300cc Hero XPulse adventure motorcycle? Why not, says Hero MotoCorp’s CTO

The chief technological officer at Hero MotoCorp, Dr Markus Braunsperger, has revealed that a 300cc version of the Hero XPulse on-off road motorcycle could be built in the future. If built, the XPulse 300 is expected to use Hero MotoCorp’s rallying experience as inputs. For the time being though, Hero will focus on the XPulse 200.

The XPulse 200 is expected to be launched in India during the second half of this year. It was showcased at the Auto Expo 2018. It’s likely to have a price tag of around Rs. 1-1.2 lakhs, and will be Hero MotoCorp’s new flagship bike. It will be sold across India, through all Hero MotoCorp dealerships.

The XPulse 200 is based on the Xtreme 200R’s platform but will have a fuel injected 200cc, four stroke engine with air cooling. This engine produces 18.4 Bhp of peak power and 17.2 Nm of peak torque, and is mated to a 5 speed manual gearbox. The XPulse has a seat height of 825 mm, which is much lower than that of the Impulse 150.

This key change is expected to attract more Indian buyers towards the new motorcycle. However, other bits like high suspension travel at the front and rear, high ground clearance and off-road ready exhaust will be standard on the motorcycle.

Hero MotoCorp will also offer touring-ready accessories for the XPulse 200, which includes a windscreen for higher-speed riding on highways and luggage racks. The motorcycle will be positioned as a much cheaper alternative to the Royal Enfield Himalayan, which costs nearly Rs. 2 lakh on-road.

With a kerb weight of around 140 Kgs, the XPulse 200 is expected to be peppy enough for both city riding as well as cruising on the highway at speeds of about 100 Kph. Of course, the bike’s power and torque is more than adequate for mild off road riding. Excited? We sure are.

Via AutocarPro