Hero Xpulse 400 with 421cc engine to be launched next year

Last week, spyshots of a Hero XPulse with a bigger engine being tested in the Himalayan region surfaced. Back then, the buzz surrounding the new adventure motorcycle from Hero MotoCorp suggested that the bike would be powered by a 300cc, four stroke engine. Now though, a new report on Car&Bike suggests that the Hero XPulse 400 is in the works for a 2023 launch, and that the motorcycle would feature a 421cc, four stroke engine.

From the spyshots, it’s evident that the new engine is a single cylinder unit. It remains to be seen if Hero MotoCorp offers liquid cooling on the new, 421cc engine as that’s something that most motorcycle manufacturers are now resorting to in higher capacity engines for better thermal management, more consistent performance and better fuel efficiency.

Bigger engine means no more underpowered-ness

The new 421cc engine on the Hero XPulse 400 should produce between 35-40 Bhp, and this should address the biggest concern expressed by owners of the XPulse 200 – that of the bike being underpowered. A 400cc engine is more than ample for a light adventure motorcycle, even while touring in high altitude regions such as the Himalayas – where the rarer air makes engines lose power. The chassis will also be completely new, and Hero is said to be benchmarking the XPulse 400 against the KTM Adventure 390.

Also read: All-new KTM RC 390 and RC 125 revealed with extensive updates in design & mechanicals

Launch in the second half of 2023

The Hero XPulse 400 is still a work in progress, and it won’t be until the second half of 2023 before the new adventure motorcycle will be launched in India. This puts the motorcycle a year away from launch. A niggle free product is what adventure motorcycle buyers will expect given the long delay between the firstt spyshots and the actual launch.

Competition heating up

Royal Enfield has readied the Himalayan 450, a brand new adventure motorcycle that’s a big departure from the current Himalayan 411. The Himalayan 450 will feature a 450cc, liquid cooled engine – a first for Royal Enfield. This motor is likely to put out 45 Bhp-40 Nm, a big step up from the current Himalayan 411’s 24 Bhp-32 Nm outputs. KTM has just launched the 2022 version of the Adventure 390 and BMW Motorrad is also expected to update the G 310 GS for next year. So, the Hero XPulse 400 will be arriving in a crowded market that has a range of motorcycles, sitting at different price points.

A competitive price tag

Considering the fact that the Hero XPulse 400 will be a homegrown effort with a large amount of localization, a competitive price tag well under Rs. 3 lakh is likely for new adventure motorcycle. Hero MotoCorp is also likely to offer the engine developed for the XPulse 400 in other models. In the coming months, expect more spyshots of the XPulse 400 as the launch nears.

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