TVS Victor vs Hero Splendor iSmart 110 – The Crucial Commuter Comparo

By Rajkamal

Published: Wednesday, July 20, 2016, 15:49 [IST]

The commuter motorcycle segment in India is very intense. Mileage is key, along with decent design language. One motorcycle that has been dominating this segment for long is the Splendor. Later, TVS came with the Victor, which took over the market by storm.

To keep up with competition, Hero started focusing on the design of the Splendor to attract younger crowd, and kept tweaking it, while TVS decided to withdraw the Victor from the Indian market.

Fast forward to present, TVS revived the Victor brand this year, and Hero launched the Splendor iSmart. Both the motorcycles compete in the same 110cc commuter segment, and are potent competitors. But which motorcycle is worth your hard earned money? Let's find out.

TVS Victor vs Hero Splendor iSmart 110 - Design

The Victor has shed its old boxy design to take on a sleek bodywork. It looks similar to the Star City, but has its own distinctive design language. The sharp lines blend well, and the large bikini fairing up front and the flowing lines give the Victor a rather sporty look. The overall colour with matte black combination, including the silencer, gives the Victor a premium look.

Also Read: TVS Victor Exclusive Road Test

The Hero Splendor iSmart 110 is designed to attract the youngsters as well. Hero has done a pretty well job with the Splendor iSmart's sleek design, graphics, and the black colour theme. The chrome tipped exhaust and the split grab rails uplift the overall sportiness, but has retained the commuter value of the motorcycle.

Also Read: Hero Splendor iSmart 110 Exclusive Road Test review

TVS Victor vs Hero Splendor iSmart 110 - Engine, Gearbox & Mileage

Powering the TVS Victor is a 109.7cc, single-cylinder, air-cooled engine that produces 9.5bhp and 9.4Nm of peak torque. The engine comes mated to a 4-speed gearbox and TVS claims a mileage of 76km/l, while we were able to squeeze out 50km/l in real world testing.

The Hero Splendor iSmart gets a 109.15cc, single-cylinder, air-cooled engine that makes 9.2bhp and 9Nm of peak torque. The Hero's engine is BS-IV compliant and comes mated to a 4-speed gearbox. Honda claims a fuel efficiency of 68km/l upward.

The key advantage the Splendor iSmart has over the Victor's engine is the i3S (Idle-Stop-Start) technology, that cuts off the engine while at a traffic signal. When the rider shift the gear to neutral and lets go of the clutch, the engine is killed after 5 seconds and fires back on when the rider depresses the clutch. This is a huge factor in saving fuel.

TVS Victor vs Hero Splendor iSmart 110 - Ride & Handling

The TVS Victor's power comes post the 4,000rpm mark and the first gear is pretty short. The engine feels smooth, but the gearbox feels a little clunky. The Victor does impress you with its handling, since it is not a motorcycle that one would expect to scrape the pegs around a corner. The suspension soak up bumps very well and the seat is the most comfortable one by far.

The Hero Splendor iSmart 110 feels very torquey at lower rpms, but the mid-range feels dead. The engine needs to be worked hard to be ridden fast. Handling is good, but does not impress you as much as the Victor. Engine and gearbox is smooth, vibration free and the suspension is well set up.

TVS Victor vs Hero Splendor iSmart 110 - Features

The TVS Victor comes with telescopic front forks, dual rear shocks, optional disc brake, semi digital instrument cluster, hazard warning lights, 17-inch alloy wheels, and a very efficient headlight.

The Splendor comes with similar suspension setup, but misses out on the optional disc brake feature. 18-inch alloy wheels are complemented by ceat tyres at both ends, and the Splendor iSmart features a semi digital instrument cluster as well, but misses out the rpm meter.

TVS Victor vs Hero Splendor iSmart 110 - Prices

TVS Victor: Rs. 56,900 (drum brake variant); Rs. 59,000 (disc brake variant)
Hero Splendor iSmart 110: Rs. 60,700

Note: Prices are approximate on-road values (Delhi)

TVS Victor vs Hero Splendor iSmart 110 - Verdict

The Hero Splendor cannot be a wrong choice in the commuter segment. The iSmart 110 looks brilliant, rides good, and the i3S technology is very innovative, but a few aspects let down the motorcycle. The switches could have been of better quality and disc brakes could have been optional since braking is an important factor.

The Victor narrowly edges past the Splendor as a better package overall. The optional disc brake feature and the build quality are two very important aspects that make it a winner. Also, the handling comes as an additional factor, which is again a crucial factor when it comes to being a commuter and TVS has managed to pull it off.