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Looks:
The new Achiever falls in a segment which is known as premium commuter and has bikes like the Yamaha SZ and the Honda Unicorn, which means the bikes are not very radically styled. This exactly is the case with the new Achiever but there still are features that are worth mentioning and these include a new big fuel tank with a big bulge as well as some sporty graphics. There’s no kill switch which is a letdown and the meter console is also analog. The presence of a side stand indicator is a worthy addition. The color options are limited to 3 apart from a special edition bike that’s decorated in India colors. Only 70 such bikes are being made to celebrate the making of 70 million vehicles that have rolled out of the Hero Motocorp’s assembly line in the last 3 decades. Some other attractions on the bike include shock springs which are red in colour and the presence of a chrome plate on the exhaust note. Overall keeping the cost in mind the Achiever’s design and features are acceptable, especially the very popular and safe auto headlamp on feature. The build quality and fit and finish is impressive and there’s no apparent hint of cost saving.
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Engine
The new Achiever runs on a 149 cc torque on demand engine that churns out a maximum power of 13.6 ps at 8,000 rpm and that’s a good number for the segment. It is a BS IV compliant engine that is mated to a very smooth 5-speed gearbox. A torque figure of 12.8 Nm at 5,000 rpm ensures a glitch free ride on the bike. Hero says the bike races from 0-60 km/h in five seconds only. It’s a very refined engine which offers a smooth ride. Vibrations are also kept to a minimum and it’s only in higher revs that engine makes some grunt. Of course the one thing to note the most is the i3S technology. As seen in the splendor ismart 110 cc it definitely aids in improving the fuel efficiency depending on the road and traffic conditions. Under test conditions Hero is promising a mileage of 50 kmpl and that’s a good number for a 150 cc bike. Of course at a flip of a button which is located at the place of a kill switch the ismart technology can be switched off.
Ride and Handling
Where we rode wasn’t exactly tar and therefore a sort of unfavorable surface to ride on but owing to the great ride position there’s wasn’t too much of a problem. The seat is wide and the bike is tall and the tall riders will be happy with what they get. The ride quality is good and this ride told us that the bike is fairly confident in taking on the bad roads and uneven surfaces. The tyres are not as wide as one would like and which hampers the handling to an extent but aids in better fuel efficiency. But what is impressive despite the narrow tyres are the Achiever’s braking capabilities. We only got to sample the more expensive disc brake variant of the bike and this short ride was enough to convince us that these brakes will perform well in city conditions. The tyres may not be wide but they’re grippy to say the least.
Verdict
The new Achiever 150 has been launched at a price which makes it the most affordable 150 cc in the market and in a price sensitive market that’s a very smart move. The prices start at Rs. 61,800 for the drum brake variant but the good news is that the disc brake variant costs just Rs. 1,000 more. That makes the Achiever a good value for money proposition and if you’re ready to compromise a bit when it comes to looks and ergonomics the rest is pretty sorted for Hero Achiever.
Shams Naqvi is an anchor/producer for the News X motor show Living Cars