In the initial months of usage, we found the throttle response excessively choppy. The motorcycle used to lurch ahead upon opening up the throttle and abruptly cut down the power once the throttle was released. We shared the same issue with the Hero authorised service centre. The diagnosis didn’t reveal any issues with the fuel system. Even after the inspection, the motorcycle continued with its abnormal fuel, which deteriorates the city riding experience, especially in bumper to bumper traffic.
Another issue that we faced with our long-term Xtreme 160R 4V was the faulty fuel gauge. The fuel indicator displayed incorrect fuel level and changed the level abruptly while riding. The Hero service centre acknowledged the faulty fuel gauge and it was replaced free of charge. The new fuel gauge didn’t exhibit any incorrect read outs ever since.
Also Read: Hero Xtreme 160R 4V first month long term report
The faulty fuel gauge also didn’t register the auto-cut fuel input correctly, thereby showing incorrect fuel level, which in turn affected our tank-to-tank fuel efficiency test. As a result of that, unfortunately, we were unable to correctly measure the fuel efficiency of the Xtreme 160R 4V in different riding conditions. Sharing an estimate, the fuel efficiency of our motorcycle hovered in the range of 35 kmpl to 45 kmpl depending on the use case.
Over the course of usage that spanned to well over four months, we faced a few ergonomic flaws with the Xtreme 160R 4V. For instance, the fuel tank is bulbous and gives it an aggressive stance when looked from the centre rear. However, the length of the fuel tank or the lack of length for the seat squab resulted in a limited space for the rider.
While the space doesn’t come across as an issue while riding, it especially intrudes when you try to sit sideways with the bike on the side stand, while savouring a drink or an ice cream. The sharp edges of the tank hurt the upper portion of your legs, thereby making the experience bitter. This is further complemented with an ill-placed side stand, which is hard to access without banging your shin into the foot peg. Another issue that we reported in the last report is the cluttered instrument cluster, which boasts small readout for the engine rpm gauge, making it nearly impossible to read in daylight.
If we sum it up, our experience with the Hero Xtreme 160R 4V has been likeable, except for a few niggles that were sorted out via the Hero service centre. The motorcycle excels with its exhilarating performance, comfortable ride quality and impressive dynamics. However, we would have appreciated a more user-friendly instrument cluster with fuel efficiency read-out and a well calibrated throttle response.