Hero Cuts ₹4,000 Off Splendor+ and HF Deluxe Flex Fuel — Just Days After Launch

Hero MotoCorp has rolled out a Hero Splendor+ Flex Fuel discount of ₹4,000, cutting the price of its newly launched flex-fuel commuter just days after it went on sale. The same ₹4,000 cut also applies to the Hero HF Deluxe Flex Fuel, bringing the two ex-showroom Delhi prices down to ₹78,710 and ₹68,792, respectively. Both motorcycles are India's first mass-market two-wheelers built to run on E20 to E85 ethanol-petrol blends, and Hero is clearly trying to remove any hesitation buyers might have about paying extra for technology most riders haven't used before. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in July 2026, with the discount staying in place until then.

Hero Splendor+ Flex Fuel discount explained

The timing is what makes this move stand out. Hero launched the Splendor+ Flex Fuel and HF Deluxe Flex Fuel only weeks ago, and pulling pricing levers this early signals the company wants adoption numbers, not just headlines. Flex-fuel hardware costs more to engineer and build, and that cost normally gets passed on as a price premium over the standard petrol version. By trimming ₹4,000 off both models, Hero has narrowed that gap to the point where it barely exists. The Splendor+ Flex Fuel now costs only about ₹1,153 more than its regular E20 sibling, while the HF Deluxe Flex Fuel is actually around ₹1,650 cheaper than the standard HF Deluxe i3S variant it's based on. For a commuter buyer comparing two bikes on a showroom floor, that's a difference too small to matter, which is exactly the point.

On-road pricing will naturally push these figures higher. Factoring in registration, insurance, and Delhi's local taxes, the Splendor+ Flex Fuel is likely to land around ₹90,000–₹94,000 on-road, while the HF Deluxe Flex Fuel should come in closer to ₹79,000–₹83,000. Maharashtra buyers will see slightly different final numbers depending on RTO charges in their specific city, so it's worth checking the exact on-road price before walking into a dealership.

What's mechanically different on the flex-fuel versions

Underneath the familiar bodywork, both bikes share Hero's long-running 97.2cc single-cylinder engine, now re-engineered to tolerate ethanol concentrations far higher than a standard petrol motor would handle. The fuel system has been reworked with a revised ECU calibration, an additional fuel filter, and a fuel pump modified specifically for high-ethanol blends, since ethanol is more corrosive to certain components than pure petrol. Hero has retained the i3S idle-start-stop system on these flex-fuel variants, so the day-to-day riding experience doesn't change even though what's happening inside the engine does. On E85, the engine produces roughly 8.4-8.5bhp at 8,000rpm and about 8.3Nm of torque at 6,000rpm, a modest gain over the standard E20 figures that comes from ethanol's higher octane rating.

Hero HF Deluxe Flex Fuel price after discount: where it stands now

At ₹68,792 ex-showroom Delhi, the HF Deluxe Flex Fuel becomes one of the more interesting entries in Hero's lineup, because it's now priced below a bike that doesn't even have the added flex-fuel hardware. That's an unusual position for a flex-fuel motorcycle to be in anywhere in the world, let alone in India, and it suggests Hero is willing to absorb some margin to get more flex-fuel bikes on the road quickly. The Splendor Plus Flex Fuel price, at ₹78,710, sits in a more conventional spot, just slightly above its petrol counterpart, but still close enough that the choice comes down to brand preference rather than budget.

Choosing between the two flex-fuel models themselves is straightforward. The Splendor+ Flex Fuel carries Hero's most recognised nameplate, a reputation for resale value, and broader appeal among buyers who want a bike the whole family can use without much explanation. The HF Deluxe Flex Fuel strips things down further and is built for riders who care primarily about the lowest possible purchase price and dependable daily running costs, without worrying about badge value. Both are functionally similar enough that the decision rarely needs more than five minutes of thought once a buyer has settled on a budget.

Does E85 actually save money for Indian riders right now

This is where buyers need to be realistic. Ethanol has a lower energy density than petrol, so even when E85 is priced lower per litre than the roughly ₹103/litre petrol costs in many Indian cities, the running-cost advantage isn't automatic; it depends entirely on how E85 is priced at the pump in a given city. Right now, E85 availability is still limited to a handful of stations in Delhi and parts of Maharashtra, which is also why Hero has restricted sales of these motorcycles to those regions for now. For most buyers today, the case for a flex-fuel bike isn't about saving money this year. It's about future-proofing a purchase against a fuel landscape that India is actively pushing toward, with the government encouraging higher ethanol blending as part of its broader energy strategy.

Hero's own roadmap backs this up. The company has talked about making its entire two-wheeler portfolio E85-compatible within the next one to two years, which would turn flex-fuel from a niche option into something closer to the default across its range. There's also been talk of retrofit kits for existing BS6 motorcycles, though Hero hasn't confirmed pricing or a timeline for that yet, so it remains a "watch this space" detail rather than something buyers can factor into a decision today.

Splendor+ Flex Fuel vs HF Deluxe Flex Fuel: the commuter calculus

Set side by side, the comparison comes down to what kind of commuter a buyer wants to be seen riding versus what they're comfortable spending. The Splendor Plus vs HF Deluxe Flex Fuel debate isn't really about performance, since both share the same engine and similar output figures; it's about positioning. Splendor+ buyers tend to want a known quantity with a stronger resale story, while HF Deluxe buyers are usually the most price-sensitive segment of Hero's customer base, prioritising upfront cost above all else. With the ₹4,000 discount in place, Hero has made sure neither bike is meaningfully penalised for carrying flex-fuel hardware, which removes what would otherwise be the single biggest objection buyers raise.

For anyone weighing this decision against the standard Splendor Plus or HF Deluxe, it's worth reading Drivio's full Splendor Plus Flex Fuel vs HF Deluxe Flex Fuel comparison, and the standalone HF Deluxe review, for a closer look at how the flex-fuel changes affect everyday usability beyond just the spec sheet.

So who should actually buy now versus wait? Buy now if you're based in Delhi or one of the select Maharashtra cities where these bikes are currently sold, you have reasonable access to E85 pumps, and you like the idea of owning a commuter that's ready for where Indian fuel policy is clearly headed, all for a price premium that's now close to negligible. Wait if your city doesn't have E85 infrastructure yet, or if your only priority is squeezing out the lowest possible running cost starting today, since the savings story is still unproven outside Delhi and Maharashtra. Check the on-road price and EMI for the Hero Splendor+ Flex Fuel or HF Deluxe Flex Fuel in your city on Drivio.