Just couple of weeks back Hero Motocorp launched their first manufacturing plant in Colombia. Being the company’s first manufacturing plant outside of India incidentally it is also the first ever international plant by any Indian motorcycle manufacturer. Hot on the heels of this big move, Hero Motocorp has now launched the Hero Duet and the Hero Maestro Edge in India. Both these scooters will be available in VX and LX versions with difference coming in terms of standard equipment provided. The noteworthy part of this launch is in the finer details. Both these scooters are completely made in house by Hero Motocorp. The company which earlier was tied up with Honda Motorcycles and Scooters India had a technology sharing partnership which was dissolved in 2010. Hero has since focused its effort on developing its own technology and has made several efforts, successful and futile in this direction. Partnerships and buy-ins like that of Engines Engineering and Erik Buell Racing have misfired while huge new R&D centres and tie ups with companies like Magneti Marelli have worked immensely in their favour. The ultimate aim of Hero Motocorp is to have all the technology and development happening in house and taking them to the world.
The Hero Duet is an 110cc scooter that produces 8.31 HP @ 8000 RPM and 8.3 Nm @ 6500 RPM. The company claims that the Hero Duet will return a mileage as high as 64 kmpl from this single cylinder, air cooled engine. A key feature of the Hero Duet is its full metal body. The Hero Duet will be available in 6 colour options – Candy Blazing Red, Pearl Silver White, Grace Grey, Matte Nature Green, Panther Black and Vernier Grey (Non-metallic).
The Hero Maestro Edge shares the same engine as that in the Duet and you can expect the same sort of fuel efficiency from the scooter. Key features include 12 inch front wheels, LED tail light and keys with E-code. And while the price of the Hero Duet has not yet been announced the Hero Maestro Edge prices has been announced at Rs. 49,000/- for the LX version and Rs. 50,700/- VX version. Both prices are ex-showroom Delhi.
Both scooters will feature telescopic front forks, integrated braking system and a semi digital and analogue instrument cluster at the front. Other stand out features includes – a mobile charging point, remote seat release, remote fuel-lid release, pass switch, service due indicator, side stand indicator light and twin parking lamps.