The Hero XPulse 200 and the XPulse 200T have been
spied testing for the first time in India, courtesy Autocar India. The Hero
XPulse 200T debuted at the EICMA in Milan, Italy on 6 November. The completely uncamouflaged test
mules of the Hero XPulse 200 and the XPulse 200T are carbon copies of the
prototypes showcased at the EICMA 2018. While the XPulse 200 is an adventure
motorcycle, the Hero XPulse 200T is a long-distance tourer. It offers a
comfortable seat and relaxed ergonomics.
The Hero XPulse 200 made its Indian debut at the
Auto Expo in February 2018. The XPulse 200, being an ADV, features a 21-inch
front and an 18-inch rear wire-spoke wheel setup, that pair with knobby
off-road CEAT tyres. On the other hand, the Hero XPulse 200T will come with
17-inch alloy wheels.
The XPulse 200T test mule was paired to 100/80-17
MRF Nylogrip Zapper FYM front and 130/70-R17 MRF REVZ-S tyres at the rear. The
XPulse 200T featured the same smoked windscreen as seen on the XPulse 200. However,
the tourer had a flatter handlebar, unlike the raised unit on the ADV.
The test mules of the Hero XPulse 200T were spied in
two paint schemes - wine red and matte black. The XPulse 200T features a
fully-digital instrument cluster, which is similar to the one on the XPulse
200. The ground clearance of the 200T is lower by 30 mm, hence the saddle
height on the tourer will be comparatively lower as well. This should add to
the overall comfort as the rider won't need to tip-toe while maneuvering.
Reportedly, the Hero XPulse 200 test mule was a
carburetted version (non-BS6 version) with CEAT Gripp tyres. Hero MotoCorp had
revealed at the Auto Expo 2018 that a top-end fuel-injected variant could come
with Metzeler tyres. Both the bikes will feature a single-channel ABS system.
The instrument cluster also supports turn-by-turn navigation with Bluetooth
Smartphone integration.
Powering the Hero XPulse 200 and the 200T is the
199.6cc, air-cooled, single-cylinder engine that powers the Xtreme 200R as
well. It produces 18.4 bhp of maximum power and 17.1 Nm of peak torque on the
Xtreme. The engine is mated to a five-speed gearbox. The motor will be tuned
differently on the ADV and the tourer based on their application.