Passion could have been better... Review on Hero Honda Splendor

Most people always get confused whether to buy a Splendor or a Passion..once they have fixed on Hero Honda. I would list out the pros and cons of both.

HH Passion is a bike which is pretty stable and feels robust like the caliber. Splendor feels a little lighter and weaker bike. Passion has some good improvements over Splendor like the Helmet Stand, the Fuel Tank, the adjustable rear shocks etc. but fails miserably on Headlight. The headlight is so weak, possibly due to their experimentation to put multi-refractor headlights of CBZ into it. I even tried using a Halogen lamp but it was of no use. The lights are absolutely pathetic. Splendor has got decent lights. The adjustable rear shocks also seem a waste to me as splendor is already so high that the moment you adjust the shocks, you feel like the pillion is going to fly away at the next speed breaker. Passion is more stylish than splendor no doubt, but for someone who is not all that concerned about style, splendor is any day a better bet. It also works out cheaper. Regarding Power, I have never found passion having greater power than splendor although it certainly can achieve a better top speed. The economy is also not as good as splendor. Passion requires greater maintenance with time. An old splendor doesn’t need as much maintenance as an Old Passion.

I have personally found that both Passion and Splendor are wonderful to drive if you replace the original handles with that of Fury(An old bike..The handles are still available for around Rs.100!!). It eases comfort and makes the bike more maneuverable. The flip side is that the there is a small problem with the clutch play on doing the same (Although I have never felt it since the last 2 years..the company guys claim so).

In the choice between Splendor and Passion, the better bike is Passion but I find that the best bike that Hero Honda made is the non Euro 2000 model of Splendor. It is the most awesome bike, with excellent power, mileage and sound.

So guys, if you can manage a second hand splendor(pre-2000) in mint condition, then don’t think twice. Just go for it!!