Hero Passion Pro vs Yamaha Saluto

Hero Motocorp has kicked things up a notch with the 2020 Hero Passion Pro. So what’s new? And how much of a difference have the changes made? To find out, we spent a couple of days with the motorcycle in city traffic and on the highway. Yes, we even rode it over broken roads and loaded it with a hefty duffle bag, because after all, it will be used as a rugged commuter isn’t it?

The Passion brand was supposed to replace the Splendor when it was launched many years ago. But the Indian market liked this entry-level bike so much that it went on to become the second highest selling bike brand for Hero MotoCorp. Over the last few years, many manufacturers have tried to dethrone the Passion range but were unsuccessful. Hero MotoCorp found out that the Indian buyers were upgrading themselves to a higher displacement and that’s when it decided to give the Passion Pro a new 110cc heart. 

The Yamaha Saluto is a very perplexing motorcycle. Having established its roots in the more enthusiast-oriented 150cc segment with the FZ-S and the YZF-R15, Yamaha launched the Saluto as a replacement for the ageing SS125 with an eye on the lucrative 125cc commuter segment. On paper, it almost seems like Yamaha has taken a step backwards. The Saluto is more than 2 horsepower down on the motorcycle it replaces and loses out on a lot of features and flair thereby adopting a very civilised and sober design. So what was Yamaha actually thinking when they brought in the Saluto?