Last week, Hero MotoCorp took the wraps off a new addition to the Xtreme range – the Hero Xtreme 160R. The new motorcycle is based on the Xtreme 1R concept showcased at EICMA 2019, and while Hero hasn’t revealed prices for the bike, it has released all of its specifications. The numbers are along the lines of other sport-nakeds in our market, like the TVS Apache RTR 160 4V, Suzuki Gixxer and the Bajaj Pulsar NS160. Bajaj is yet to reveal details on the NS160 and so we’ve left it out of this comparison, for now. The other two, though, have been updated to comply with BS6 norms and here’s how they stack up on paper against Hero’s latest offering.

Design

The Xtreme 160R is based on the bold and aggressive-looking Xtreme 1R concept from EICMA 2019, and is easily one of the sharpest-looking motorcycles in Hero’s current line-up. Unlike the Xtreme 200R that features a more conventional design, this motorcycle appears to be a lot more sporty, and design elements like the stubby exhaust accentuate this. It’s also the freshest design in this company, but all three bikes have recently received big visual updates.

The Apache RTR 160 4V has always had a well-proportioned design. In the transition to its BS6 avatar, the RTR 160 dons a new face that makes the bike look a lot more aggressive. There's also some attention to detail in the new chequered flag graphics on the top of the fuel tank and in the knee recesses, as well as in the dual-tone-finish seat. 

Meanwhile, the standout design element on the Gixxer is its flat LED headlamp. The rest of the bike remains largely unchanged from its previous iteration, except for elements like the new tank shrouds that were added to freshen things up. The rear end is shared with the SF, and it has a more sportier, sharp rake to it and a simple, albeit elegant, V-shaped LED tail-light. Overall, it is a clean-looking bike and has a sporty stance that fits right into this segment. 

Features

All three bikes are equipped with digital display units. Of these, the Xtreme 160R uses a negative-display unit, while the console on the Gixxer and the Apache are conventional black text on a white background. The instruments clusters on all three bikes use a very similar horizontal layout and display the same levels of information, with a tachometer across the top. 

The Xtreme also comes equipped with a side-stand engine cut off and hazard lights, but the Apache really stands out here with what it has to offer – the manufacturer’s Glide Through Technology (GTT), which allows for much easier slow-speed riding, moving the bike forward by just releasing the clutch and without throttle operation. The maximum speed with GTT is restricted to 7kph in first gear, 12kph in second gear and 17kph in third gear. All three bikes also feature LED headlights.

Powertrain

The Xtreme 160R is powered by a new, BS6-compliant 163cc, single-cylinder, air-cooled engine that produces 15.2hp and 14Nm. That’s a whole 1.6hp and 0.2Nm more than the Gixxer, which lost 0.5hp and 0.2Nm when it achieved BS6 compliance. However, the Hero still produces less than the Apache’s 16.02hp and 14.12Nm. The Apache is also the only motorcycle here that uses an oil-cooled engine, in comparison to the air-cooled units on the other two. The Xtreme 160R may still have the upper hand though, as it is the lightest motorcycle here with a kerb weight of 138kg. As a result, it has the highest power-to-weight ratio, at 110.14 hp/tonne, despite the power deficit. The power-to-weight ratio of the Apache, in comparison, is 107.51 hp/tonne while that of the Suzuki Gixxer is 97.14 hp/tonne.

The Apache also boasts of four valves in its single-cylinder engine, while the other two use two-valve technology. All three bikes use a 5-speed gearbox.

Underpinnings

This is where all three bikes are quite similar – all three feature a telescopic fork and a monoshock. The Xtreme 160R and Apache RTR 160 4V sport a disc brake at the front, with the option of a drum or a disc at the rear, while the Gixxer is available only in one variant that has a disc brake at either end. All three bikes feature single-channel ABS.

Like we mentioned earlier, the Xtreme is the lightest bike here at 138kg, but the Gixxer isn’t too heavy either, with a weight of 140kg. The Apache, meanwhile, weighs considerably more, at 149kg. 

All three bikes ride on different tyre sizes and you can take a look at them in the table below. The Gixxer has the widest rear tyre, while the front tyre on the Apache is the slimmest. Interestingly, if you opt for the RTR 160 4V with a rear drum brake, you’ll get a slimmer 110/80-17 section tyre, whereas rear disc models come equipped with a 130/70-17 rear tyre. 

Summing it up

Hero hasn’t revealed prices of the Xtreme 160R yet, but considering the Indian manufacturer’s in the past, we expect its price to be similar, if not less than the TVS Apache RTR 160 4V that costs between Rs 99,950-1.03 lakh. Prices for the updated Gixxer are yet to be announced as well, but we don't expect to see a big hike over the current Rs 1 lakh (ex-showroom) price because the model is already fuel injected.

On paper, all three motorcycles seem pretty neck and neck, but the Xtreme 160R does seem to have what it takes to match or even better the performance, practicality and comfort of its two most direct rivals.