The small segment ADV market has been busy already and now Hero MotoCorp has finally lifted the covers off of the XPulse 200 4V. This entry-level ADV has been a go-to motorcycle for the off-road and touring enthusiasts and Hero has been giving it updates on a regular basis. For this time around, the Hero XPulse 200 gets four valves over its cylinder, three new colours and a little price premium over the previous model.
The 199.6cc engine is the same as before but with better airflow, courtesy of the four valves. Thanks to this, it now produces 1bhp more to 18.8bhp at 8500rpm and 0.8Nm more to 17.6Nm at 6500rpm. Hero has also reworked the cooling for it as well with an updated 7-fin oil cooler for better heat dissipation, should one encounter heavy traffic. Its engine is mated to the same gearbox but with updated gear ratios suitable for better tractive effort and acceleration. All of this should not let the bike run out of breath on highways, and for now, we can only wait to see how this updated engine will perform in the real world.
The design of the motorcycle remains the same barring the colour schemes. It now gets three new colours namely Trail Blue, Blitz Blue, and Red Raid in dual tone with the Hero logo being used as a design element. The LED headlight is now 21 per cent more brighter which will surely help to ride at night on highways.
The tried and tested underpinnings of the XPulse remains the same as before as well with 21-inch and 17-inch wired spoked rims placed 1410mm apart. It is suspended on 37mm telescopic front forks with 190mm suspension travel and a 10-step adjustable mono-shock with 170mm travel. The same 220mm ground clearance is enough to easily conquer the rocky trails, and if you do bottom it out while being an ambitious off-roader, there is an aluminium skid plate to save the engine. The Rally kit is still on offer with the XPulse that adds in Maxxis knobbier tyres, handle-bar raisers, long-travel adjustable suspension, a new seat and toothed footpegs along with brake pedal.
In terms of features, they also remain the same as before. It has an LCD instrument cluster that can be paired with a smartphone to enable features like telephony and navigation. Apart from that, the display also shows the gear position. In terms of rider aids, it gets single-channel ABS, though, given the motorcycle’s touring intentions, dual-channel ABS would have been welcomed.
The XPulse 200 4V comes with a price tag of Rs 1.28 lakh, which is slightly over the outgoing model. At this price, you are getting one proven motorcycle on which you can hone your off-roading skill or go touring. On comparing the engine size, its closest rival is the Honda CB200X which is priced at Rs 1.44 lakh and has less power and a less beefier suspension setup.