Hero to launch 200 cc off-road bike soon

Hero launched the Impulse back in October 2011 after showcasing the bike for the first time in 2010. The company marketed the bike as an adventure off-road bike and was powered by a 149.2 cc engine making 13 Bhp and 13.4 Nm. Due to the BS4 emission norms, the company dropped the Impulse from their portfolio and is now planning to launch a new one with a larger 200 cc engine.

Pawan Munjal had the following to say:

We are going to have enhanced focus on the two growing segments — scooters and premium motorcycles — with new products. In the current fiscal (FY18), we are looking at aggressive market share gains to consolidate leadership, without compromising on the bottom line and our margins.

The new bike will be launched in the middle of the next financial year. The engine will most likely be a new 200 cc unit making 18.5 Bhp and 17.2 Nm.

While the Impulse was capable and an interesting offering, most people found the 13 Bhp less and were not happy with how less the power the bike had, especially for off-roading. Keeping that in mind, the company is now planning to improve on that.

Currently, Royal Enfield has the Himalayan which is one of the few affordable adventure bikes on sale right now. This will surely undercut the Himalayan.  There have been rumors since 2015 that the company has been working on a newer larger engine version of the Impulse. Now that the Impulse has been discontinued in the market, the company could get the newer one to appeal to a larger audience.

Hero showcased the Xtreme 200S at the 2016 Auto Expo and this vehicle is most likely going to have the same engine which was showcased on that bike.