Making a bike for the commuter segment in India has got to be the biggest challenge that two-wheeler manufacturers face.
The task of ‘getting it right’ yet being able to do so at a reasonable cost is where the fight is at. And while it doesn’t sound like much, I have reason to believe that the effort involved is probably tougher than giving an R&D team a clean slate and asking them to make a superbike.
The latest bike to hit the market is the Achiever 150. It slots in the premium commuter segment and Hero MotoCorp has worked hard to ensure that it ticks all the right boxes. After all, this product has a major role to play for the company in re-establishing its dominance in the said segment. So, the room for error is non-existent.
The Looks
The bike itself is neatly put together. The premium appeal has been brought out by a no-nonsense styling with subtle cues that point towards its pedigree.
Take for example the carbon fibre-like textured finish on the instrument cluster or the 3-D ‘Hero’ logo on the tank. Both elements do their bit to add that flair to the bike.
Over and above that you get five-spoke alloy wheels. The top-end variant also gets disc brakes as standard. The sleek body styling is best realised from a three-quarter angle, which further accentuates the Achiever’s sporty look.
A lot of attention has also gone into the fit and finish of the bike. I found no reason to complain about any of the materials used. Neither did they look flimsy nor out of place.
Overall, the Achiever still remains a commuter. For that reason Hero has not gone overboard with the styling and has kept it simple yet classy. This will undoubtedly appeal to the audience that it has been designed for.
About the Bike
Powering the Achiever 150 is a 149.1cc air-cooled engine that churns out 13.6 PS at 8000 rpm and makes a decent 12.8 Nm of torque at 5000 rpm. The engine itself isn’t new and is a carryover from Hero’s JV with Honda. However, it has been further optimised to offer a more linear power delivery.
I did find the 80/100 – 18 Ceat Secura tyres to be rather skinny. While this has been done keeping efficiency in mind, I honestly feel that a chunkier rear tyre would have definitely helped in giving the bike a sportier appeal. But then again, that is just from an enthusiast’s perspective.
The other bit of tech that Hero has included on the Achiever 150 is the ‘automatic headlight on’ (AHO) feature. This basically turns the headlight on the minute the engine is fired up.
This has been included from a safety perspective as it makes it easier for other drivers on the road to spot a bike.
The Drive
Keeping with its premium commuter genes, Hero ensured that the ergonomics are spot on. Even for a tall person like me, the upright riding position on the Achiever 150 is extremely comfortable. Besides, the long and wide seat makes sure that two people can easily travel on this bike on city commutes.
What immediately caught my attention when I fired up the bike using the electric start was how smooth the entire sequence felt.
For an instant I was waiting to hear the starter sound only to realize that the bike had already come to life! Slotting it into first gear and setting off on the test track, the refined engine’s characteristics were immediately apparent. I didn’t feel any harshness and vibrations were at an all-time low.
Making my way through the gears, I couldn’t but help notice how easy it is to ride the Achiever 150. Power delivery is linear (it lives up to that claim and how!), and it can hold low speeds in higher gears without the engine sputtering.
Topping off the package is Hero’s I3S technology. This incidentally stands for ‘Idle Start Stop System’, which automatically shuts off the engine if the bike is idle for more than 5 seconds (in neutral).
To get the engine to fire back up, all you have to do is pull the clutch. This tech isn’t new and Hero has employed it on their other commuter offerings. But this is the first 150cc product to get this system and it has been included in order to improve the Achiever’s efficiency. Speaking of which, the Achiever 150 is said to return a healthy 50 kmpl.
Verdict
Hero MotoCorp has worked hard to make the Achiever 150 a reliable machine that undoubtedly caters to a more mature audience. And in doing so, I believe they have a fine product out there in the market.
It has been priced reasonably well and it delivers on every aspect that it has been designed for.
(Vikram Gour is one of India’s renowned automotive journalists and the co-founder of MotorScribes. He can be reached at @VikramGour)
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