Hero MotoCorp Duet: Final Long Term Report

I think it’s psychological, but I’m probably wrong. From the time we got the Hero Duet long term I’ve started to see quite a lot of them on roads. Maybe because it doesn’t have the flair and bold design of its sibling Hero Maestro that the Duet tends to merge in the crowd without attracting unnecessary attention. Which for a commuter is not a bad thing.

Things like comfort and convenience are such that you only tend to appreciate and miss them when they are not around. In the past three months I got so used to the clutch-and-gear-free commuting with the Hero Duet within the city that now when I’m back on a motorcycle, struggling to cope up with Mumbai’s traffic, I really long for the ease and convenience of a scooter like the Duet.

Smartly packed with features like external fuel filler cap, side-stand indicator, telescopic front forks and plenty of storage space and accessories option, the Duet has been designed specifically for commuting needs. Similarly, the engine has been tuned to offer better fuel economy than pure performance. So, although the power delivery is smooth and linear, it’s not breathtakingly peppy. Just enough to scoot around town at ease.

Staying on the topic of fuel economy, our long term Duet managed just over 50kmpl during my daily commute which is a mix of city and a patch of highway. Which is impressive, if you consider the kind of traffic snarls Mumbai is infamous for.

The seat is long, with soft cushioning, and is spacious enough for two adults. The advantage of having telescopic front forks is that is that unlike trailing link the Duet doesn’t unsettle easily over bad patches of roads. Another handy feature is the integrated braking system which engages the front brakes gently every time the rear brakes are applied. This actually improves the stopping power and reduces the braking distance.

It is features like this and Hero’s vast service network that makes the Duet a good scooter to live with. With its understated looks, linear power delivery, low running cost and very useful features the Duet is for those looking for a simple no-nonsense scooter. It’s one of those things you grow fond of with every passing day.

Date acquired: May 2016

Total km to date: 1104kms 

Efficiency: 50.8 kmpl (Overall)

Costs: Nil

Cheers: Features, Under-Seat Space

Sneers: Low end power