Entry-level ADV is a booming segment in developing countries like India. Motorcyclists are getting more and more inclined towards the adventurous side of motorcycles and entry-level ADVs serve as the perfect tool to start exploring the unknown. When we talk about the segment starters in India, the ‘OG’ has to be the Hero Impulse. It might not have been that successful in India but it garnered a cult status when Hero pulled the plug on it. The demand for Impulse’s successor was so high that the homegrown bikemaker had to cater to it and gave us the Xpulse 200.
More details
And now, winds are blowing and carrying a rumour with it that the company is working on a younger cousin of the Xpulse 200 as Hero MotoCorp has filed for a trademark named ‘XTEC’.
The Xpulse 200 brings a lot on the table for the money it asks for, the reason why it is enjoying such huge popularity. Hero has also rolled out a rally kit for the Xpulse 200 to increase its off-road credentials. And if Hero MotoCorp is actually thinking of launching another ADV which will under the Xpulse 200, it could turn out to be a riot, riding on the Xpulse’s success.
Hero already has a potent mill in the form of the 163cc single-cylinder engine of the company’s popular Xtreme 160R. It is an air-cooled unit with 2 valves and a SOHC setup. It has been calibrated to pump out 15 bhp of maximum power at 8500 rpm and 14 Nm of peak torque at 6500 rpm. Hero might play around with the engine and the gearing to make it suit the characteristics of an ADV.
The Xpulse 200 has a very capable setup. The stock Xpulse 200 features 190mm suspension travel up front and 170mm suspension travel at the rear. Not only this, but Hero is also offering Bluetooth connectivity with the Xpulse 200. If Hero offers us the same setup albeit with a slightly less powerful motor, it could appeal to a different set of riders. However, there is no official word regarding what the Hero XTEC might turn out to be. The Xpulse 200 already enjoys a huge popularity and some people think that it’s slightly underpowered so it would be interesting to see how Hero positions the rumoured entry-level ADV.