We test one of HERO's newest model to the Philippines
The Philippines had no idea what HERO MotoCorp was until recently. To those who are not yet familiar, HERO is an Indian motorcycle manufacturing company headquartered in Delhi. HERO MotoCorp was established in 1984 as a joint venture between Hero Cycles of India and Honda of Japan. In 2010, HERO and Honda terminated their joint venture, which allowed HERO to finally expand and export its products to international markets.
According to Sanjay Bhan, Chief Business Officer - Global Business Unit, HERO MotoCorp holds about 46% market share in the Indian two-wheeler market and is the largest motorcycle manufacturing company in India and the world since 2001.
In August 2024, HERO finally introduced itself to Filipinos with its partner, Terrafirma Motors Corporation, boasting its assembly plant in Laguna capable of producing up to 150,000 motorcycles annually.
We at MotoPinas.com were one of the first to sign up for their demo bikes, and after 3 months and the motorcycle’s LTO registration done, HERO delivered its brand spanking new Hunk 160R to us.
Proudly made in India
This is not the first time that Pinoys can ride a motorcycle designed and made for meticulous Indian riders. Remember the Yamaha FZ 16? How about the Bajaj CT100, which was sold by Kawasaki? Then there’s the Royal Enfield and its motorcycles. Suzuki also has a couple of motorcycles made for the Indian market in its offerings, like the Burgman Street, Avenis, Gixxer 155, Gixxer SF 155, Gixxer 250/SF, and the V-Strom 250 SX.
With HERO MotoCorp now in the PH, three of its models are available: the XPulse 200 4V adventure bike at PHP 140,000, the Hunk 160R naked bike at PHP 99,900 and the XOOM 110 scooter at PHP 69,900.
These motorcycles from HERO arrive in crates from India and are assembled in Laguna.
Hunk 160R
Powering the Hunk 160R is a 163.2 cc single-cylinder, EFI, air and oil-cooled engine with 4 valves, delivering 17 ps of power at 8,500 rpm and 14.6 nm of torque at 6,500 rpm. The engine is mated to a 5-speed transmission.
With regards to styling, the Hunk 160R features an aggressive look that is complemented by its modern headlight design and large tank fairings that give this 160 cc an impression that is close to a big bike.
Other features include an inverted LCD panel, 12-liter fuel tank, USB charging socket sporty seat, all-LED lighting, alloy wheels, engine guard, and disc brakes for both the front and rear.
Riding the Hunk 160R
Indian-made motorcycles are famous for their fuel economy and the Hunk 160R didn’t disappoint. Based on my riding habits, the Hunk 160R returned a respectable fuel economy between 33 and 35 kilometers per liter. Not bad, if you’re going to ask me, especially for this 144-kilo 160 cc motorcycle.
That said, the Hunk 160R’s 12-liter fuel tank could take its rider to 420 kilometers in one top-up. That’s more than enough fuel (one-way) from Manila to Vigan.
Unfortunately, the test unit that was delivered to MotoPinas.com was marred with build quality issues that prevented us from testing the bike’s performance a bit further.
This bike almost crashed us
First, the key switch. When the unit was delivered, I didn’t realize that the key switch was not bolted and was hanging loose to where it was supposed to be. It made switching the bike on a bit challenging.
Second, and probably the most nerve-racking experience I had during the Hunk 160R’s stint with us came when the steering lock decided to come loose. This steering lock did its job but not at the right time – locking the bike’s steering while I was riding the bike, which almost made me crash the Hunk 160R into another vehicle. Fortunately, I was able to regain control of the bike and avoided the unthinkable.
Since this is a safety issue, we at MotoPinas.com decided to just take it easy with the Hunk 160R.
Third, the Hunk 160R’s rear mudguard almost came loose, which I just found out when I was cleaning the bike before it was picked up by our friends from HERO. Apparently, the rear mudguard is held by a couple of bolts and it seems that these bolts were not torqued to specs, therefore coming loose while I was riding the bike.
The mudguard stayed, held only by one remaining bolt. This is also a potential safety issue, as the rear wheel could lock if the mudguard comes loose and gets caught in the wheel during a ride.
Additionally, the test unit that was delivered to us does not have an ABS. I was told by our friends from HERO that the Philippine-spec Hunk 160R is not supposed to be equipped with an ABS, unlike its Indian-spec counterpart. I didn’t ask further but I can only assume it was done to cut costs and put the Hunk 160R at a more competitive price point. Also, the Hunk 160R is equipped with a regular telescopic fork, unlike its Indian-spec counterpart, the Xtreme 160R, which is equipped with a KYB inverted fork. Again, this could be to cut costs and put the Hunk 160R at a more competitive price point.
We are friends with HERO PH and most of its executives have been our friends in the industry for many years now. However, we feel that there is still much work to be done with HERO PH’s quality control and it needs to be addressed. We at MotoPinas.com also hope that this is only an isolated case, and we still (with much enthusiasm) look forward to HERO’s next bike for review.
