Hero XPulse launch will give riders an affordable option against the issue-laden Himalayan. Ahead of its launch early next year, Hero is taking it places. They have kept it on display at Bahamas. Story updated…
Hero’s first 200cc motorcycle Xtreme 200R doesn’t appear to be finding many takers and it was, kind of, expected. But what has got people hooked onto is the XPulse adventure which is based on a similar platform. After unveiling the motorcycle as a concept at Milan last year, Hero showcased its production ready model at this year’s Auto Expo in Noida.
XPulse will be Hero’s second 200 cc motorcycle to be offered in the market. The display model was draped in a nice white colour theme and Hero says this dual-purpose motorcycle is targeted at young, thrill-seeking riders.
Ahead of its official launch, Hero is keeping it as its flagship brand and in a latest, they have showcased it at Hero World Golf Challenge in Alabany, Bahamas. This also probably suggests that they will export the ADV to suitable markets.
XPulse Launch
XPulse Launch | Jan-March 2019 |
Earlier, Hero announced that XPulse would be launched before this year’s festive season.
However, like all their recent products, this ADV has also been delayed. In yet another press release announcing the introduction of Xpulse 200T, Hero has confirmed that they plan to introduce both these motorcycles in the beginning of 2019. Here is what they have said…
Both XPulse 200 and XPulse 200T are likely to be launched in the market towards the beginning of next year.
XPulse Features
Here are some of the features the motorcycle has been announced with…
- First in class Turn-by-Turn navigation
- All digital instrument console
- Full LED headlamps
- Protective wind-shield
- Luggage rack
- Knuckle guards
- ABS (will be standard)
XPulse Engine
The 200 cc motor, shared with the Xtreme 200R, produces the same 18.4 PS of peak power and 17.1 Nm of maximum torque. It must be known that this motor is a rebored version of the same 150 cc engine which does duty on the Xtreme Sports, and eventually, is a Honda’s engine (which is also plonked on the Unicorn 150!).
It comes with 21 inch front and 18 inch rear dual purpose tyres and a massive ground clearance of 220 mm (as compared to 165 mm of Xtreme 200R). The rear wheel has a travel of 170 mm whereas the front suspension can absorb 190 mm deep strokes.
It also has an upswept exhaust which, Hero says, will enhance its water wading capability.
Also Read: Should Hero be Banned from Showcasing Concepts? Because the Results are ZERO
XPulse Price
Xpulse | Under 1 Lakh |
*ex-showroom price
There is not much of a hardware upgrade from Xtreme 200R (which costs under Rs 90,000 with ABS) and hence, XPulse should not cross 1 Lakh on the ex-showroom price.
Malo Le Masson, Head of Global Product Planning, Hero Motocorp almost confirmed this in an interview to Autocar Professional. He said,
“If you look at the premium market in India, 70 percent is below Rs 100,000. So this is why first we are concentrating on bringing the Xtreme 200R and the XPulse 200. We are looking first at this segment because from a volume standpoint, this is the biggest,”
At an Average of 15 Units Per Month the Question is – Why was Karizma re-Launched?
Finally, we will have a dual-purpose motorcycle which is expected to be more reliable then Himalayan (which has broken all benchmarks of how low-quality and unreliable a production motorcycle from a reputed manufacturer can be). And at that price tag it will be very affordable as well. Eventually, after a long time a ‘desirable’ motorcycle from Hero will become a reality. Both the motorcycles were also spotted testing on the road recently – Check spy pics here.