Hero Maestro

It has been about a year and a half since Hero and Honda ended their glorious partnership that had given India the most splendid line-up of bikes that it has today – the Hero Honda motorcycles. But now, that the Indian partner, or rather the Indian ex-partner, is desperate about making a new and better position for itself in the Indian two-wheeler market, it is trying all it can to introduce some really attractive products. And what better field would there be for Hero at the moment than a segment that is itself under a major transition these days?


The scooter market is changing drastically. Coming from a time when scooters were considered as an elderly ride, not to mention boring and lifeless, these mature rides are now being transformed into safe and stylish rides for the vibrant youth that believes in speed but not in rashness. And that is what Hero Maestro is all about. Earlier it was the peppy Pleasure that won away the hearts of girls in a wink, and now it is the manly Maestro that is carved to work the same magic over boys. Bold curves stretched over a sophisticated but advanced body frame that adorn the Maestro speak of a silent yet strong manhood. Plus, the powerful engine which is proficient at its work consumes as minimal fuel as possible making the ride not only smart but also sensible. 

Built over a High Rigidity Underbone Chassis, the Maestro is very rich in features to attract and allure riders who are looking for a gear-less, spacious and comfy ride. One look at the scooter will tell you it is meant for a man to ride. A large size with a wheelbase of 1240mm, a wide and well-cushioned seat and a flat and broad foot-board can accommodate even a tall guy quite easily. But, at the same time, its high ground clearance of 155mm together with its relatively bulky stance makes it a slightly difficult ride for females. This may or may not act as a minus point for Hero. But one thing that is guaranteed to be a plus point for them is the extremely clever supply of storage areas in Maestro. Besides the standard option of an under-the-seat storage space which is spacious enough to hold a full-size helmet along with a couple of other small articles, a front side storage box that can come in very handy in storing a lot of household objects comes as an optional accessory and can be installed on demand.


The instrument panel mounted on the handlebar gets its inspiration from modern bikes. Blending the classic analog with the modern digital, the Maestro's instrument cluster has a central round-shaped speedometer topped at 90kmph which is flanked by a set of warning lights on one side and a digital LCD screen on another which displays the single-trip reading, fuel-level, odometer reading and service due indication. Plus, all the controls and buttons are within an easy reach of the driver and the instrument panel is within the driver's line of sight which makes driving all the more easy and effortless.

Hero Maestro Appearance
Handsome all over, the first striking feature that anyone would notice about Hero Maestro is its front facade. Taking a look from top to bottom, one would come across a number of traits that have never been seen before in any other scooter in India. First and foremost, the rear view mirrors that come in an aesthetic leaf-like shape which gets a dual-tone cover, the bottom being black while the top is stroked with the specific color of the scooter's body. Next comes the visor above the headlamp which has for the first time been seen in a black shade for a scooter that is not in all-black. Right below that sporty visor is a trapezoidal multi-reflector headlamp fitted with a 12V 35W Halogen Bulb, and below that spans a wide yet sleek apron which has two bold curved running across it that extend right up to the sharply rounded fender. Beside these, a pair of curvy-triangular turn indicators housing 12V 10W Amber bulbs also add to the front-end styling.

Turning towards then sides, we see an extension of the front fascia itself. The same characteristic lines, this time spanning across the broad and sharp-edged side-body, a black strip streaked over the side panels to amplify the sound of the dual-tone style statement of Maestro. The silver-coated foldable foot-rests, meanwhile, contribute equally well to riders' comforts and to good looks of the scooter. As for the rear, a neat and rectangular multi-reflector taillamp cluster with a 12V 5W bulb, in combination with clear lens turn indicators and grab rails that are not only easy to hold but look smart too, complete the overall stylish attire of the Hero Maestro. 

Launched in direct competition with the Honda Activa, Hero Maestro gets powered by an identical twin of Activa's power-mill. With no differences at all, the same air-cooled, 4-stroke, single-cylinder OHC petrol engine drives this new Hero scooter. Displacement of 109cc and paired to a dry and automatic centrifugal clutch with variomatic drive along with a CDI ignition system, this engine churns out a peak 8.09bhp at 7500rpm for a maximum torque output of 9.10Nm at 5500rpm. With all this brilliant Japanese technology working in harmony, the Maestro is claimed to have a uniform power supply all through the drive, making accelerating a smooth affair and improving the throttle response manifold. Coming to suspension, the front gets a Bottom Link suspension while the rear gets a Unit Swing system both with spring loaded hydraulic dampers for cushioning.


Hero Maestro Mileage
Banking a petrol supply of 5.3 litres, Hero MotoCorp Maestro consumes fuel at a reasonable rate of 42kmpl on the busy city streets while on a clear and traffic-free highway, the fuel-consumption rate reduces to a 60kmpl. 

For the first time, the Combined Braking system of Honda scooters has been seen on a non-Honda product. This technology allows the rider to apply both the front and rear brakes together by pressing the left brake lever while the right one is solely for the front brake. While this speaks for a fabulous braking mechanism on paper, it has been observed to be not so amazing in practicality. To make up this system, the front as well as the rear wheel is fitted with a 130mm Drum brakes of Internal Expanding Shoe type and to assist them, a set of 90/100 x 10 inch tyres surround the wheels.


Handling the Maestro is not a difficult task. Proper height and placement of handlebar gives a proper upright posture to the rider while the instrument panel is so placed that it lies along the line of sight of the rider eliminating the need of any extra efforts on the driver's part. Plus, the stability is good for a straight drive. But the handlebars being a bit heavy make turning around corners a little bit tedious. So, although not perfect but Hero has done a pretty decent job on Maestro. 

A Combined Braking mechanism that allows the application of both front and rear brakes together is a potential safety system in itself that takes a shorter distance to stop the vehicle. Drum brakes in the front and rear complement that system while the suspension unit works to provide a fairly comfortable ride though with slight bumps. A new safety feature that has come up with Hero Maestro is that of a key-less ignition lock which allows a person to lock the ignition cover without needing a key but does not allow them to open it without a key providing protection against tampering.