When looking for an off-road motorcycle for beginners, the Hero Xpulse 200 4V is what ideally comes to mind, and for the right reasons. It is affordable, lightweight, rugged, and easily accessible in terms of spares and the overall after-sales. But there is the Pro variant which gets even more off-road-focused hardware. We rode it for a few days and here are our thoughts.
On the design front, the Xpulse 200 4V Pro appears largely similar to the standard model. But with the long travel suspension, its stance is elevated a fair bit, and the bike looks taller than most motorcycles you would see on the road.
However, this also gives you a nice and clear view ahead and you are seated higher than all the sedans as well as some SUVs. Further, the rider triangle is quite comfortable since you sit upright with the handlebar and the footpegs both placed neutrally.
The Xpulse 200 4V Pro’s engine is the same as the standard bike. It is a 199cc single-cylinder oil-cooled motor and makes 18.9bhp and 17.35Nm. The motor is linked to a five-speed gearbox. It has a good low-end grunt to ride in the city in the third gear and feels quite peppy. But we feel the Xpulse needs a sixth gear as well as more meat in the higher revs.
The performance tends to taper off around triple-digit speeds and doesn’t feel natural to the bike. Its engine feels stressed and seems to gasp for air.
Hero has equipped the Xpulse 200 4V Pro with fully adjustable front forks and a rear shock. This lets you tweak the springs as per the riding conditions and your preference. By setting up the suspension correctly, the overall handling of the bike differs evidently.
The Xpulse also gets some nifty features like LED illumination along with a fully digital screen and smartphone connectivity for turn-by-turn navigation as well as call and SMS alerts. Further, the Pro trims packs three ABS modes – road, off-road, and rally. You can change these settings when going off-road or even when riding on the road.
The asking price for the Hero Xpulse 200 4V Pro is Rs. 1.55 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi), which is just a few thousand rupees more than the base model. But is it worth the money? Read our road test review to know more.
