Hero brings its first indigenous motorcycle to market

Banking on its most reliable and flagship brand Splendor, Hero MotoCorp, the country's largest two-wheeler maker, today launched its first in-house developed motorcycle, Splendor iSmart 110.

Strapping the country's first BS IV emission compliant smart engine, the Splendor iSmart 110 will be priced at Rs 53,300 (ex showroom, Delhi). It has been built on a completely new chassis and frame.

Most of the technical finishing of the new bike was done at its new Jaipur-based R&D unit, the Centre of Innovation and Technology that was inaugurated in March this year. The new bike would take on the likes of Honda Dream Yuga and TVS Star City+ in the domestic market. It would also be exported to overseas markets and sold under the Hero badge.

Pawan Munjal, CMD and Chief Executive Officer at Hero MotoCorp, told the media that the company is looking at upgrading its entire range of two wheelers, starting with the Splendor iSmart. "It is a fulfilment of dreams. The first internally designed and developed motorcycle has come out of our R&D centre. There is a huge amount of work going on at the centre. We are developing global products and India being the largest market for us is the epicenter of these innovations."

Hero MotoCorp, which enjoys a 39 per cent share in domestic two wheeler market, has loaded the new bikes with an array of safety, comfort and utility features and promises better mileage. Splendor is the largest selling motorcycle brand from the company and 28 million units have been sold so far. The Splendor has received many facelifts and refreshes.

Hero aims to fortify the Splendor franchise with the launch of a new generation Splendor iSmart 110cc bike with the Hero patented i3s technology earlier in July. The Splendor iSmart 110 is the first motorcycle to have been developed by Hero's in--house R&D team with the Hero technology and could take it to the pole position in the Indian two wheeler market which is now ruled by a scooter, Honda Activa.