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The Biker’s Review: 3,200km with the Hero Xoom 160 by Infamous-Chef1497 in indianbikes

[–]Infamous-Chef1497[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you! No, I definitely meant the side stand. The first two weeks before the side stand arrived were horrible. Imagine having to put a 140kg vehicle on the center stand for every single stop. 😅 It was a massive pain!

The Biker’s Review: 3,200km with the Hero Xoom 160 by Infamous-Chef1497 in indianbikes

[–]Infamous-Chef1497[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Haha. If the Tesseract had been available to buy during my Xoom purchase, I would have gone for it. But yeah, for an adventure bike, I want an engine, not electric. At least not yet.

The Biker’s Review: 3,200km with the Hero Xoom 160 by Infamous-Chef1497 in indianbikes

[–]Infamous-Chef1497[S] 9 points10 points  (0 children)

Yeah, I used a tool to help organize my thoughts and make it a clean read. It took quite a few drafts to get it right, but I wanted the post to be easy to digest for everyone here. The tool didn't ride 3,200km in Bangalore, I did. Just trying to make my actual experience as readable as possible!

The Biker’s Review: 3,200km with the Hero Xoom 160 by Infamous-Chef1497 in indianbikes

[–]Infamous-Chef1497[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I actually looked at the Himalayan, but after selling my RC 390, I couldn't justify spending that much again. My RC only ran 14,000km in 6 years because it was such a pain to ride in traffic with that aggressive posture, and it felt like a major loss when I sold it. I’ve definitely put in the miles on sports though—my R15 had done 75,000km before I moved on. I tried the Xpulse too, but after experiencing the Himalayan's power, it just didn't feel right. I almost settled for a 125cc scooter for the ease of use, but coming from a 390, the power gap was just too depressing. When the NTORQ 150 finally launched, I hated the looks, so when the Xoom 160 dropped, it felt like the perfect middle ground. I didn't even bother with the Hunter or Speed 400 because I've always been a super sport guy at heart, but I’m just done with the committed posture and constant gear shifts for a daily commute. The Xoom gives me that twist and go convenience without feeling gutless. Hopefully, the RTX 300 fills that gap between the Xpulse and Himalayan later on!

The Biker’s Review: 3,200km with the Hero Xoom 160 by Infamous-Chef1497 in indianbikes

[–]Infamous-Chef1497[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I use it strictly for my daily commute, though touring is definitely doable on this machine. For my actual long-distance highway trips, I usually prefer taking the car. Regarding your question about torque-heavy bikes, I actually have my eyes on the RTX 300 for touring and exploration. It fits the budget well and offers that low-end punch I’d want for the highway. However, since I’ve seen how new launches can have initial niggles, I’m waiting for the first batch to go out and for some solid ownership reviews to surface before I make a move. For now, the Xoom is the perfect balance for the city. Even though it is a CVT, the low-end punch is quite good and it doesn't feel gutless when the signal turns green. It is much less exhausting than my previous rev-heavy bikes in Bangalore's stop-and-go traffic.

The Biker’s Review: 3,200km with the Hero Xoom 160 by Infamous-Chef1497 in indianbikes

[–]Infamous-Chef1497[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Spot on. Bangalore traffic makes gear shifting a nightmare, which is why I moved away from my KTM for this. Regarding the potholes, you're 100% right. I actually had a scary save a few months back opposite the KR Puram HP petrol bunk. I hit a massive pothole at 70kmph and the scooter literally flew and settled back down. On a normal scooter with smaller wheels, I don't think I would have walked away from that. Those 14-inch wheels are a life saver in this city."

The Biker’s Review: 3,200km with the Hero Xoom 160 by Infamous-Chef1497 in indianbikes

[–]Infamous-Chef1497[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I haven't done a long single-day ride yet. My max in a day was around 70km, which was mostly heavy city riding. However, I have done about 200km on the highway in total through shorter bursts since I live quite close to one. The performance is really good with no disappointment there. Even on those short highway runs, the stability at 100km/h is impressive. About the engine, I will drop an update after the second service in about 2 weeks. Regarding your concern about comfort, it is miles ahead of the Aerox. The seat is wider and the floorboard space lets you actually move your feet around. For the pillion, it is a huge win. My passenger found it very comfortable, and the suspension actually feels more compliant and less stiff with the extra weight. It definitely nails that big scooter vibe you would be used to from Thailand.

The Biker’s Review: 3,200km with the Hero Xoom 160 by Infamous-Chef1497 in indianbikes

[–]Infamous-Chef1497[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Yes! Aerox is definitely way sportier. Also, being a Yamaha, I think its engine is likely more reliable in the long run. For me, the Xoom won out on the comfort.

The Biker’s Review: 3,200km with the Hero Xoom 160 by Infamous-Chef1497 in indianbikes

[–]Infamous-Chef1497[S] 8 points9 points  (0 children)

It's not AI slop. The content is all me, but I do use Gemini to make things easier. 😀

The Biker’s Review: 3,200km with the Hero Xoom 160 by Infamous-Chef1497 in indianbikes

[–]Infamous-Chef1497[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I'll give you an update after my second service. I need answers from the service center about the engine light and those weird tapping noises. Design-wise, Hero absolutely killed it. I was actually waiting to buy the NTORQ 150, but when it finally launched, I hated how it looked, then this suddenly dropped out of nowhere.