With Hero Xpulse 421, the company might be laying emphasis on a high-speed tourer rivalling Himalayan 450 and KTM 390 Adventure
India’s ADV craze is increasing and many OEMs are lining up their products to cater this niche. Hero MotoCorp is the first OEM to launch a road legal off-road motorcycle in India in the form of Impulse, a legacy that is carried over by Hero’s Xpulse. The company is expanding its off-road bike portfolio with Xpulse 210, which was showcased at EICMA 2024.
At the same stage, Hero also revealed the design sketches of Hero Xpulse 421, the biggest Xpulse ever. It was recently patented in India as seen by leaked documents. We can also see a few parts that could go on this motorcycle. These parts hint at a more off-road-worthy variant with a front beak. Let’s take a look.
Xpulse 421 Parts Patented
Recently, a few design patents from Hero MotoCorp leaked online, showing the upcoming Xpulse 421 along with a few individual parts that might go on this motorcycle. For starters, we can see the design of a new single-piece seat for the new Xpulse 421. This seat has a scooped-out approach to unlock lower seat height.
Being an ADV bike, Hero Xpulse 421 will get an up-swept exhaust system, aiding in water-wading ability. The company has patented the design of exhaust heat shield of this new end can. There is a new handlebar cover patented by Hero. It has an interesting shape and there is a good probability that it might be for another Hero product and not Xpulse 421.
Next in line, we have knuckle guards that will be installed on production-spec version of Xpulse 421. These offer protection to one’s knuckles while off-roading on trails with vegetation around them. There is a new speedo cover patented by Hero. It has a small pill-shaped cutout for a digital instrument cluster and what looks like a provision for a round analogue speedo.
Xpulse 421 is expected to get a much more sophisticated instrument cluster in a tower-like implementation. A front fender element and front fairing are also likely to be assembled together. Hero patented another front fender that looks like it has winglets.
What to expect?
When launched, Hero Xpulse 421 will be the brand’s biggest ADV, competing with Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 and KTM 390 Adventure. The patented design’s wheels look like a 19-inch front and 17-inch rear combination, hinting at a more cruiser-focused approach. There may be a more hardcore off-road version without the added weight of a fairing and other elements.
Powering this engine is a speculated 421cc liquid-cooled engine that is likely to produce around 40 bhp of peak power and 40 Nm of peak torque, mated to a 6-speed gearbox and a slipper clutch. We can expect dual-channel ABS with a few ABS modes. Launch might happen by the end of 2025 or early 2026.
Source: Bike - rushlane.com
