Hero Maestro Edge and Duet: First Ride Review

The Pros: First in-house developed engines, first-in-segment USB 3.0 ports, ana-digi instrument cluster and nice suspension set-up. 

The Cons: Lack of proper phone mount near charging point, seat is not comfortable as compared to Jupiter and initial pick-up is lethargic.

The Crux: Though, they are not quick or agile, but they will not leave any space for complaints within city limits. Both the scooters are practical.

Rating

Despite being the world’s largest two-wheeler manufacturer and selling over 5,00,000 units every month, Hero MotoCorp is still relatively inexperienced when it comes to self-proclaimed all-indigenous products. After parting its way with the longstanding Japanese partner and India’s second biggest two-wheeler company - Honda in 2011, Hero stood their ground from there on to become self-sustained and since then Hero Motocorp have been working silently towards independent R&D capability.

Now, the all-new Maestro Edge and Duet automatic scooters are the first examples of those four yearlong efforts as well as mark the start of their independent innings. Are these new Heroes good enough to take on the might of well-established competitors such as the Honda Activa and the TVS Jupiter? Read on to find out.

Design and Features:

Ergonomics and Comfort:

The riding position is upright on both the scooters. The seats are well padded and offer decent riding experience, though the seat on the Jupiter continues to be the benchmark in this segment. Palm grips and levers are top-notch and nice to touch.

Open the throttle and the scooters move forward with refined smoothness that remains contained across the power band. Though the initial pickup is slightly lethargic - particularly up to speeds of 35kmph, the unit picks up well from there on and performs well. The CVTs are well-tuned and both the scooters are effortlessly capable of cruising speeds in the region of 60kmph.

Between the two, Edge feels peppier as it is 6 kilograms lighter than the Duet. The weight shedding is thanks to its ABS plastic body, which also translates into better claimed fuel efficiency at 65.8kmpl – slightly better than the metal-bodied sibling.



Overall, the performance of these new Heroes is satisfactory. They aren’t outright quick or agile, but that isn’t what city commuting scooters are for anyway. Within city limits, the siblings from the Hero stable leave no room for complaints.

Ride & Handling:

While the prices of the Duet are yet to be announced, the Maestro Edge is on sale - priced at INR 49,500 for the LX version and INR 50,700 for the VX variant in Delhi. So, will these new Heroes help the leading bikemaker to create the same impact in the scooter segment and challenge the dominance of Honda Activa? Well, not anytime soon. But the new kids on the block are definitely nice looking, practical scooters which check all the right boxes and hints towards a bright future of Hero Motocorp.