The Splendor continues its good run as the entry-level bike maintains the top position from Activa for the fourth consecutive month
The Splendor has managed to maintain the top position from Honda Activa for the fourth consecutive month as India’s largest two-wheeler manufacturer sold 1,78,411 units in December compared to 1,74,393 units of Activa. For the past three months the difference between both these models was minor but this month the Splendor has managed to increase its lead by 4018 units.
The Splendor registered 8 per cent Year-On-Year growth in December while the Activa sales went down by 8 per cent. The Splendor is gaining more traction than Activa especially in rural areas as people prefer bikes over scooter in these places. The ding-dong battle between both these models will continue this year also.
The HF Delux is the third best selling two-wheeler in the country as the company sold 1,65,231 units last month compared to 1,27,932 units in December 2017 and registered 29 per cent Year-On-Year growth while entry-level bikes from Honda is not bringing good numbers except for the CB Shine series, which is leading the 125 cc bike segment.
Hero is planning to introduce CBS variant of Splendor and other models soon in the market as the deadline given by the government is April 2019. Honda was one of the first manufacturers to introduce CBS braking system in India and it was introduced in the Activa in 2009. We can expect minor price hike with the addition of the CBS system and the launch of the updated model is expected take place soon.
We are not expecting the company to make any other changes for the Splendor series except for new colours and graphics. Hero is currently focusing on the premium segment as they are going to launch new products like Xpulse to improve market share. The sales of Activa has crossed 2 crore units last year and it is the best selling scooter in India with a huge lead over its rivals.
| Model | Hero Splendor | Honda Activa |
| Displacement | 97.2 cc | 109.19 cc |
| Power | 8.2 bhp at 8,000 rpm | 8 bhp at 7,500 rpm |
| Torque | 8.05 Nm at 5,000 rpm | 9 Nm at 5,500 rpm |
| Gearbox | 4-speed | Automatic |
| Brake Front | 130 mm drum | 130 mm drum |
| Brake Rear | 110 mm drum | 130 mm drum |
| Wheelbase | 1,230 mm | 1,238 mm |
| Kerb Weight | 109 kg | 109 kg |
| Fuel Tank | 11 L | 5.3 L |
| Price (Ex-Showroom) | Rs. 49,060 | Rs. 53,865 |
Honda has already commenced works on the BSVI engines as the new emission norm will be introduced in April, 2020. Both Activa and Splendor are available with two different engines – 110 cc and 125 cc. Hero also offers i3s technology with Splendor as it is basically a stop-start system to improve efficiency. The Splendor Plus price starts at Rs. 49,060 and Rs. 53,865 (both price, Ex-Showroom) for the Activa 5G.