With just under a week to go before the updated Xtreme 160R is launched, Hero has dropped a teaser video on its social media handle, which indicates that the bike will be getting a new 4-valve engine.
Hero Xtreme 160R to get new 4V engine, USD fork
In the teaser video, the Xtreme 160R’s bellypan gets a 4V badge indicating that the engine will now have a 4-valve architecture. The move from a 2-valve engine to a more modern 4-valve unit should go quite some way in improving the Xtreme 160R’s performance, especially in the higher reaches of the rev band. The current bike’s 2-valve, 163cc mill has always been a peppy performer in the city with good low and mid-range grunt and this new 4-valve engine should help it carry forward those performance chops when the revs build as well.
In a previous spy shot that’s been circulating on the web, we had spotted the presence of an oil-cooler, indicating that this new mill will have better thermal management than the older air-cooled engine. It also remains to be seen whether Hero bumps up the displacement of the existing 163cc mill or not.
Perhaps the most noticeable addition visually to the Hero Xtreme 160R will be a USD fork, replacing the current bike’s telescopic unit. With this addition, it is quite likely that the bike’s weight will go up considering that the main frame will undergo some changes. Another change that could be on the cards is the addition of Bluetooth connectivity, considering rivals like the TVS Apache RTR 160 4V and the Yamaha FZS-FI get it.
Currently, the Hero Xtreme 160R is priced between Rs 1.18 lakh-1.30 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi). All of this will likely result in a price hike of around Rs 8,000-10,000 once the updated Xtreme 160R is launched in the coming months. The Xtreme 160R has remained largely the same in the three years since its launch and some new features should help it stay fresh.
Azaman Chothia
Vishal Venugopal
