The first spy images of an all-new Hero adventure motorcycle with smaller engine have emerged during its test runs, indicating that it could be the Xpulse 160.
When Hero and Honda ended their alliance nearly two decades back in 2010, the first solo motorcycle launched by the former in India was Impulse ADV bike. However, it didn’t fare too well among the masses as adventure-styled bikes with smaller engine capacity (150cc) had not gained prominence during that time in the Indian market. Hence, the company introduced a bigger ADV motorcycle in the form of Xpulse 200 which later evolved into Xpulse 210.
Fast forward to 2025, our friends at Rushlane report that Hero is once again contemplating the introduction of a smaller adventure bike, apparently the Xpulse 160. A heavily camouflaged test mule of the ADV bike has been captured on camera, which is likely to come with a smaller engine and less premium elements. It is expected to be positioned below the Xpulse 210 as an entry-level adventure motorcycle in India.
The new off-road bike from Hero could be powered by an air/oil-cooled engine of smaller capacity, reveal the spy images. It could also be the Xtreme 160R’s 163cc powertrain. Though details are scarce at the moment, we sincerely hope it turns out to be the 4V unit which generates max power of 16.5 bhp and peak torque of 14.6 Nm while mated to a 5-speed gearbox.
It is an all-new adventure bike with 160cc engine due to the circular disc brakes seen in the spy shots, which are smaller in diameter. For reference, the Xpulse 200 is sold with petal disc units. We also cannot see the oil cooling radiator of the Xpulse 200 in the spy images. Even the tall windscreen is missing while the knuckle guards also appear outdated with hinged ends.
Though if we compare the spy images with the Xpulse 200, a few cycle parts and styling seems to be carried over. The spy pics show an identical suspension setup along with 21-inch front and 18-inch rear wheels. This move could be a part of Hero’s cost cutting plans in order to achieve aggressive pricing. It would not be surprising if the brand even calls it Impulse 160.
Hero MotoCorp did not discontinue the Xpulse 200 even after introducing the all-new Xpulse 210. However, it could be replaced with the Xpulse 160 with an even lower pricing. Hero Xpulse 160 could also be lighter in weight than the Xoulse 200 which tips the scale at 159 kg for the base variant and 161 kg for the range-topping variant.
