Hero Xpulse 200 BS6 Long Term Review: Introduction

Gallery Introduction The Obvious The Subtle What’s next?

Introduction

We really like the Hero Xpulse 200 here at BikeWale. It’s a light, affordable, and easy to ride motorcycle. And, it’s a great tool for the daily commute, and to indulge in one’s adventurous streak. So, when Hero Motocorp said that they had improved the Xpulse in its BS6 avatar, we just had to have it. Not just for a road test, mind, but for the longer haul.

The Obvious

Let’s begin with the obvious changes. Compared to the BS4 version, the BS6 Xpulse doesn’t get a carburetted version anymore. And that means if you liked your bike in red or black and wanted fuel injection, you can now have one. It also gets a longer, rerouted exhaust with some unwanted swelling courtesy the BS6 norms. And the engine itself seems to have more external plumbing now; like Bane from Batman.

Visually, we have a white machine this time compared to the matte green we did last time. And though it looks good, and makes us feel very celebrity-like - like we were CS Santosh, Hero’s Dakar Champ - it’s a pain to keep clean. Especially in the monsoon.

The Subtle

The less obvious changes - till you ride the bike, that is - are equally significant. And these have made a big difference in the riding experience in our opinion. For one the seat now uses a denser foam, which makes the seat seem firmer initially, but it is more useful over longer rides. We also found the mid-range of the engine to be stronger. And as a result, the Xpulse pulls with more vigour now, especially between 6000-8,000rpm.

This BS6 engine is smoother and more refined than the BS4 version as well. And it sounds nicer too. The exhaust note is better now; it has a deeper bass note, and it also sounds closer to what a four-stroke dirt bike would. Other welcome changes include a lighter clutch pull, a handlebar that’s positioned lower and closer now, and a side stand that finally keeps the bike more upright.

Hero says there were no changes made to the latter three. This means our previous bike must have been manhandled and played with a bit excessively by fellow journalists before it rolled into our garage. In any case, all three aspects get a thumbs up from us this time around.

What’s next?

As good as things might be on the Xpulse 200, there’s always room for adjustment. And personalisation. So, be it playing with the seating ergos, the preload setting of the rear suspension, getting rid of the excess weight in the form of the leg and saree guard, or making some performance and cycle parts enhancements, we will touch upon those bits in the coming reports.

Odo - 302km

Km this month - 258km

Fuel efficiency - 40.9kmpl

Price as tested - Rs 1,36,284 OTR, Mumbai

Photography by Kaustubh Gandhi