Hero MotoCorp will start retailing the Hero Xpulse 200 Rally Kit via select dealerships from March 2020. The kit was first showcased at EICMA 2019 in November last year and has been priced at INR 38,000. While enthusiasts will see the new kit as a boon, helping them make an affordable and accessible off-roader, there is a small bummer. The Hero Xpulse 200 Rally Kit has not been homologated for road usage and can be used “off the road”.
The Rally Kit helps in transforming the competitive purpose-built machine. It will help encourage youngsters to carve out a career in motorsports. The kit has been developed in-house at the company's Jaipur-based Centre of Innovation and Technology (CIT). Besides, it is also aimed at allowing “commoners” access to Dakar-inspired technology without spending a bomb.
Here’s all you need to know about Hero XPulse 200 Rally Kit:
XPulse 200 Rally Kit: Suspension
Priced at INR 25,000, the kit will offer a fully adjustable front telescopic suspension which increases the front suspension travel to 250 mm, which is an increase of 60 mm over the stock setup. The rear gets a 10-step adjustable monoshock (preload-only, which increases the stroke by 50 mm to 220 mm. In factory form, the Hero XPulse 200 comes with 190 mm of suspension travel at the front and 170 mm travel at the rear.
The new setup will prevent the motorcycle from bottoming off when landing from a jump. It will also help in increasing the ground clearance to a whopping 275 mm, up from 220 mm in the stock motorcycle. The wheelbase too has been increased by 10 mm from 1,410 mm to 1,420 mm.
XPulse 200 Rally Kit: Flat Seat
For an extra INR 2,000, one can get a new flat seat. This will allow the rider to easily slide on the seat while standing on the footpegs or while landing from a jump. This might seem insignificant to new off-roaders, but a flat seat allows easy movement, something which completely changes the dynamics of riding while on a trail.
The flat seat in Hero XPulse 200 will also lead to an increase in seat height by 110 mm from its existing 823 mm.
XPulse 200 Rally Kit: Gear pedal and handlebar raisers
An extended gear pedal is on offer as a part of the Hero XPulse 200 Rally Kit for INR 800. This will be a boon while wearing rally boots which are bulkier than standard riding boots, offering additional protection. Another important change which shows how far Hero MotoCorp has come from its “fill it, shut it, forget it” days when it only sold commuter motorcycles.
The Hero XPulse 200 Rally Kit also brings with it a set of handlebar raisers. This increases the height of the handlebar by 40 mm, which helps in providing more comfortable access to the handlebar when the rider is standing on the footpegs. These handlebar raisers will cost you INR 850.
We highly recommend getting the handlebar raisers and extended gear pedal even if you are not buying the whole kit. The company is also offering a side stand as a part of Hero XPulse 200 Rally Kit to allow easy parking of the motorcycle with the taller suspension and increased ground clearance. The cost of this side stand is INR 700.
XPulse 200 Rally Kit: Tyres
The Hero XPulse 200 Rally Kit comes with knobby Maxxis sourced tyres. They are priced at INR 10,000 a pair and are a great deal for off-road enthusiasts. These tyres will offer increased grip over loose surfaces, be it on a trail or off-road track. Also, the chunky pattern will allow water to easily pass through the thread, helping the bike be stable on slushy terrain.
At EICMA 2019, the Hero XPulse 200 Rally Kit was showcased with new sprockets. These include a 12 teeth sprocket at the front and a 40 teeth sprocket at the rear. They will help in increased acceleration which will, in turn, be a boon while negotiating a stiff climb on a trail. However, these have not been offered as a part of the Rally Kit at the moment.
Hero MotoCorp had showcased an aftermarket Akrapovic sourced exhaust also at EICMA 2019 and that too will not be offered as a part of the Hero XPulse 200 Rally Kit. The company, though, will offer an aftermarket exhaust system at a later date. However, it will not be an Akrapovic sourced unit as that will be pretty expensive. In fact, Akrapovic slip-on kits for products like the Yamaha R3 and KTM 390 Duke will set you back easily by around INR 70,000 to INR 1 lakh.
The Hero XPulse 200 Rally Kit brings no change to the powertrain. The 199.6 cc single-cylinder engine produces 18.4 PS of power and 17.1 Nm of torque.
That completes our article about the Hero XPulse 200 Rally Kit. Stay tuned to IndianAutosBlog.com for more Hero news and updates about other two-wheelers.
