Royal Enfield Himalayan vs Hero XPulse 200: Features Comparison

The Royal Enfield Himalayan and the Hero XPulse 200 are two of the most affordable adventure tourer motorcycles in the Indian market. Both motorcycles feature off-road-focussed hardware, although they compete in different displacement segments and price brackets. While the Himalayan is targeted to rival the likes of BMW G 310 GS and the KTM 250 Adventure, the XPulse 200 doesn’t have a direct threat in the Indian market. Here we tell you how these two adventurer tourers fare against each other and which will suit your riding requirement.

Design

The Royal Enfield Himalayan and the Hero XPulse 200 feature an off-road focussed persona that is amplified through a long travel suspension setup, wire-spoke wheels, and a high ground clearance. In terms of design, both motorcycles feature a round headlight, a tall-set front fender, and minimalistic body panels. The Himalayan, however, comes with a split-style saddle while the XPulse 200 uses a single-piece seat.

The Royal Enfield Himalayan also packs better windblast protection, a spacious seat, and a powerful engine that enhances its touring capabilities over the XPulse 200. The XPulse 200, on the other hand, is a lighter motorcycle and features a tall-set exhaust canister, which can be very useful while off-roading.

Similar to the design, the feature list on both the motorcycles is near identical, although the XPulse 200 has a marginal edge over the Himalayan.

Features

The Hero XPulse 200 packs a few more features than the Royal Enfield Himalayan. The headlight on the XPulse 200, for example, is an LED unit while the Himalayan features a traditional halogen light. Previously, the XPulse 200 had the edge over the Himalayan through its Bluetooth-enabled fully-digital instrument cluster but the 2021 Himalayan brought that along. The display on the XPulse 200 offers notifications about incoming calls and turn-by-turn navigation. Royal Enfield closed that gap with the introduction of the 2021 Himalayan that packs the Tripper Navigation function. The semi-digital instrument cluster on the Himalayan, however, still misses incoming the call notification function, and it only shows turn-by-turn navigation.

The XPulse 200 further benefits from features such as knuckle guards, a kick-starter, and a USB charging port as standard equipment. Moreover, Hero MotoCorp offers an optional Rally Kit for the XPulse 200 that further enhances its off-roading persona and the desirability factor. The Rally Kit includes a fully-adjustable longer-travel suspension setup, handlebar riser, knobby-pattern tyres, rally seat, and a longer side-stand. This optional kit, however, increases the seat height remarkably.

The features department gives the XPulse 200 an edge over the Himalayan, although the latter punches through with its higher displacement engine that’s much comfortable at highway cruising speed than its competitor here.

Engine

The Royal Enfield Himalayan is powered by a 411cc, single-cylinder oil/air-cooled engine that delivers 24.3bhp of power at 6,500rpm and 32Nm of peak torque at 4,500rpm. In comparison, the XPulse 200 uses a 199.6cc, single-cylinder, oil/air-cooled motor that produces 17.8bhp at 8,500rpm and 16.45Nm of peak torque at 6,500rpm. The higher power and torque output help the Himalayan cruise at highway speed comfortably.

But the same, however, affects the fuel economy. The Royal Enfield adventure tourer returned an economy of 31kmpl in Bikewale’s test runs. With a fuel tank capacity of 15-litre, the Himalayan can deliver a range of approximately 450km between fuel stops. The XPulse 200, on the other hand, delivered a fuel economy of 40kmpl during our test runs, which gives it a range of approximately 500km on a single tank.

Hardware

Both adventure tourer motorcycles feature similar hardware. The setup, for example, features a 21-inch front wheel that’s designed to tackle most obstructions while off-roading. The wire-spoke setup, however, comes with the compromise of tube-type tyres that are harder to fix as compared to tubeless tyres.

The suspension setup on both motorcycles includes telescopic forks at the front and a preload-adjustable mono-shock at the back, both featuring a longer travel that is useful when off-roading. Braking tasks are handled by single discs on both wheels, although the Himalayan comes with a switchable dual-channel ABS while the XPulse 200 uses a single-channel ABS.

The seat height of the Himalayan stands at 800mm while the saddle on the stock XPulse 200 is 823mm tall. Thus, it’s relatively easier to reach the ground on the Himalayan as compared to the XPulse, which may influence the decision of a few buyers. In terms of weight, the Himalayan tips the scales at 199kg while the XPulse 200 is just 157kg heavy.

Which One Should You Buy?

The Royal Enfield Himalayan is an ideal product for anyone who is looking for a tourer with off-roading capabilities. The higher displacement engine improves its ability to cruise at highway speeds comfortably. The XPulse 200, with its lighter kerb weight, is ideal for off-roading, albeit with a compromise on performance. Lastly, the Hero XPulse 200 retails at a much competitive price tag and packs more features than the Himalayan, which makes it a better value-for-money proposition in this comparison.