Hero Passion Pro

Though the redesign looks subtle on the surface, the entire bike has been cosmetically tweaked. The headlamp, fuel tank, side panels, tailpiece and LED tail lamp are new. The new graphics gel well with the blacked out engine, exhaust and alloy wheels. The red rear dampers add a touch of sportiness. In terms of features, the Passion Pro gets a digital analogue instrument console that shows info like the odometer, tripmeters, side stand indicator and fuel level.

The previous Passion Pro used Hero’s tried and tested 97.2 single-cylinder motor. The new 109.1cc air-cooled single, borrowed from the Hero iSmart 110, makes 9.4PS at 7500rpm and 9.0Nm of torque at 5500rpm. It reportedly offers good mid range torque and is quite tractable. Power is up by 1PS while torque has increased by 0.95Nm. With Hero’s i3S technology, the Passion Pro is expected to be more fuel efficient. The gearbox is a 4-speed unit.

The Passion Pro sports 130mm drum brakes on both wheels, but a 240mm front disc is optional. New for 2018 is a double-downtube cradle chassis in place of the single downtube setup. The new frame is reportedly more rigid and has minimal flex. This improves stability and handling by quite a margin. The suspension has been tuned to be firmer, though ride quality isn’t harsh. While commuter motorcycles aren’t exactly known for their handling, the new Passion Pro promises to impress with its road manners.

In terms of safety, the Passion Pro gets Always Headlamp On feature (AHO) and LED tail lamps. It also gets an optional 240mm front disc that should make braking a quicker and safer affair.