Hero XPulse 200, 200T launched at Rs 94,000

After months of waiting, Hero has finally launched the XPulse 200 and the XPulse 200T. The XPulse 200 is the off-road-focused variant and will be available in two variants - a carburetted version priced at Rs 97,000 and a fuel injected variant that costs Rs 1.05 lakh. Meanwhile, the road-biased XPulse 200T will be available only as a carburetted motorcycle and is pegged at Rs 94,000. This makes the two XPulse bikes some of the most affordable options in this entry-level off-road segment, and

The XPulse 200 and 200T are both powered by the same 199.6cc single-cylinder, air-cooled motor which is also seen on the Xtreme 200R. The 18.4hp at 8,000rpm and 17.1Nm of torque at 6,500rpm are also identical to the numbers produced on the Xtreme. Both bikes come equipped with a 5-speed gearbox.

Given the off-road intentions of the XPulse 200, it gets an upswept exhaust and a more sophisticated suspension setup. While the fork of is a 37mm telescopic unit on both bikes, the XPulse 200 fork is capable of 190mm of travel. Both bikes comes with a rear monoshock – the 200T’s is a 7-step preload-adjustable unit and the 200 gets 10 steps of pre-load adjustability with 170mm of travel.

Other key differentiating factors between the two models are the wheels and tyres. The XPulse 200 gets a 21- and 18-inch wheel combo with 90/90-21 tyres in the front and 120/80-18 at the rear. The XPulse 200T, on the other hand, gets 17-inch wheels front and rear, with 100/80-17 and 130/70-R17 tyres. Both bikes come with single-channel ABS and a 276mm/220mm (front/rear) disc-brake setup.

Of the two, the Xpulse 200T will certainly be the more accessible motorcycle with its 795mm seat height, while the XPulse 200 has a higher seat height of 825mm. The 200 is the heavier bike at 154kg, while the 200T has a slightly lighter kerb weight of 150kg. Another bit of tech that Hero has equipped the XPulse bikes with is an all-new, Bluetooth-compatible digital dash.

Over the last few years, the off-road scene has greatly improved in the country, with the advent of relatively affordable ADVs like the Royal Enfield Himalayan and – to some extent – the BMW G 310 GS. The aggressively priced XPulse 200 will come as a much more affordable and lighter addition to this ‘off-road’ segment.

Meanwhile, the road-biased Hero XPulse 200T will face competition from the Honda CB Hornet 160R (Rs 92,000) – and given its touring capabilities, it will also take on the likes of entry-level cruisers like the Suzuki Intruder (Rs 1.01 lakh) and the Bajaj Avenger 220 (Rs 1.03 lakh).

(All prices ex-showroom, Delhi.)

from Autocar India http://bit.ly/2XZk4oB
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