Hero Xtreme 125R 2 Month Usage Review: Long-Term Report Part 2

Since the introduction of the Hero Xtreme 125R to the ZigWheels long-term garage, I have been using the bike as my personal commuter. After spending two months with the bike, I’ve been able to get a better idea of what it feels like living with it. Here’s what I have learnt in the past 2 months.

At Home In The City

My daily commute consists of both city and highway riding. During the two months with the bike, I learned it is more suited to city riding. What makes the bike shine in this environment is the good low-end torque it has to offer along with the decent midrange. 

The Hero Xtreme 125R is able to easily keep up with city traffic and at the same time executing quick overtakes is quite easy. Another thing which I personally liked about the bike is the tractable nature of the bike. During my time with the bike, I was easily able to pull from low speeds of 25kmph at the 5th gear. 

The excellent city performance is quite a welcome bit, but the bike slight;y lags behind on the highway. When riding above speeds of 80kmph, the engine starts feeling stressed, and the bike doesn’t seem to have enough power to execute overtakes. So while riding on the highway, I do get that feeling that I cannot push the bike beyond a certain limit. But overall, this is nothing more than a minor inconvenience, and the amazing city riding experience is the most important thing.

A Big Money Saver

The Xtreme 125R offers a mileage of 63.5kmpl, and this is something that I absolutely LOVE about the motorcycle. This has really made quite a difference for me, as I’ve been saving up quite a bit of money in terms of fuel expenses. 

Compared to my personal bike, which is a Yamaha MT-15 I am able to save a considerable bit. The MT-15 offers a mileage that is around 45-50kmpl, and this might not seem like a big difference but in the real world it makes quite an impact.

A Big Life Saver Too

The Xtreme 125R comes with a few segment-first bits, and out of them, what really makes the biggest difference is the front disc. The bike gets a 276mm front disc brake, which is the largest in the 125cc commuter segment. 

In the real world, the disc brake offers really good stopping power with a strong initial braking bite. While riding the bike, I have had some close calls, and the excellent braking performance really made the difference in those instances. 

That said, the rear brake, which is a drum unit, doesn't offer the same kind of stopping power. Another issue is the lack of feel, which makes it quite easy to lock up the rear when braking hard. But I still find using a combination of both the front and rear very useful during emergency braking situations. 

A Bit Too Basic?

One thing which I didn’t like about the bike earlier is the rather simple looking instrument console. In the road test review I had mentioned that the console is a bit too small and is difficult to read under harsh sunlight. But now after living with the bike for 2 months, my judgement has changed slightly.

The console uses a really large font for the speedometer readouts which makes it easy to read at a glance. The tachometer positioning at the top is also not a big problem as such, and getting rpm readouts at a glance is not difficult. That said, the low brightness is still an issue when riding under harsh sunlight. 

One thing that I hadn’t paid much attention to is the smartphone connectivity feature that is offered. The console offers the option to pair the rider’s smartphone, for features such as call/SMS alerts and phone battery level readouts. Now, this is a neat little addition but given the small font with which it is displayed, it doesn't make that much of a difference. During my time with the bike, I rarely used it. 

Decently Comfortable 

The bike is quite comfortable when riding for short distances. But longer commutes, especially ones where you will be stuck in traffic for a while, will get uncomfortable. After spending some time on the saddle, I started to feel by butt go numb.

Pillion comfort is also not exactly commuter-like. Usually, commuter bikes come with a single-piece seat or a flatter twin-seat setup, so the Xtreme 125R’s raised tail-section and seat setup really stand out in a way. The sporty nature of the bike, with the raised tail section, makes it look really good. But this is something many pillion riders may not appreciate. 

What Was It Like Living With The Xtreme 125R?

The Hero Xtreme 125R was quite an interesting bike and one which really opened my eyes. The amazing looks of the bike and the feel, made me feel like I was riding a higher capacity motorcycle. A lot of the things which were mentioned in the road test review have been reinforced with this experience.

Like I said earlier, the performance was adequate to meet my commuting needs, and being able to save some money in the process was an added bonus. Overall, the Xtreme 125R has really given me a new perspective on bikes. It has proven that to be exciting and memorable, a bike doesn’t need to have the highest capacity motor or the fastest speed.

Pros: 

1. The engine offers good mileage of 63.5kmpl

2. The large 276mm front brake is quite useful in emergencies

Cons:

1. The instrument console is a bit too basic compared to rivals

Kilometres Earlier: 1600km

Kilometres Ridden: 2545km