Comparo - Suzuki Hayate vs Hero Ignitor

Suzuki's latest entrant Hayate has film actor Salman Khan roped in as the brand ambassador to add to the starry effect of the bike. But will this glamour quotient translate to the sales figures rather considering the competition with archrivals Honda Splendor, Honda Dream Yuga and Bajaj Discover?

The fight as you would expect is not between its close enemies but I have put Hayate into a litmus test alongside Hero MotoCorp's latest 125cc bike the Hero Ignitor. And let's see who comes out the winner between the two.



Hero Ignitor, well the name says it all for the Ignitor, it kind of ignited the competition in the 100-125cc bikes segment the moment it was launched and two weeks after the launch the adversaries are already working on strategies to give it a beating.



Hero is the world's largest bike maker and it has tightened its claws in the market with the introduction of Ignitor in the 125cc deluxe segment. While Hero Motocorp has announced a clear challenge against the Honda's CBF Stunner with the launch of the Hero Ignitor yet it is surprisingly priced a little higher than the rival. For now we will see how it performs against Suzuki Hayate.

Looks
Ignitor stands the stylish one between the two; the front fairing gets pseudo air scoops and the Ignitor moniker is splashed on the sides of the front, which gives the bike the asked uber cool look.



The underpinnings are quite similar to what we see in the Stunner and the rear-view mirrors and the grab rails are adorned with the body color. The digital speedometer and kick-start options are the major turn-on features of the bike. The elevated seat at the back will give a tough for the pillion, especially if you go on a long ride. While Hayate in comparison to the Ignitor seems a damp squib, although it has sturdy build it does not quite match up any close to the Ignitor that sports stylish looks and is rich with features. Hayate has very few style-factors to boast of and one of them is the chic rear light, indicator and the round headlight are good but otherwise the bike maintains a sober look with the traditional features.

Engine, performance and mileage
Hayate comes equipped with a 4-stroke, air-cooled 112.8cc SOHC engine which belts out a maximum power of 8.6 BHP @ 7500rpm and peak torque of 8.4 Nm @ 4500rpm and also uses a 4-speed down-shift gearbox. In addition the bike features CDI ignition along with NGK spark plug for giving good fuel efficiency. Whereas, Hero Ignitor runs on a 125 cc ATFT, air-cooled, single cylinder engine that gives a top power of 11ps @ 8800 rpm with a maximum torque of 11 NM @ 5000 rpm. The 5-speed gear transmission aids an effortless and smooth gearshift. So it is pretty much miles apart kind of difference when it comes to power and performance of the Ignitor when compared to counterpart from Suzuki. Performance and handling of the Hayate suffers beyond a maximum speed of 65 kmph and that's a big let down.



Both the bikes give almost the same mileage; around 52-55 kmpl. But Hayate has a slight edge over Ignitor because though it has a smaller engine and holds 8 litre fuel it still manages to give better mileage.

Colors
Suzuki Hayate is available in five exciting colors: pearl mirage white, metallic lush green, pearl mica red, sparkle black and metallic grey. While the Hero Ignitor is available in four colors; pearl white, sports red, vibrant blue and the panther black metallic.



Verdict
Hayate has the potential of making it to a good commuter bike; the bike has the proficiency to fulfill your daily commuting tasks with not many complaints and also returns commendable fuel efficiency. But I longed for a disc brake in the Hayate, which was quite disappointing and apart from that the bike has just about average looks and the not-so-powerful headlight. These could be potential turn offs when compared with the more stylish and powerful performer Ignitor.

In fact there is no matching when it comes to cost of maintenance and spares of a Hero MotoCorp and a Suzuki bike. Hero bikes can be easily handled by any roadside wrench wala which make them favorites among bike riders. The clear winner of this match too is the Hero Ignitor for its stylish looks and more so for its reliable performance. The competitively priced bike will surely win your heart in this segment. If people felt its not right to compare the two, we beg their excuse, but since there is not much difference in the CCs of the bikes we were not deterred to take this match.