Most of the times commuting in the city is a hassle. Further, things take a bad turn in traffic as the vehicle you are driving or riding craves open roads, so does your wallet. This is where commuter motorcycles come into consideration and the first name that pops up in our head is Hero. There are numerous bikes from this Indian manufacturer that are built to last in these urban jungles. One such motorcycle is the Hero Honda Ambition.
2002 | Hero Honda Ambition Came to Our Shores
Hero with healthy collaboration with the Japanese automaker, Honda, introduced the Ambition back in 2002. This was the time when the motorcycles were more than just commuters. Hero Honda Ambition sat at the right spot. More on that later. In 2002 the motorcycle had a timeless design that had the right blend of the retro and modern blend. No wonder, the motorcycle was one of the best selling motorcycles in its segment.
2004 | New Aesthetics
The motorcycle got a minor update in January 2004 to refresh the appeal of the motorcycle. This time around the Ambition got a front visitor and a headlight inspired by the joyful CBZ. Besides both of the models had the same engine and there was no change in the internals. This reminds me, let’s talk powertrain.
What powered the Hero Honda Ambition?
As said earlier the motorcycle was among the top-selling motorcycle in its segment. But in what segment it belonged, you may ask? To begin with, the Hero Honda Ambition has a 133cc single-cylinder engine. This means it was at the sweet spot in between the 125cc to 150cc motorcycles. Because of the 133cc engine, it was more powerful than the 125 cc motorcycles and was more efficient than the 150 cc bikes.
Engine Specs
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| Engine | 133cc, Single Cylinder, 4-Stroke, Air-Cooled | ||
| Transmission | 5-Speed | ||
| Power | 11.2 ps @ 8000 rpm | ||
| Torque | 10.5 Nm @ 6500 rpm | ||
| Mileage | |||
That said, this motor generated 11.2ps of max power and 10.5Nm of peak torque. The USP of Hero Honda Ambition was that it came with a 5-speed gearbox. Making the bike nimble in the city and allowed it to cruise out on the highway at decent speeds.
Let’s Dive into the Memory Lane
Rivals and aggressive pricing
The reason the motorcycle was a success was the very reason it failed after some time. Hero Honda Ambition in its initial stages did really well in the market, but later had a devastating decline in sales. For you to know the commuter motorcycle was priced at ₹45,000/– (ex-Showroom). There weren’t many rivals but to begin with the Bajaj Pulsar was one of the prime opposition of the Ambition.
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