charging socket and an external fuel filler cap. The ride quality is also a lot supple with the telescopic front. Power is at par with the Activa i but the big boon here is the more modern CVTi gearbox which engages swiftly in comparison to the outdated variomatic gearbox on the Activa i and Pleasure. Build quality is also far better than what the Honda and Hero offer. Unfortunately, the Zest misses out on Sync Braking. It is also the lightest of the lot here, tipping the scale at 97kg.