Hero MotoCorp fitted a front disc brake to the Splendor Plus badge for the first time in September 2024, adding a 240mm front rotor to the new Xtec variant while every other Splendor Plus trim kept drum brakes at both wheels. That’s a narrower “first” than it sounds: Hero’s separately branded iSmart 110 sub-model already offered a front disc option starting in 2016, and this guide covers both story lines under one hero splendor disc brake comparison rather than treating them as the same history.
This article covers every Splendor variant that currently offers, or once offered, a disc brake option: the Splendor Plus Xtec, the bigger-engined Super Splendor Xtec, and the discontinued iSmart 110. It breaks down what the disc option actually costs over the drum version, what changes mechanically, and whether the upgrade is worth paying for.
Most guides to this topic either bury the answer inside a general Splendor review or list a single price without saying which trim it applies to. This one starts with a side-by-side comparison table across every disc-equipped variant, so the exact price gap and brake spec for each bike is clear before you read the rest.
Hero Splendor Disc Brake Variants: Full Comparison Table
Only three Splendor-family variants currently or previously offered a front disc brake in India: the Splendor Plus Xtec, the Super Splendor Xtec, and the now-discontinued Splendor iSmart 110. The standard Splendor Plus — Standard, Black and Accent, I3S, and Million Edition trims — runs drum brakes at both ends with no disc option at all, according to BikeDekho’s listed specifications for the range.
| Variant | Brake Setup | Approx. Ex-Showroom Price | ARAI Claimed Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Splendor Plus (Standard / Black and Accent / I3S / Million Edition) | 130mm drum front and rear | Rs 77,777 – 80,531 | 70 kmpl |
| Splendor Plus Xtec (Drum) | 130mm drum front and rear | ~Rs 81,283 | 70 kmpl |
| Splendor Plus Xtec (Disc) | 240mm front disc + 130mm rear drum | ~Rs 84,326 | 70 kmpl |
| Super Splendor Xtec (Drum) | 130mm drum front and rear | ~Rs 84,428 | 68 kmpl |
| Super Splendor Xtec (Disc) | 240mm front disc + 130mm rear drum | ~Rs 88,328 | 68 kmpl |
| Splendor iSmart 110 Disc (Discontinued) | 240mm front disc + 130mm rear drum | Pricing data thin and inconsistent post-discontinuation | Not ARAI-listed; owner-reported ~55-60 kmpl |
For the full spec sheet on the drum-only trims this table builds on, the Splendor Plus price, mileage, and colours breakdown covers the base lineup in more detail.
Splendor Plus Xtec Disc Brake: What the Extra Money Buys
The Splendor Plus Xtec disc variant costs about Rs 84,326 ex-showroom against roughly Rs 81,283 for the drum version, a gap of around Rs 3,000, according to ZigWheels’ 2026 specification page — a premium that has stayed similar since Hero launched the disc option in September 2024 at Rs 83,461. The exact rupee figures have shifted with Hero’s periodic price revisions since then, but the size of the drum-to-disc gap itself hasn’t moved much.
Mechanically, the disc variant is the drum Xtec with one part swapped: a 240mm front rotor replaces the 130mm front drum, while the rear stays a 130mm drum on both versions. Everything else carries over unchanged — the 97.2cc air-cooled engine, the fully digital instrument console with Bluetooth call and SMS alerts, the i3S idle-stop system, and the Integrated Braking System that links front and rear braking when the rear lever is applied. The disc variant is about 1.6kg heavier at the kerb than the drum version, a difference riders are unlikely to notice in daily use.
For a wider set of city-specific on-road figures once RTO and insurance are added, the Splendor Plus on-road price city-wise guide breaks down registration cost separately from the ex-showroom number quoted here, and the Hero Splendor price-by-city checker covers the same ground for buyers comparing specific locations.
Super Splendor Xtec Disc: More Engine, Same Brake Logic
The Super Splendor Xtec applies the identical drum-to-disc upgrade pattern to Hero’s 124.7cc commuter, with the disc variant priced near Rs 88,328 against roughly Rs 84,428 for the drum version — a premium of about Rs 3,900. The engine produces 10.87 PS at 7,500 rpm and 10.6 Nm of torque through a 5-speed gearbox, a meaningful step up from the Splendor Plus’s 97.2cc unit for riders who want more power without leaving the Splendor badge.
ZigWheels reporter Irfan Kabeer, who covered Hero’s original Xtec disc brake rollout in September 2024, noted that the update kept the same combined braking system as the drum variant rather than introducing new hardware elsewhere on the bike — a detail that still holds across the current Xtec lineup, on both the Splendor Plus and Super Splendor.
Both Super Splendor Xtec variants share the same 18-inch tubeless alloy wheels, telescopic front forks, and 5-step adjustable rear shocks. The disc variant weighs 123kg at the kerb against 122kg for the drum version, a difference small enough that it won’t change how the bike feels in traffic. ARAI rates both variants at 68 kmpl, slightly below the Splendor Plus family’s 70 kmpl claim, which tracks with the larger engine’s higher displacement.
Why the Splendor iSmart 110’s Disc Brake No Longer Applies
The Splendor iSmart 110’s disc brake is a moot point for new-bike shoppers in 2026, because the model has been discontinued in India and is only available through used-bike listings now. That timing matters for anyone comparing it against the still-current Splendor Plus Xtec disc variant, since one is a live purchase option and the other isn’t.
The iSmart 110 launched in July 2016 at Rs 53,300 ex-showroom with drum brakes only, and Hero added a front disc option later that year at a small premium. When the BS6-compliant version arrived in late 2019, it launched as a disc-only model; Hero only added a cheaper drum-brake BS6 variant afterward, in 2020, to bring the entry price back down — the reverse of the disc brake gradually becoming standard fitment. Pricing data for the discontinued model varies widely across listing sites and isn’t reliably current, so treat any specific rupee figure for a used iSmart 110 as a starting point for negotiation rather than a fixed number.
This is a genuine limitation for anyone specifically hunting a disc-brake iSmart 110 today: used units carry no factory warranty, service history varies dealer to dealer, and Hero’s own network won’t quote a fresh price on a model it no longer sells. If the iSmart 110’s 113.2cc engine and disc brake combination is what drew you here, the closest current equivalent is the Splendor Plus Xtec disc, which offers similar displacement-class performance with full warranty coverage. For historical context on how Splendor pricing and specs have shifted across older model years, the Splendor Pro 2016 model breakdown covers a comparable discontinued-era trim.
Drum vs Disc on the Splendor: Is the Upgrade Worth It
Yes, the disc brake upgrade is worth paying for on both Xtec variants, mainly because a front disc shortens stopping distance more consistently than a drum, especially in wet conditions, for a premium of roughly Rs 3,000-3,900 depending on which model you’re comparing. Neither the drum nor the disc Splendor gets ABS — that safety feature is reserved for Hero’s higher-displacement models — so the disc option is the closest thing to a braking upgrade available anywhere in the current Splendor range.
Our take: if your budget already stretches to the Xtec trim for its digital console and Bluetooth features, the extra cost of the disc brake is worth paying, since braking performance matters more for daily safety than any other feature difference between the two variants. Riders on a genuinely tight budget who only need the base Splendor Plus commuter experience won’t find a disc option at that price tier at all, since Hero has kept the disc brake exclusive to the Xtec sub-line rather than offering it across the full range.
Weight, Seat Height, and Top Speed: Other Splendor Specs Buyers Check
These specs stay identical whether you choose drum or disc, since the brake swap is the only mechanical difference between Xtec variants — but they’re still some of the most-searched Splendor numbers, so it’s worth covering them here rather than sending readers to a separate page.
Seat height stays constant at 785mm across the current Splendor Plus and Xtec lineup, making the bike accessible to a wide range of rider heights without adjustment. Current-model kerb weight runs from 112kg for the standard Splendor Plus up to 113.6kg for the Xtec disc variant, about 1.6kg more than the drum Xtec. Older Splendor generations weighed less on paper — one widely cited spec listing for the original Splendor puts wet weight at 110kg — though that figure reflects a discontinued-era model rather than anything currently on sale, so it isn’t directly comparable to today’s Plus and Xtec numbers.
Within the current range, the Splendor Plus Million Edition sits as Hero’s top model by price, at the upper end of the Rs 77,777-80,531 band — but it still doesn’t come with a disc brake, since that upgrade stays locked to the separate Xtec sub-line regardless of trim level or price. For a closer look at how the Black and Accent trim compares against the rest of the lineup by color and spec rather than brake type, the Hero Splendor Black price and specs guide breaks that down separately.
For riders specifically searching hero splendor maximum speed, the only official figure available comes from Hero’s Bangladesh-market listing for the Splendor Plus Sports Edition, which claims 90 kmph — an export-market spec sheet, not an India-specific one, so treat it as indicative rather than confirmed for the domestic Xtec or standard Plus variants. None of these weight, seat height, or top speed figures change meaningfully between drum and disc variants, since the brake swap doesn’t touch the engine, gearing, or aerodynamics.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the Hero Splendor come with a disc brake by default?
Not on the standard trims. The Splendor Plus in Standard, Black and Accent, I3S, and Million Edition form ships with drum brakes at both wheels, and a disc brake only becomes available once you step up to the Xtec sub-line, on either the Splendor Plus or Super Splendor.
What is the price difference between the Splendor Xtec drum and disc variants?
Current 2026 pricing puts the gap at roughly Rs 3,000 for the Splendor Plus Xtec and about Rs 3,900 for the Super Splendor Xtec, based on ZigWheels’ specification pages for both models. The premium has stayed in a similar range since Hero launched the original Xtec disc variant in 2024, even as exact rupee figures have shifted with periodic price revisions.
Is the Hero Splendor iSmart 110 disc brake variant still available new?
It isn’t. Hero discontinued the iSmart 110 in India, so the disc-brake version only turns up in used-bike listings now, without factory warranty or a current dealer price.
Does the Splendor disc brake variant come with ABS?
None of the current Splendor variants include ABS, disc or drum — Hero keeps that feature for higher-displacement models elsewhere in its range, so the disc brake upgrade improves stopping power without adding electronic anti-lock protection.
Does choosing the disc brake variant change the Splendor’s mileage?
Barely. Both drum and disc versions of the Splendor Plus Xtec share the same 70 kmpl ARAI claim, and both Super Splendor Xtec variants share a 68 kmpl claim, since only the brake hardware differs between them.
Should I buy the Splendor Plus Xtec disc or save money with the drum variant?
If the roughly Rs 3,000 gap fits your budget, the disc variant is the safer everyday choice. If the base Splendor Plus without any Xtec features is genuinely your target price point, the disc option isn’t on the table at that tier at all — Hero only sells it bundled with the Xtec trim.
Final Thoughts
A hero splendor disc brake is available on exactly two current variants — the Splendor Plus Xtec and Super Splendor Xtec — and on neither the base Splendor Plus nor the discontinued iSmart 110 as a new-bike option today. The upgrade itself is a straightforward swap of the front drum for a 240mm disc, priced at a premium that’s held in a consistent Rs 3,000-3,900 band across both models, with no change to engine, mileage, or seat height.
If braking performance is the deciding factor in your purchase, budget for the Xtec disc variant from the outset rather than assuming the base Splendor Plus can be upgraded later — the disc brake ships as a factory-fitted option on specific trims, not as an accessory dealers install afterward.
