Hero MotoCorp Splendor Plus Xtec mileage and running cost

Splendor Plus Xtec's claimed mileage is 73 kmpl. Owners and our own riding put the real figure between 60 and 68 kmpl, roughly 12% under the brochure number, which is typical once traffic, a pillion and short trips are factored in.

Among the 21 commuter bikes we have reviewed it ranks 3rd for mileage, 8 kmpl above the group average of 65 kmpl.

At Delhi's petrol price of ₹94.80 a litre and a real-world 64 kmpl, the Splendor Plus Xtec costs about ₹1.48 per km in fuel. Ride 30 km a day and that is roughly ₹1,155 a month, or ₹13,865 a year, before servicing.

The 9.8-litre tank gives a realistic range of about 627 km, so a 30 km commute means a fill-up every 3 weeks.

Spread over five years and 46,800 km, the Splendor Plus Xtec works out to about ₹4.0 per km all-in, of which 37% is fuel and 51% is the purchase price itself. Resale value is not counted; expect roughly 50–60% of ex-showroom after five years for a well-kept example.

The quickest wins for the Splendor Plus Xtec: keep tyres at the recommended pressure (under-inflation by 5 psi can cost 2–3 kmpl), shift up early and avoid idling at long signals, which the idle start-stop system handles for you.

Short trips hurt most. A cold engine on a 2 km run can return half its normal mileage; if that is your use, expect the low end of the real-world band.

Service on time. A clogged air filter or old spark plug shows up in mileage before it shows up anywhere else.