Hero Pleasure Self (Old Model)

The Honda Hero Pleasure aims to position itself as a premium scooter model. With its provocative tagline, ‘Why should boys have all the fun?’ it is clearly aimed at women. The Hero Pleasure’s design is one of its best features. Intended to be bold and eye-catching, it aims to sell itself as a bike for girls who love luxury, comfort and style, and the result is certainly eye-catching. The bike looks slim and streamlined, with interesting curves in the body details such as crescent headlamps and a contemporary looking taillight cluster. This seductive scooterette features a front fender in the chosen body shade, plus sharply formed nose, mudguard and panels. The body-colored handlebar cluster at the front nicely incorporates the headlamp.

Instrument Console

The Hero Pleasure’s body features a revamped and overhauled instrument console, located immediately behind the bike’s mask. The oval-shaped panel looks trendy, with clear displays and a pleasing layout. Indicators are stacked vertically, with clear dials and bright yellow needles for the speedometer and fuel gauge.

Engine and Gearbox

Hero Pleasure is powered by a 102cc displacement engine: air-cooled and 4-stroke, with a single cylinder. Its maximum power is 7 bhp at 7000 rpm, and it can develop a maximum torque of 7.85 Nm at 5000 rpm. It’s an excellent match for this lightweight scooter.

Acceleration and Top Speed

The throttle response leaves a little to be desired: while Honda’s Dio bike shows a remarkably quick response to a twist of the accelerator, the Hero Pleasure lags by a few seconds before responding. The bike is claimed to have a 77 kmph, a figure that seems to be borne out by tests.

Mileage

The Hero Pleasure achieves an average mileage of 35 to 45 km per litre, making it a relatively efficient vehicle to drive – it’s among the highest in its category and looks respectable beside the 40 kmpl averages of scooters on the market.

Comfort While Driving

Aimed squarely at savvy female drivers, the Honda Hero Pleasure features a broader seat for greater comfort whilst riding, both for the pillion and the driver. Its upright seating position is comfortable for any duration of ride, and the seats are large and wide, with generous legroom. There are also foot pegs and a rear grab rail for the benefit of the passenger rider.

Safety Features

One novel feature of the Honda Hero Pleasure designed to improve its safety and reliability is its puncture-resistant tuff-up tyre tubes. These provide a ceramic layer that cushions the air component in the tube, helping to resist punctures from sharp objects.

Storage Space

As one of its major selling point, the bike is equipped with a generous storage space - the luggage space is large enough to accommodate a helmet. There’s also a hook behind the rear footboard for carrying bags and a front glove box for additional utility.

Suspension

The scooter is fitted with bottom-link suspension with a spring-loaded hydraulic damper at the front, and swing-arm suspension with a spring-loaded hydraulic damper at the rear. The bike’s conventional shock absorbers are designed to reduce shocks from uneven driving surfaces. While the bike handles very smoothly on good road surfaces, it is definitely not up to any kind of punishment from uneven terrain. The front suspension does a poor job of absorbing shocks, and riders may find riding on bumpy ground very unpleasant - this is definitely a city scooter.

Brakes

The brakes front and rear are internal expanding 130mm shoe-type. The brakes are efficient and reliable, although there is a noticeable deterioration of performance on slippery surfaces such as wet roads. It is also equipped with Integrated Braking System (IBS).

Ride and Handling

The self-starter mechanism, fitted as standard, does away with the need for a kick-start, a feature that many drivers will appreciate. The engine runs smoothly and silently for a ride that feels effortless, and the bike’s pick-up is good. While riding, it feels stable and the bike’s 104-kilogram body feels well balanced, with no heaviness on the handlebars and an excellent level of feedback. With a tighter turning radius, it handles well when weaving through traffic. The engine is very smooth and remarkably quiet – you might forget that it’s running! Overall, the bike is a very pleasant ride, and makes city cruising enjoyable and effortless.

Tyre Size

Hero Pleasure is built for the 10-inch rims commonly found on scooters of this type, and features five-spoke alloys. The front and rear tires are 3.50 x 10 – 4RP/51J. While smaller than the 12-inch tyres of scooters such as the TVS Wego, the flexibility of the tyres is good, and the size feels appropriate for a lightweight bike.

Shades Available

To appeal to drivers who want a ride that feels individual, the Hero Pleasure comes in a range of colors: Bold Black, Beautiful Blue, Playful Red & White, Gorgeous Green, Outgoing Orange, Ravishing Red, Spectacular Silver, Perky Purple and Witty White

Accessories on Offer

The bike comes with relatively few accessories as standard, but additional features such as seat covers can be purchased on top.

Distinctive Features

Unfortunately, the Hero Pleasure lacks some the features that riders might appreciate on the competition, such as a side stand alarm, internal light within the under-seat storage or a mobile phone charger.

Reasons to Buy

An excellent choice for a city commuter, the bike is shapely and well designed, with plenty of charm. It handles well, feels smooth and comfortable, and offers ample storage space. The bike’s fuel efficiency is average to good, and includes some useful features such as puncture-resistant tubes.

Value for Money and Verdict

The Hero Pleasure’s price tag is higher than the average two-wheeler because of its 100cc engine. This nippy lightweight scooter is the perfect metropolitan ride, promising quiet, smooth performance and decent fuel efficiency.

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