Honda CB125 Hornet vs Hero Xtreme 125R: Spec Comparison

Honda debuted in the sporty commuter space last week with the new CB125 Hornet. It looks sharp and funky, and boasts quite the impressive spec sheet as well. But as a package is it enough to take on its arch rival, the Hero Xtreme 125R? Let’s find that out in this spec comparison:

Honda CB125 Hornet vs Hero Xtreme 125R: Engine And Transmission

Both the 125 cc bikes are on par with each other with the performance on offer here. But the Hero Xtreme 125R produces its peak power and torque higher in the rev range, and that should help its case sustain its top speed better than the Hero Xtreme 125R. And yet the Honda would be quicker than the Hero here because of its weight advantage (more about that later)

Honda CB125 Hornet vs Hero Xtreme 125R: Suspension And Brake

The Honda CB125 Hornet is the second bike in the 125 cc category after KTM to offer a USD fork. This should help its case with a stable ride quality. However, the Hero Xtreme 125R comes with wider tyres and that induces it to take corners with more confidence. While both Hero and Honda offer ABS on these bikes, Honda offers it as a standard fitment, while Hero gives you the option of CBS as well with entry-level variants.

Honda CB125 Hornet vs Hero Xtreme 125R: Dimension

The Honda CB125 Hornet is longer, shorter, but taller than the Hero Xtreme 125R. It even gets a 2-litre fuel tank and yet it is still 12 kilos lighter than the Hero Xtreme 125R when the tanks are filled. This will make the CB125 Hornet more manageable and easier to ride in tight traffic conditions. But at the same time, the Honda has a lower ground clearance, and while that might be to achieve a lower seat height, travelling over speed bumps will become an issue with the here, which won’t be much of a bother on the Hero Xtreme 125R.

Features

The Honda CB125 Hornet gets all the bells and whistles of modern connectivity. The 4.2-inch TFT console supports Honda’s RoadSync app which not only gets you access to all crucial riding data, but also music playback and turn-by-turn navigation, plus call/SMS alerts. 

The Hero Xtreme 125R is clearly lacking in this department, as it just gets a reverse LCD display with no connectivity feature on offer here. However, it does get LED headlight and tail light as standard, just like the Honda CB125 Hornet, and these units do the job pretty decently. 

Price And Availability 

Honda will announce the asking price of the CB125 Hornet on August 1. Going by the kind of hardware and features on offer here, Honda will position the CB125 Hornet as quite the premium option. Compared to that, the Hero Xtreme 125R is priced from ₹98,425 to ₹1.02 lakh (Ex-showroom, Delhi) and is available in three distinct variants. What remains to be seen is by how much Honda’s 125 cc bike is priced at.