New Hero MotoCorp commuter motorcycle design patented

Hero MotoCorp has filed a design patent in India for a new commuter motorcycle, and a closer look at the patent drawings reveals several interesting details about what the company could be working on. The design bears a strong resemblance to the Hero Hunter 125 currently on sale in select African markets, including Nigeria, but there are enough differences in the engine layout and styling details to suggest this isn't a straightforward import of that model. 

1. Design patent filed in India
2. Closely resembles the Africa-market Hero Hunter 125 in overall silhouette
3. Engine layout and instrument cluster differ from the Hunter 125

Hero new commuter patent: What the design reveals

The engine layout is different compared to the existing Hunter 125

The overall silhouette and proportions of the patented design are closely aligned with the Hunter 125 sold in Nigeria – a commuter built around a 124.7cc air-cooled single-cylinder engine housed in a simple double-cradle tubular frame. The bike runs on 17-inch alloy wheels and features a flat, boxy single seat. Like Hero's commuter motorcycles in our market, the Hunter appears to be positioned as a no-nonsense workhorse, reflected in its tagline, "Any load, any road".

That said, the engine configuration shown in the patent appears to differ from the one used on the existing Hunter 125, which features a slanted 'sloper' engine similar to those found in the Splendor, Passion, and HF Deluxe sold in India. The new engine shown in the design patent features a more conventional, upright layout.

The instrument cluster is also a notable detail. Rather than the single-pod console seen on the Hunter 125, the cluster on the patented design appears to be a twin-pod unit similar to the one Hero uses on the Hunter 100 ES in its African line-up.

Taken together, these details suggest this could be a new 125cc commuter intended for the Indian market, drawing styling inspiration from the Hunter family while being built around an updated mechanical package. Whether Hero intends to position this as an addition to an existing line-up here or as an entirely new nameplate remains to be seen. The manufacturer has not made any official announcement regarding this patent, and we will update this story as more information becomes available.