Amid the EV invasion in the commuter two-wheeler segment, the world of petrol motorcycles continues to witness a steady upshift in preferences. As riders become more evolved and seek newer experiences, the mid-size motorcycle in the 300–700 cc segment is becoming more popular, both among new entrants and buyers who had previously been riding bikes in the entry-level performance segment. And that consequently has meant that more executive motorcycle segment buyers are moving up to entry mid-size.

For these buyers, Hero MotoCorp’s Xtreme 160R has been one of the options from the brand’s stable. But the 2-valve engine in the 160R was not as refined as some of the other motorcycles in the category, and its on-road performance was not special. Buyer expectations have been growing, and simultaneously, Hero MotoCorp has been attempting to go premium. In fact, the leader in mass-market motorcycles has drawn up aggressive plans to set up premium outlets. So, the upgraded Xtreme 160R 4V (4-valve) is just part of Hero MotoCorp’s roadmap to head in that direction.