Hero Hunk

Looking at the rising competition in the 150cc segment of bikes, Hero has upgraded its popular bike, Hunk. This bike is placed below Xtreme Sports and the new Hunk comes with many new features which enables it to take on its strong competitors like Bajaj Pulsar 150, Suzuki Gixxer 155, Honda CB Unicorn 160, TVS Apache RTR 160 and Yamaha FZS V2.0. The most important update is that 2016 Hunk is powered by a new 149.2cc engine, which develops maximum power and maximum torque of 15.6 Bhp and 13.50 Nm respectively.

Design and Style

From the name of this bike to its visual appearance, everything is quite masculine. Hero has added a lot of visual bulk to this bike to justify its name. The compact and wide stance of this bike is really eye-catching. Its re-designed tinted visor gets aggressive lines on it and with its edgy cowl and headlight; this bike states the new design scheme of Hero. Front mudguard also looks sharper than before and its uplifted look makes it very attractive. It looks very sporty when seen from either side. Its tank extensions make it look macho and aggressive. These shrouds also get printed bulls on it. Its tank which features a cool sticker on it looks very appealing with its stepped-up seat. Its black silencer, alloy wheels and grab rail enhance the beauty of this bike. Rear fender may not appeal to everyone but its white coloured LED tail lamp is good news which looks admirable with its clear lens indicators. We wish if it had a wider tyre at the back as it looks quite skinny when seen from its back.

Instrument Console

Hero Hunk is one of the fortunate bikes of Hero which features a digital speedometer and odometer. Its orange coloured console with chrome surroundings appears really funky at night. It has a big circular pod for its analogue tachometer and also features an analogue fuel gauge on its left side. Other indicators are placed on its chrome ring. The new addition for 2016 model is that it comes with a side stand indicator now.

Engine and Gearbox

Hero Hunk features the same engine of its elder sibling, Xtreme Sports. This 4-stroke, mono cylinder, 149.2cc engine develops a peak power of 15.6 Bhp @ 8500 rpm. The torque output of this air-cooled engine is 13.50 Nm which can be achieved at 7000 rpm. Similar to Xtreme Sports, this bike also sports a five-speed manual gearbox with one gear down and four gears up-shift pattern.

Acceleration and Performance

Hero Hunk is powered by a very reliable engine which is till now the best 150cc engine from Honda. The initial performance of this engine is very enthusiastic. The gear ratios are well matched with this engine and you will be surprised by its linear power delivery. It performs best between 3000-7000rpm. Vibrations are kept well under control and there is nothing much disturbing before 100km/hr. Surprisingly this bike is better than its elder sibling when it comes to high end performance. It can easily go pass the speed of 115km/hr and has all the potential to beat Pulsar 150. There are very less reasons to complain about the refinement and performance of this engine. It offers pleasing gear transitions and its throttle response in also very instant. It’s delightful on highways and uses most of its power early which makes it faster than others and it stays calm and relaxed even if you rev it hard.

Mileage

It’s a bit lighter than Xtreme Sports and offers a slightly better fuel efficiency than it. In city, you can get a mileage of around 35-40 kmplwhile on long stretches, expect anything around 45-50 kmpl.

Comfort while Driving

Hero has opted for rear set foot-pegs for this bike to give you a sporty riding posture and unlike others, it’s very comfortable also. You can easily reach its handle bar which is placed a bit low and offers nice hold of this bike. The plastic quality of the buttons used on this handle bar is also satisfactory and its well cushioned seat feels appropriate for long journeys.

Storage and Safety Features

Front leg guard is a standard safety feature in this bike while it has almost no storage space apart from a bag hook at the back.

Suspension and Brakes

Hunk is Hero’s one of the finest bikes to offer superior suspension quality. It features Nitrox GRS at the back while telescopic forks are assigned at its front. Even worst road conditions should not bother you with this bike. Front disc brake of 240mm and rear drum brake of 130mm are standard part of its braking system. Hero is also offering this bike with an optional rear disc brake of 220mm to make its braking precise and accurate.

Ride and Handling

Hero Hunk is very easy and convenient to ride. It’s very nimble in city traffic and performs really well. The bike responses to your will and boosts your confidence at high speeds. Its capable suspension system holds it really well and its stability is also impressive. The ride quality is very satisfactory and its wheelbase (1325mm) provides it extra stability around corners and that’s quite evident. Its visual bulk is never an issue in its handling. It’s certainly not as perfect as FZ-S in terms of handling and cornering as it lacks fatty tyres but handles better than other competitors.

Variants

2016 Hero Honda Hunk is available in two variants, one comes with front and rear disc brakes and second one comes with front disc brake and rear drum brake.

Shades

New Hero Hunk is available in six shades: Force Silver, Ebony Grey, Blazing Red, Matte Black, Bold Brown and Panther Black.

Verdict

The two variants of Hunk are priced at INR 70,790 and 73,890 (ex-showroom, Delhi (approx., may vary)) respectively. It’s a very smart move from Hero as this bike looks completely different than Xtreme Sports and gives buyer a choice to choose within the bikes of Hero. It’s a very efficient bike which offers commendable performance, ride and handling. Moreover its features like rear disc brake give it an advantage over others. Yes, it lacks few things like fatty tyres and engine kill switch but that doesn't matter much at this price. Undoubtedly, it justifies its pricing and we feel it’s a complete value for money bike and it’s a nice option for those who don’t want aged Pulsar and Apache.

Visual Comparison

Infographic

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