Hero MotoCorp donates Xtreme 200R-based bike ambulances to fight COVID-19

Hero MotoCorp is India’s and world’s largest two wheeler manufacturer. They have a wide variety of commuter and higher capacity motorcycles in their line up. The current situation in the country has affected automobile sector also. Most of the manufacturers have suspended operations in their plants due to the Corona virus pandemic. Hero MotoCorp recently made an announcement that they will be donating 60 custom built motorcycle ambulances to help in the fighting the Corona Virus. Here is a video that shows one of the bike ambulance that would be engaging in the Corona virus relief work.

The video shows a white coloured Hero Xtreme 200R motorcycle with a side car attached to it. The bike ambulance is based on the Xtreme 200R motorcycle and gets a number of modifications to it. Starting with the side car, it is attached to the motorcycle like a regular side car and gets dedicated suspension setup to make the ride more comfortable for the patient.

There are blinkers, reflectors installed on various parts of the side car. Instead of a chair, the side car gets a stretcher were the patient can comfortably lie down. The bike ambulance is equipped with facilities like an oxygen cylinder, first aid box and fire extinguisher. There is also wireless radio which would come in handy at the time of an emergency. Just like a regular ambulance, the bike ambulance also gets a siren and beacon lights that are to be used while transporting a patient.

The engine of the bike remains untouched and is powered by the same 199-cc, single cylinder engine that generates 18.4 PS and 17.1 Nm of torque. Hero had earlier announced that the same setup can be installed on any motorcycle that have an engine above 150-cc. The main objective of these motorcycle based ambulances that Hero would be donating is to help the patients in the rural and remotest area in the country. These bike ambulances would be picking patients and dropping them at the nearest hospitals.

These 60 bike ambulances will be handed over to authorities across the country for COVID-19 relief works. Like many other manufacturers in the country Hero MotoCorp is also trying to help people and is also making contributions to the various relief programmes. These bike ambulances could be very useful to ensure medical care in hard-to-reach places, where larger ambulances may not be very useful. The idea is to bridge the last mile connectivity.