A Great Companion

It had been some time since I rode a motorcycle, my regular commuter being a scooter. The Hero Xtreme was there at the BI garage and I got it as my long-term bike.

Initially, I was a little sceptical about the bike because things were not falling in place, such as the brakes, gear lever, and the stance of the bike. Everything was different from the scooter that I had been using. However, as days passed, I got the hang of this motorcycle and I really began liking it.

The Xtreme is both a sports bike and a commuter: it is fast enough to manage overtaking manoeuvres quite easily because of its powerful 200-cc engine and, at the same time, it is nimble enough to skim through the traffic because of its proper gear ratios.

As for fuel efficiency, I got a decent 40 km per litre on average, which is very nice for a 200-cc bike. The brakes are very good in all situations and the ABS comes in handy too. The only niggles that I have noticed are that there are vibrations which one feels in one’s palms and changing gears sometimes becomes difficult; one has to apply much force. I find that the seat is a little narrow at the front and it becomes uncomfortable on long rides.

Overall, the Hero Xtreme is a great bike to live with. Its styling attracts attention on the road because of its fresh look. The bike is due for service now and I hope all the niggles mentioned above would be addressed, barring, of course, the seat size.