Hero Motocorp will launch a new adventure bike by the middle of year, according to NDTV Car & Bike. The bike was showcased at the 2018 EICMA motorcycle show. The XPulse 200 will be powered by a 200cc four stroke engine likely to be lifted off the Xtreme 200S, which is launching in India next month.
The new bike was called the XPulse when it was showcased at EICMA as a concept. The same badge is likely to be retained on the production version as well. New details reveal that the XPulse’s 200cc engine will put out about 20 Bhp of peak power and 18 Nm of peak torque. A 5 speed manual gearbox will be offered.
The motorcycle will weigh a light 140 Kgs, making the 20 Bhp more than sufficient for most situations on Indian roads. Expect a lot of features on the XPulse to be carried over from the Impulse 150. Long travel suspension both at the front and rear will be standard. The XPulse is expected to get a rugged frame.
High ground clearance and a high seating position will be offered on the bike. Disc brakes are likely to be standard on both wheels. Fuel injection and ABS could also be offered on the bike. The bike is expected to be priced between 1.1 to 1.2 lakh rupees, making it the most affordable adventure bike in India.
It will be positioned well below the Royal Enfield Himalayan, which starts from around 1.65 lakhs. This price advantage could make the XPulse a brisk seller in India, a market which has not yet warmed up to adventure bikes. The next two years could change this trend though, as nearly 10 new adventure bikes will be launched here. Many of these bikes will be affordable ones, priced well under 3 lakhs. Exciting times lie ahead for bikers who want to go off the beaten path in India.