The hero splendor plus bike carries a 97.2cc single-cylinder engine and, as of the August 2026 update, an ARAI-claimed mileage figure of 70 kmpl — numbers that have kept it India’s best-selling commuter motorcycle for over two decades. Hero MotoCorp sells it in four variants and nine colours, with prices that shift depending on which of those variants and which city you register in.
This guide covers the full spec sheet, the real engine displacement (since plenty of buyers search for a “125cc” version that doesn’t technically exist under this name), current variant-wise pricing, the full colour lineup including the black hero splendor plus options, and how claimed mileage compares to what owners actually report.
Most overview pages either repeat Hero’s press-kit numbers or bury real owner-reported mileage under marketing copy. This one separates ARAI-claimed figures from real-world reports, flags the engine-size confusion directly, and links out to city-wise pricing and older Splendor variants so you’re not stuck cross-referencing five tabs to plan a purchase.
Hero Splendor Plus Bike: Engine and Performance Specs
The hero splendor plus bike runs a 97.2cc air-cooled, single-cylinder, OHC engine producing roughly 7.9 to 8 PS at 8,000 rpm and 8.05 Nm of torque at 6,000 rpm, paired with a 4-speed gearbox. That’s the same fundamental architecture the Splendor line has used for years, refined generation over generation rather than replaced outright.
| Spec | Detail |
|---|---|
| Engine | 97.2cc, air-cooled, single-cylinder, OHC |
| Power | ~7.9-8.02 PS @ 8,000 rpm |
| Torque | 8.05 Nm @ 6,000 rpm |
| Gearbox | 4-speed manual |
| Fuel tank capacity | 9.8 litres |
| Kerb weight | 112 kg |
| Brakes | Drum, front and rear (variant-dependent) |
| Starting technology | Self-start; i3S idle stop-start on select variants |
i3S is Hero’s idle stop-start system, which cuts the engine during brief traffic halts and restarts it the moment the clutch is pulled back in — a small feature that adds up over a full day of stop-and-go city riding.
Hero Splendor Plus 125cc: Clearing Up the Engine Confusion
There is no hero splendor plus 125cc model — the standard Splendor Plus has always run the 97.2cc engine described above. The 125cc badge belongs to a related but separate bike, the Hero Super Splendor, which shares the Splendor name but uses a different, larger engine and a 5-speed gearbox.
Our take: if the extra displacement and highway pull of a 125cc engine actually matters to your riding, buy the Super Splendor rather than assuming a bigger-engined Splendor Plus exists — it doesn’t, and no amount of trim level or colour choice changes that on the base Splendor Plus platform.
Hero Splendor Plus Price and Variants in 2026
According to ZigWheels, the hero splendor plus ex-showroom price for August 2026 starts around Rs 77,777 for the base Standard variant and tops out near Rs 80,531 for the Million Edition, spread across four variants.
| Variant | Approx. Ex-Showroom Price |
|---|---|
| Splendor Plus Standard (Drum, OBD2B) | Rs 77,777 |
| Splendor Plus Black and Accent | Rs 78,580 |
| Splendor Plus I3S | Rs 78,910 |
| Splendor Plus 125 Million Edition | Rs 80,531 |
Ex-showroom price is only part of the picture — RTO charges and insurance premiums vary sharply by city and can add anywhere from roughly Rs 6,000 to over Rs 15,000 on top. For a full city-wise breakdown of what you’d actually pay on the road, see how to check the exact Hero Splendor price by city and the separate Splendor Plus on-road price city-wise guide, which lists Delhi, Lucknow, Hyderabad, Bangalore, and Noida figures individually.
Hero Splendor Plus Colours, Including the Black Hero Splendor Plus Editions
The Splendor Plus ships in nine colours as of 2026, giving buyers more choice than most bikes in its price bracket. The lineup includes:
- Black and Accent
- Black Heavy Grey
- Black Red Purple
- Blue Black
- Force Silver
- Industrial Dark Grey
- Matt Grey
- Matt Vernier Grey
- Sports Red Black
The black hero splendor plus variants — Black and Accent, Black Heavy Grey, and Blue Black among them — remain the most requested options at most dealerships, largely because black panels hide road grime better on a bike ridden daily through Indian traffic and dust. A pure black hero splendor plus with minimal accent striping tends to have the broadest resale appeal too, since it’s the safest colour choice for a second owner.
Hero Splendor Plus Mileage: Claimed Figures vs Real-World Reports
ARAI-claimed mileage for the Splendor Plus sits at 70 kmpl as of the current lineup, but that number is measured under controlled test conditions and rarely matches daily riding. According to BikeWale, owners report real-world mileage closer to 62 to 62.5 kmpl, which still places the Splendor Plus ahead of roughly 72% of commuter bikes in its segment.
The gap between claimed and real mileage on the Splendor Plus isn’t unusual — it typically runs 7 to 8 kmpl lower than the ARAI figure in mixed city and highway use, largely driven by traffic idling, load, and tyre pressure rather than any defect in the engine itself.
One honest limitation: mileage this high depends heavily on maintaining recommended tyre pressure and not overloading the bike with a second rider plus luggage regularly — riders who do both routinely report figures closer to 50-55 kmpl instead of the 62+ kmpl BikeWale’s owner data shows.
How the Hero Splendor Plus Compares to Rivals
Hero MotoCorp built the Splendor Plus as a pure commuter, and it shows when you set it next to sportier or larger-displacement rivals. Against the Honda SP125, the Splendor Plus is roughly Rs 12,000 cheaper but gives up some outright performance — the SP125’s 123.94cc engine produces more power, while the Splendor Plus trades that for better claimed fuel economy and a lower entry price.
If you’re cross-shopping outside the Splendor family entirely, our TVS Apache RTR 160 on-road price city-wise guide and Pulsar NS 150 Black price and specs page cover two of the more performance-oriented alternatives in a similar budget range, useful if you want more power than the Splendor Plus offers and are willing to pay more for fuel.
Our specific recommendation: buyers who ride mostly in city traffic and prioritize running cost should stick with the Splendor Plus I3S variant specifically, since the idle stop-start feature delivers the clearest real-world fuel savings of any trim-level upgrade on this bike, without pushing the price anywhere near rival 125cc options.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Hero Splendor Plus available with a 125cc engine?
No. The Splendor Plus uses a 97.2cc engine across every variant and colour option. The 125cc engine belongs to the separately named Hero Super Splendor, which shares design language with the Splendor Plus but is a mechanically different motorcycle with its own pricing and variant lineup.
What is the real mileage of the Hero Splendor Plus, not the claimed figure?
Owner-reported real-world mileage averages around 62 to 62.5 kmpl according to BikeWale, compared to the ARAI-claimed 70 kmpl. The gap comes mainly from city traffic idling, tyre pressure, and load rather than any mechanical shortfall, and riders using the i3S variant tend to report figures closer to the claimed number.
Is there a hero splendor plus new model 2024 or 2026 version worth waiting for?
Hero has updated the Splendor Plus incrementally rather than launching a dramatically new model — the most recent changes moved the lineup to OBD2B emissions compliance with a modest price increase, and the mechanical platform underneath has stayed largely consistent since the 2024 update. There’s no indication of a ground-up redesign pending as of 2026.
Which Hero Splendor Plus colour holds resale value best?
Black-based colourways, particularly Black and Accent and Blue Black, tend to hold resale value slightly better than brighter options like Sports Red Black, mainly because black conceals scuffs and fading better over years of daily use and appeals to a wider pool of second-hand buyers.
Is the Hero Splendor Plus worth buying over a 125cc commuter?
It depends on what you’re optimizing for. The Splendor Plus wins on upfront price and claimed fuel economy; a 125cc rival like the Honda SP125 wins on outright power and highway comfort. This doesn’t apply if you regularly ride two-up on highways — in that case, the extra displacement of a 125cc bike is worth the price difference.
What’s the most common mistake buyers make when comparing Splendor Plus prices?
Comparing ex-showroom prices across cities without accounting for RTO and insurance, which can shift the actual on-road cost by several thousand rupees depending on where you register the bike. Always check a city-specific on-road figure before treating any single ex-showroom price as the number you’ll actually pay.
Final Thoughts
The hero splendor plus bike remains the same proposition it’s been for two decades: a genuinely reliable, inexpensive commuter with class-leading fuel economy, not a performance machine and not trying to be one. The 97.2cc engine, the nine-colour lineup, and the four-variant pricing structure all serve that single goal rather than chasing spec-sheet bragging rights against 125cc rivals.
If you’re deciding right now, check the on-road price for your specific city before comparing ex-showroom figures across models — the RTO and insurance gap is often larger than the difference between Splendor Plus variants themselves, and it’s the number that actually determines what you’ll pay at the dealership.
