Royal Enfield Himalayan to get 2 new, cheaper challengers: Hero XPulse & UM DSR 200!

Royal Enfield Himalayan, which is currently the most affordable adventure motorcycle in India would soon get two new competitors. Recently, BMW launched the GS 310R in the market, which is priced quite high than the Royal Enfield and does not possess a real threat to the Indian manufacturer as they serve different customers. However, in the recent future, Royal Enfield Himalayan would get two new, cheaper models that would take on the Royal Enfield Himalayan directly.

The first launch would come from UM Motorcycles. The brand recently showcased their upcoming products to the Indian dealership officials. One of the upcoming products from the brand is the UM DSR Adventure 200. It is a dual purpose bike and gets powered by a 196cc, single-cylinder, air-cooled engine. The engine is carburetted and produces a maximum of 16 Bhp and 16 Nm of peak torque. It gets a low weight of 148 kg and a six-speed transmission.

The UM DSR Adventure would be offered to the typical touring enthusiasts and it gets equipment like Upside Down front forks, a monoshock in the rear, single-channel ABS, disc brakes in both the wheels, engine sump guard, alloy wheels and more. It is expected to be priced at around Rs. 1.4 lakhs, which is significantly lower than the Royal Enfield Himalayan, which is priced at Rs. 1.8 lakhs, ex-showroom.

The second challenge would come from Hero MotoCorp, who is preparing to launch the XPulse 200R. Hero first showcased the upcoming adventure bike at the 2018 Auto Expo and it is based on the same platform as the Xtreme 200R. The XPulse would be powered by a 200cc single-cylinder, air-cooled engine that has been developed in-house by Hero MotoCorp. The all-new engine produces a maximum of 18 Bhp and 17 Nm. It gets a two-valve, single-overhead camshaft. The engine is mated to a 5-speed transmission. The Hero MotoCorp XPulse will get fuel injection as standard but Hero may remove it from the production version to ensure an affordable price tag. The bike gets a long set of features including a single-channel ABS. There is petal disc on both the front and rear of the bike and it also gets spoked rims for greater flexibility.

The XPulse comes with long travelling front and rear suspension, high ground clearance and high-swept exhaust. It gets a 21-inch wheel in the front and 19-inch wheel in the rear. The also gets LED headlamp, knuckle guard, a bash plate and 14-litre capacity fuel tank.

The adventure motorcycle market is warming up in India and soon KTM will also launch the all-new 390 ADV in the Indian market. The bike will be based on the 390 Duke but will get sufficient changes like high travel suspension and an adventure-type body that gives it much more capability than the 390 Duke.