Hero XPulse 200: Long Term Review

The Xpulse had floored me with her off-roading prowess, so when we got our longtermer, I decided to take the XPulse on her first adventure— a ride to Goa.

Though the XPulse isn’t anywhere as fast as my RC 200, the long-travel suspension, comfy ergonomics and bigger fuel tank meant I could maintain healthy speeds for longer, without taking breaks. I left Pune around noon, with the aim of reaching Goa within eight hours, not a wise estimation at all.

Mile munching was fun with the XPulse and I rode almost without any halts. Heck, I didn’t even need to slow down for Amboli’s crater-riddled roads. With the single-channel ABS and dual sport tyres, going sideways on Goa’s beaches was fun too. But, the poor headlight really played spoilsport, especially in the torrential rains I encountered on my way back to Pune, where I couldn’t even see the lane markers.

But that was the only issue. She was very light on the pocket, and I managed to do the whole 1,100km ride in about two tankfuls, with a couple of litres still left before she hit reserve. For now, it’s time to get her first service done and use her for the commute… until the next adventure!