Hero MotoCorp is expected to launch Rally Edition alongside normal XPulse 200 4V
Hero MotoCorp has always been committed to the budget ADV segment. In fact, Impulse ADV was Hero’s first-ever motorcycle after they split with Honda dissolving the Hero Honda brand. Impulse was a 150cc ADV with 245mm of ground clearance and only weighed 134 kg!
After the discontinuation of Impulse, people realised its brilliance and enthusiasts even swapped its engine with a 223cc Karizma engine calling it Karipulse. Hero’s second attempt at this genre is XPulse 200 and was well-received as the market had matured by then.
Xpulse 200 was launched in BS4 guise. To enhance its off-road ability, Hero formulated a Rally Kit. It received a BS6 update ironing out a lot of niggles with the earlier model. Hero didn’t rest there. To give XPulse better efficiency and more speed, it introduced a 4V head. And now, Hero MotoCorp is updating the Rally Kit and introducing a new Rally Edition variant as seen from registration documents to make it even better. Talk about commitment, huh?
New XPulse 200 4V Rally Edition
Hero MotoCorp is very active in rally motorsport, which is reflected in Rally Kit developed by the company for XPulse 200. But Hero seems to be keen on giving their customers a taste of a rally bike straight from the factory. According to the approval certificate submitted to NCT, Hero has homologated the new XPulse 200 4V Rally Edition, which is slightly larger than the outgoing model with a rally kit. Also, a new rally kit for existing XPulse owners.
XPulse 200 4V currently on sale in India measures 2222mm in length, 850mm in width, 1258mm in height and has 1410mm of wheelbase. With the new upcoming Rally Kit installed, it becomes 23 mm longer, 50 mm taller and gets a 9mm longer wheelbase. Old Rally Kit did not change the wheelbase at all. We speculate that the new Rally Kit might also get a new swing arm in the package.
Coming to the Rally Edition, it is 12mm longer, 12mm taller and has an 8mm longer wheelbase than the Xpulse 200 4V with the upcoming new Rally Kit installed. We can expect Rally Edition to be even more capable than the Xpulse with Rally Kit. It might get longer travel suspension, and beefier adjustable suspension front and rear to handle jumps and landings.
Specs & Launch
XPulse 200 4V Rally Edition will be based on the 4V version. The Rally Kit currently on sale by Hero, costs Rs. 38,000. It gets compression and rebound adjustable front forks with increased travel, rebound and preload-adjustable rear suspension, handlebar risers, longer stand, extended gear lever, rally-spec seat and knobby off-road tyres from Maxxis.
Xpulse 200 4V costs Rs. 1.32 lakh (ex-sh) and with Rally Kit, costs Rs. 1.7 lakh (ex-sh). We expect Rally Edition to cost the same. Because in Rally Edition, the stock components are replaced with high-performance components at factory level unlike with Rally Kit where the customers are paying for upgraded components on top of the stock components that came from the factory. When launched, Rally Edition will compete with Royal Enfield Himalayan and Yezdi Adventure. With its lightness at around 160 kg, and far superior suspension and tyres, Xpulse 200 4V Rally Edition will be an extremely capable off-roader.
Source: Bike - rushlane.com
