Hero Super Splendor Xtec 2.0 vs Honda Shine 125: Detailed Comparison

The Honda Shine 125 has been the leader in the commuter 125cc segment for quite a while now. And that is despite Honda not properly updating the bike in quite a while and the segment being bombarded with sportier, more fun 125cc bikes quite regularly. And to challenge the Shine 125 a bit more, Hero recently launched the Hero Super Splendor Xtec 2.0. 

Price & Variants

1. The Honda Shine 125 wins the first round by a small but reasonably decent margin. The around Rs 5,000 delta in the respective variants’ prices won’t come across as a big difference if you intend to buy the bike through EMIs, over a period of a couple of years. 

• That said, that sort of money could very well pay for 6-7 months of fuel consumption for such fuel efficient bikes, so it’s definitely not insignificant. 

• So in this battle of 2 well-priced, value for money bikes, the Honda bike has the edge over the Hero bike. 

Dimensions & Design 

• On paper, the Shine 125 seems to be bigger in all the right ways: it’s wider, longer, taller, all of which could increase your sense of a premium motorcycle. But then it’s also the lighter bike by quite a margin, so it seems to strike best of both worlds.

• While the difference in their weights is significant, it’s not that the Super Splendor is a particularly heavy motorcycle. It still feels quite light, it’s just that the Shine 125 will feel exceptionally light. The bike feels incredibly light even when steering through heavy traffic at low speeds and can change directions with minimum effort. 

• In terms of design, the Super Splendor Xtec 2.0’s updated looks and new colour schemes make it look quite bright and eye-catching indeed. While the bike isn’t particularly handsome, it’s clean, looks reasonably good and has some lovely colourways on offer. 

• The Shine 125 hasn’t been given a proper update in quite a while and the design does look a bit dated now. While it has the typical Honda goodness and has good fit and finish levels, it’s not very youthful now. It also doesn’t help that the colour schemes on offer are a bit mellow too. 

Features & Safety

• No points for guessing which bike wins this segment. All Hero Xtec bikes are feature-loaded and it’s the same with the Super Splendor Xtec 2.0. The Bluetooth connectivity facilitates a whole host of features including nifty bits like real-time mileage indicator and a service reminder as well. 

• Honda, meanwhile, has kept it old-school with the Shine 125. There’s a digital console but no Bluetooth connectivity. Apart from that, the only notable feature is a Type C charging port. 

• Now, the Shine 125 is a simple bike so we’re not mad that Honda has not given it too many fancy features. So it depends on you. If you like your motorcycles feature-loaded and don’t mind paying for it, the Super Splendor’s extra cost wouldn’t bother you. 

• But if you like keeping things simple too, the Shine 125’s low features list won’t bother you and its lower price tag will act as a win-win situation. 

Engines

• The story is quite similar with respect to both bikes’ engines. They both have similar displacements as well as power and torque figures. And they don’t feel particularly different either. 

• They’re both reasonably grunty in the city, which means making quick overtakes is that much easier. They’re also quite tractable, meaning you can slot the bike in a gear higher than required and it’ll still chug along without complaints. 

• Both engines also don’t have a lot of grunt when you start revving them out. Cross about 50-60kmph and they both run out of steam, making it very clear that they’re both meant to do a big chunk of their jobs in the city. 

• That said, having 125cc engines and a 5-speed gearbox means they’re both more adept to handling highway duties than their 100cc versions. Both will sit at about 65-70kmph reasonably smoothly and if you don’t mind some vibrations and a loud engine, they’ll hold a steady 80kmph as well. During that, the Shine will feel a bit smoother than the Super Splendor. 

Verdict 

This has been quite a close battle, for both the Hero Super Splendor Xtec 2.0 and the Honda Shine 125 seem to be quite capable 125cc commuters. So it comes down to personal preference. If you’re on a strict budget, the Shine’s lower price tag will be more inviting for sure. 

But if you want something more contemporary, something less barebones, the Super Splendor looks that way and packs the features to match its looks. And if you don’t mind paying a bit more for that, the Super Splendor will be the sweeter deal for you. 

Comparisons With Other Rivals: 

As compared to the Honda SP125, the Hero Super Splendor has more features, looks better and if you’re ready to pay a bit more for it, sounds like the better all-round deal. 

The TVS Raider 125 is more sporty, has more features and looks more attractive but also comes at a higher price tag. 

The Bajaj Pulsar 125 hasn’t been updated since quite a while so the Super Splendor will feel like the more contemporary, feature-loaded bike.