Hero Xpulse 200T 2020 Review - Prices, Specs, Variants, Features and Mileage

What’s at the heart of the Hero Xpulse 200T?

Does the performance complement touring?

Hero has pitched the Xpulse 200T as a touring machine but we do have our doubts. It sure looks the part but the puny engine struggles to keep with an average cruising speed. The 18.14 horses is mediocre as you feel the motorcycle vibrating at a sober speed of 80 kmph. Even though the limiter is set at 9250 RPM, this engine will shake for dear life way before, as low as 6000 RPM.

The vibrations creep all over the vehicle especially on the pegs and through the seat. Now that is something that we least expect from a touring machine. The low and mid-end are rich in torque and it pulls decently. But it is after 5500 RPM that you feel the engine being strained which takes away the sole purpose of this motorcycle i.e. cruising.

The Xpulse 200T is underpowered compared to its competition. We have taken the Royal Enfield Thunderbird 350X to showcase how much wrong Hero has gone with the basic formula. Pit all of them on any of our Country’s express highways and the puny Xpulse 200T would be the first one to give up. The only factor that thrives in favour of the Xpulse is its pricing.

How quick is the Xpulse from 0-60?

Acceleration for the Xpulse is satisfactory, to say the least. You are pulled forward in linearly and so is the most relaxed motorcycle in this segment. A bit too relaxed that you boredom kicks in.

The gearbox is a 5-Speed constant mesh which is well spaced and offers optimum acceleration in all gears but it demands an extra gear. You will get to feel the craving for a gear on the highways when vibrations kick in early and spoil the moment.

The Thunderbird 350X is just marginally quicker than the Xpulse and is kind of a bummer as the Royal Enfield weighs in at 195 kg which is a blistering 45 kgs heavier than the Xpulse. All of the competitors are much involved in driving and don’t make you crave for more power. Hero’s focus on efficiency has made it lose a lot, already!

Can the Xpulse 200T stay put under hard braking?

Stopping power is taken care of by in-house developed disc brakes on both ends. The Xpulse uses the same setup as the one found in Xtreme 200R. It is devoid of the petal disc brakes from its brawny brother, Xpulse 200 but that doesn’t stop it from stopping efficiently! A single-channel ABS takes care of sudden input pretty well.

But Hero could improve on the pedal feel as it is unpredictable at times which can result in reduced confidence. The lower kerb weight helps a lot as it helps the motorcycle to halt quickly and without any hiccups. Braking is okayish and there is a lot of room for improvement.

The lowest kerb weight is not enough for the Xpulse to outshine its competition. The sluggish braking takes it way too far before halting whereas the 45 kg heavier Thunderbird 350X stops much earlier despite the enormous bulk. The similarly sized rotors on Yamaha FZ25 bites much harder and brings it to a halt quickly which is why it is much more confidence-inspiring. Brake hard on the Xpulse and you will also feel vibrations through the handlebar and the ABS gets kind of twitchy at times.

What is the mileage of Xpulse 200T?

Hero has always done this part of the equation perfectly throughout its line-up. Hands down, no other manufacturer can beat the automaker in efficiency. The carbureted engine has been fine-tuned to maximize efficiency and thus returns over 40 kmpl which is pretty impressive.

Then again, pitching the Xpulse as a touring machine, we expect the motorcycle to have a deep fuel tank but unfortunately not in this one. The puny 13 litres tank is nowhere near the “cruising” category. You won’t be long gone before making the next fuel stop.

Royal Enfields have always been the humble one of the lot. The Thunderbird 350X has the largest tank of the lot, which is why you see a lot of them on cross country trips and not the Xpulse. The race focused Apache RTR has just a litre less than the Hero. Yamaha knew exactly what they were doing when they conceptualized the FZ 25 and so it is one of the best cross-tourers in this segment.

How well does the Hero Xpulse handle?

Can the riding dynamics motivate you to take that cross country trip?

Unlike its all-terrain brother, the Xpulse 200T is much more subtle and it is evident from the downsized wheels and lower seat height. The now lower and wider stance helps the Xpulse to handle much better on the roads. You flick it and the motorcycle follows instantaneously. This makes riding through city traffic a breeze. The handlebar is nice and wide which helps maintain a relaxed posture to an extent.

Highways rides, ironically are not that comfortable as the riding position is not so relaxed. You sit in a slightly inclined position which puts pressure on the shoulders on the long run. The irritating vibrations also creep in and spoil the experience. You are also treated to a rather imbalanced ride due to a softer front suspension and stiffer rear combo. This confuses your instincts and thus diminishes confidence.

The least kerb weight and jittering ride makes Xpulse a not-so-comfortable touring machine. Crosswinds can make the motorcycle sway and thus make the rider tired. All the others have their formulae sorted as the Thunderbird has been doing it for a pretty long time and Yamaha was wise enough to focus on the driving dynamics of its touring machine.

How comfortable is the rider?

The lower ground clearance is a boon as shorter riders can place their feet flat on the ground which was not the case with the Xpulse 200. Hero has taken a different approach for the fuel tank and has contoured it flat from the sides. This helps the rider clip on the tank much better than the generic design. The wider handlebar helps you have a relaxed stance and thus facilitate those long journeys. Hero has also equipped the Xpulse with tubeless radial tyre at the rear. This helps in tension-free long journeys and minimizes tyre heat-up.

The seat, however, is not so wide and lacks cushioning. The rider’s triangle is also not the most relaxed one as you are seated on the brim of the seat, slightly leaned forward. This puts pressure on your shoulders on long journeys, not so touring friendly, we say. The footpegs, however, are positioned adequately and have a larger surface area. The stiffer rear suspension setup sometimes sends jitters up the spine, if not careful. Thankfully, it is 7-step adjustable and we believe that this issue can be sorted with a few turns.

The Xpulse is also equipped with a plastic bash plate which gives you the confidence to take it off the grid now and then. The least kerb weight of 150 kgs gives the rider confidence to flick it without losing control. Xpulse would be the most quickly adaptable motorcycle of the lot due to its nimble characteristics.

How does the Hero Xpulse 200T flaunt the tourer look?

Is the Xpulse retro-fused in aesthetics?

Hero has pitched the Xpulse 200T as a retro tourer. We think otherwise, as the only retro cue which we could find was the round headlamp assembly with side clamps! We appreciate the effort Hero has put in and it is not half bad. The unique split headlamps vaguely resembles that of a Honda CB 300R. Nevertheless, it gives the Xpulse its unique look and the side clamps are rugged and well built. The tank has been flattened from its sides which also adds to the distinctive look of the motorcycle.

It flaunts full LED headlamps and taillamps. The wide rear section gives Xpulse a rather big-bike feel. The engine guard is short and wide, different approach there as well. It resembles a lot like a brat when viewed from the side, especially the seat structure with its contrasting white stitching. The smaller alloy wheels are its distinguishing factor from the Xpulse 200 which also gives it a modern look.

Aesthetic Features

• Front off-set forks

• Split LED headlight setup

• Black alloy wheels

• Floating instrument cluster

• Powder-coated engine

• Plastic Bash plate

• Neatly integrated pillion grab rails and tow hooks

• Wide rearview mirrors

The exhaust system ends with the triangular muffler which gets an attractively designed aluminium heat shield. It helps the pillion keep their footwear safe from the hot exhaust. The main stand is a luxury nowadays and Hero has added it to the Xpulse 200T without affecting rideability.

The only edge which Hero has in the Xpulse 200T is the weight advantage over the rest which helps it be very nimble and thus help drastically in handling. The added width helps increase its seat width but it still isn’t as comfortable as the Thunderbird 350X.

What are the features available on the Xpulse 200T?

The Xpulse is laden with a host of advanced features to make riding easier and keep the rider connected at all times. The most unique addition is the Bluetooth connectivity which has its own space on the full-colour TFT display. Hero has its application both for Android and iOS which helps a smartphone connect to the motorcycle’s instrument cluster. Once connected, you can navigate turn-by-turn through it, a very needy feature nowadays. Call and message alerts are also displayed which eliminates the need to stop riding.

A choke lever is neatly integrated to the left side of its handlebar as it is a carbureted engine, and would need it in winters. You don’t have an individual toggle for pass beam as it is integrated into the high-low beam toggle. You press down when on the low-beam and thus toggle the pass switch. The various differentiating features are listed below.

The MRF sourced tyres improve on-road handling on the Xpulse 200T unlike the hard CEAT off-road ones on the Xpulse 200. Yamaha and TVS have infused their offerings with the latest features and thus offers a better cause than the ageing Thunderbird 350X.

What are the safety features in the Xpulse 200T?

Hero has taken a modern approach for the Xpulse’s safety features. It gets single-channel ABS and disc brakes on both ends. Another neat feature is the LED DRL which is small but neatly integrated to the circumference at the top of the headlight housing. It notifies oncoming motorists of your presence.

The wider crash bar helps keep the components as well as the rider safe in the event of a crash. The Bluetooth enabled screen on the instrument cluster helps the rider to not be diverted and keep eyes on the road. The plastic bash plate is rather amusing but does it's part and deflects debris from the engine. 

How does the Competition add up?

Hero Xpulse 200T vs TVS Apache RTR 200 4V

Apache RTR 200 4V is TVS’s performance offering which is in this comparison because it offers a much better proposition as a cruiser than the Xpulse 200T. TVS has balanced the ergonomics and riding character of the Apache to suite both spirited short rides as well as those relaxing long rides without breaking a sweat. Hero struggles to find that balance in the Xpulse 200T. The Apache RTR 200 4V is Rs. 20,000 costlier than the Xpulse 200T but offers a more powerful engine, much better ride and handling and a killer look. It is well worth every extra rupee.

Hero Xpulse 200T vs Royal Enfield Thunderbird 350X

The godfather of cruising is here to teach a few lessons to the newbie. Thunderbird has been the goto motorcycle for anything involving more than 100 km of travel. It has always been the perfect cruiser. The seating is utterly comfortable and engine relaxed which enables long continuous journeys without a hiccup. It is on the pricier side when compared to the Xpulse 200T but if touring is your foremost criteria then we want you to go for the Royal Enfield, but if leisure cruising is what you want, then the Xpulse 200T is perfect.

Hero Xpulse 200T vs Yamaha FZ 25

Yamaha bought the FZ 25 as a premium commuter motorcycle but it has a hidden potential for touring. The smooth motor which has a very strong low and mid-range helps this cause. The engine has a sweet spot in the mid-top RPM range which helps it cruise without stressing its motor. The seating is comfortable and can help you go on for kilometres. This Japanese costs Rs. 1,36,680 which is a much higher price but when looking at the whole picture that involves a much more powerful engine and a better feature list, we say that it is well worth it.

Whom exactly is the Hero Xpulse 200T for?

Hero should be given due respect and praise for trying their hands at different categories of motorbikes. The Xpulse 200T is a touring motorcycle from Hero, that’s what they have pitched it as. But its performance, riding characteristics and ergonomics tell otherwise. It struggles to perform as a cruiser and barely cuts through it. It is not touring friendly and we hope Hero rectifies its purpose. The Xpulse 200T is more of a city motorbike that is nimble and can help you out in your daily grinds without stressing you. Now and then, you can take it for a long weekend ride as well. But a tourer, it is not. There are many better-touring alternatives in the market as of now that possesses dual personalities better than the Xpulse 200T and, the Yamaha FZ 25 is the best motorcycle that fits this shoe.