Hero has refreshed the Passion brand for 2018 with two new motorcycles

Introduced as a step up from the bare-bones yet extremely successful Splendor in Hero's 100-cc commuter line-up, the Passion was the stylish option for image-conscious customers willing to spend a bit more, without sacrificing the reliability, ease of use, fuel efficiency, and practicality that were the hallmarks of the original Splendor. Now, for 2018, Hero has refreshed the Passion brand with two new motorcycles: the Passion Pro and Passion X Pro.

New 109-cc engine makes 9.5 PS and 9.0 Nm. Pics/Saurabh Botre

While the Pro stays true to the familiar curves and flowing lines of the original Passion, the X Pro gets quite a few stylised elements. These include the body-coloured mirrors, shapely headlight within the bikini fairing up front, plastic tank shrouds for a meatier look and slightly broader tubeless tyres.

Hero Passion Pro gets a 9.2-litre tank, but the X Pro gets 11 litres

Both bikes are powered by the same 109-cc, air-cooled single, mounted within a double cradle frame. The engine makes 9.5 PS at 7,500 rpm, 9.0 Nm of twist at 5,500 rpm, and is mated to a four-speed gearbox. On the move the engine revs up freely while gear-shifts engage positively without any hidden neutrals showing up, although the gearbox did feel a little notchy at times. Suspension duties are taken care of by a conventional telescopic fork up front and five-stage adjustable shock-absorbers at the rear.

Six o'clock needle position is unique to the X Pro

We spent most of our time filtering through traffic in third and fourth gear, and was quite happy to see how easy it was to manoeuvre these light, nimble motorcycles through tight spaces. On a stretch of open road we did see the speedo needle climb to over 80 km/h, but vibrations start creeping into the seat, foot-pegs and handlebars at anything above 60 km/h. Braking duties on both bikes are taken care of by 240-mm disc up front and a 130-mm drum at the rear.

In an effort to boost fuel efficiency, Hero has equipped the Passion twins with their propriety ignition stop-start system, or ‘i3s', as they call it. The system switches off the engine as soon as you release the clutch in neutral at a stop light and automatically restarts the engine the moment you pull in the clutch to engage first gear. The system can also be switched off in case it gets too intrusive.

Although these bikes are very similar, there are a few differences that need to be highlighted. The most prominent of these is the fact that the X Pro gets a smaller fuel tank, with a capacity of 9.2 litres to the Pro's 11 litres, giving the Passion Pro approximately 100 kilometres of additional range between fill-ups. At 1,967 mm, the Passion X Pro is five mm longer than the Pro, has a longer wheelbase, and, at 778 mm, has a marginally lower seat height than the Pro's 781 mm. Also, the X Pro weighs three kilograms more than the Pro.

In choosing between these two bikes, it basically comes down to the willingness to pay for the added style and slightly premium feel that comes with the X Pro. Looks are subjective and may not appeal to all, and several prospective customers might choose to save a bit of money and get the Pro, with all the utilitarian benefits and the practicality of the larger fuel tank. Hero has not yet announced the pricing of these two new machines, and we will bring you this and a more in-depth review when we get these bikes for a comprehensive road test.

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