Hero Xpulse 200 4V Pro review, first ride: A dual-sport motorcycle with extra off-road sauce

The Hero Xpulse 200 4V is one of the most accessible dual-sport motorcycles money can buy in India. Does its 4V Pro variant make sense for the extra money? We took this off-road focussed version to its natural habitat, looking for an answer.

India is a two-wheeler market, through and through. Whether it's commuters, scooters or even electrics, two wheels are where it’s at in our country. As far as cars are concerned, the whole market has made a monumental shift towards SUVs, given the shape of our road infrastructure. In my mind, and I’m sure the minds of many others, the obvious marriage of the two has to be a motorcycle and SUV. In theory, that should be a match made in heaven for Indian roads. Over the past few years, the ADV market in India has also seen quite a leap, but there aren’t any affordable adventure bikes that can handle some weekend trips in and around one’s residence.

Thankfully, one brand believes in the appeal of an inexpensive, rugged and bare-bones ADV. Hero MotoCorp must be appreciated for the Xpulse as a product. It offers the masses a chance to explore the wilderness without breaking the bank. Not too long ago, the Xpulse got a four-valve version and with it a ‘rally kit’ that allowed customers to jack up the suspension and make this venerable ADV even more off-road friendly. Hero then further updated the Xpulse 200 4V and now there’s a standard variant along with a ‘Pro’ variant, which encompasses all the add-ons from the rally kit version and then some. But, does it make sense over the standard version of the Xpulse?

How is it different from the standard version?

Before we get into choosing one over the other, it makes sense to run you through all the differences between the 4V and 4V Pro. The first thing that comes to notice is just how much taller the Pro variant is, and it’s not visual trickery either. This variant comes with 270mm of ground clearance, compared to the 4V’s 220mm, which is a lot, to begin with in the first place. The seat height in the Pro sits at 885mm, which is significantly more than the 825mm on the 4V. In terms of dimensions, the 4V Pro is 2255m long, which is 33mm longer than the 4V. It is 60mm taller than the 4V, and the wheelbase is 17mm longer than the standard Xpulse. Only the width remains the same between both these variants.

Moreover, the 4V Pro variant comes with an adjustable front suspension with 250mm of travel. The rear suspension is adjustable, too, and gets 220mm of travel. Hero’s also added handlebar risers on the 4V Pro, along with an extended gear lever and a longer side stand. Last but not least, the Rally Edition White or Pearl Fadeless White is specific to the Pro variant and is a colour that is instantaneously recognisable as the Xpulse. On the whole, Hero made some changes to the Xpulse 200 4V when it was updated just over a year ago. This includes a 60mm taller windscreen, updated switchgear and knuckle guards, as well as a redesigned LED headlamp.

Hero also tweaked the riding posture by lowering the footpegs and making them more rear-set than the previous model. The USB charging point has also been moved to a more convenient location right under the instrument console. The luggage plate just behind the pillion seat has been updated as well. Hero has also updated the 199.6cc, single-cylinder motor to be OBD-2 compliant and E20-compatible but the power and torque figures remain the same. There are three ABS riding modes - Road, Off-road and Rally and the Xpulse 200 4V comes with single-channel ABS. That’s pretty much it when it comes to the differences between the 4V Pro and 4V as well as the updates made to the Xpulse. Are these changes incremental enough for the Xpulse 200 4V to feel like a significantly different motorcycle? Better yet, where does the Pro fit into the mix?

What's it like to ride?

Right off the bat, it’s clear that the OBD-2-compliant Xpulse feels much smoother than the previous iterations of this ADV. Power delivery feels fairly refined and that gruff nature has been contained quite well. One thing that I feel could have been better is the play in the throttle, which feels slightly unnecessary. Till about 4,000rpm, the going is smooth and there is no reason to complain, but past that the vibrations can be felt quite a bit. However, the performance in the mid-range is more than enough to keep you happy in daily commutes, as long as they don’t involve long highway commutes. The Xpulse sits pretty happily at 80-90kmph, but anything beyond that feels a bit of a stretch for this pocket-friendly dual-sport motorcycle. I know most may not consider this a proper dual-sport bike, but I honestly feel that this is the closest to a dual-sport motorcycle we have in the country right now.

The 5-speed gearbox feels slightly clunky to operate but gets the job done without causing too much of a fuss. One thing with the Pro variant that takes some getting used to is the extended gear lever. At first, there will be a few misses, but eventually, things will fall into place, literally. One other miss is the lack of a dual-channel ABS variant, which would’ve made the Xpulse lineup more complete. The brakes do their work well, but the Pro variant has quite a lot of dip under hard braking given the longer travel suspension. Speaking of which, the Xpulse 200 4V feels surprisingly agile in corners for a bike whose centre of gravity sits that high up. I sometimes found myself pushing it harder just to see where its limit lies, but honestly, I gave up before the motorcycle did, which is a good thing in my book. However, I did feel the seat isn’t too comfortable for long commutes and putting your feet down during traffic and even getting on the bike is particularly cumbersome.

However, one aspect that I loved about the Pro variant is just how high up above one sits in traffic. I was towering over decently sized SUVs, looking down at them, giving them a taste of their own medicine. I also caught the eye of many riders alike, baffled at the sheer height of the Xpulse 200 4V Pro. The long travel suspension also means the ride quality is exceptional. I found myself gliding over large potholes and speed breakers, looking for more undulations on the road just for the fun of it. That is a strong point with the standard Xpulse 200 4V, and it continues to be with the 4V Pro as well. But, it’s the off-road where the bike comes into its own. I wanted to go further into the wilderness, wanting to explore as much as I possibly could with this ADV, which I feel is the main appeal of a motorcycle like the Xpulse.

Verdict

If you’re a fan of off-roading, or have any inclination to master the art of riding on trails, look no further than the Xpulse. Other alternatives can tour better, ride better on the tarmac and have more power, but there’s no substitute for a lightweight, rugged and robust motorcycle that doesn’t break the bank. The Hero Xpulse is that motorcycle, without a shadow of a doubt.

The Pro variant brings in more off-road prowess and greater scope to explore the unknown. The price difference between the Xpulse 200 4V and 4V Pro is roughly Rs 8,000, which given the kind of additional kit one gets, is a tempting proposition for the off-road enthusiast. There’s nothing quite like the Xpulse in India, and just for that, it deserves praise in dollops.

Specifications:

Engine - 199.6cc, single-cylinder, oil-cooled
Power -18.9bhp@8,500rpm
Torque - 17.35Nm@6,500rpm
Gearbox - Five-speed
Wheelbase - 1427mm
Kerb weight - 161kg
Fuel capacity - 13 litres
Seat height - 885mm
Price - Rs 1.55 lakh (ex-showroom)

Likes - Off-road ability, rugged nature, design
Dislikes - Seat cushioning, tall stance