Battle of light-weight off-roaders: Royal Enfield Himalayan vs Hero XPulse 200

NEW DELHI: Hero Motocorp has unveiled the new adventure motorcycle, XPulse 200. With this, riders looking for light-weight off-roaders - a segment dominated by Royal Enfield Himalayan - have an option now. Here’s how the two bikes, which are performance-wise different, are likely to fare in the market:

How do the bikes look?
Light and nimble on roads, the XPulse 200 would appeal to those who wish to remain connected with people while on the go.Supplied with bluetooth connectivity and 'Hero Ride Guide app', the latest off-road entrant boosts a fully digital dashboard. The bike is set up with retro-looking LED headlamps with a chrome bezel. The overall built is decent, however, not everyone would like the seat for long rides due to its considerable stiffness.

The Himalayan is a simple, bare-bones motorcycle with least modern touches to the dashboard. Speedometer, tripmeter, fuel gauge, directional compass and other necessary readouts are shown on the analogue dials and a digital display. With a halogen headlamp upfront, the robust built is well complemented by raised handlebars and perfectly-positioned footpegs.
What sits at the heart?
XPulse 200 gets a 199.6-cc, air-cooled, single-cylinder OHC engine tuned to deliver 18.4 PS power at 8,000 rpm and 17.1 Nm peak torque at 6,500 rpm. Mated to 5-speed constant mesh type gearbox, the XPulse 200 comes in both carburetor and fuel injection choices.

The 411-cc Royal Enfield Himalayan makes 25PS at 6,500rpm of peak power and 32Nm of peak torque at 4,500 rpm. Fuel injection supply with 5-speed constant mesh is a standard. Himalayan’s clutch is relatively heavier, making it less handy in start-stop city traffic.

The engine set up in the Himalayan has a displacement twice that of the XPulse, which generates 35% and 46% more power and torque, respectively. Trying to keep the price under Rs one lakh, Hero has offered carburetor in XPulse 200, beside fuel injection system.
The XPulse 200 uses an identical engine that powers the Xtreme 200R. A yard ahead on the mileage terms than the Himalayan, the Hero off-roader is likely to have 36-40 kmpl mileage. The Himalayan returns 26-28 kilometre per litre.

How well do they ride?
Built on a diamond type frame, the XPulse 200 is set up with 37 mm telescopic front forks and 10-step adjustable monoshock. The bike is shod with 90/90-21 and 120/80-18 tyres in the front and rear, respectively. The disc brakes are provided at both the ends with ABS (anti-lock braking system) as a standard in the front wheel.

The Himalayan is suspended over 41 mm telescopic front forks and 10-step adjustable monoshock. The bike gets similar tyres, however, the rear wheel is slightly smaller than XPulse 200. Non-switchable dual-channel ABS offers a fair amount of grip.

The bikes are not furnished for cornering at high speeds. Especially, the Himalayan, tipping at 192 kg but rides smoothly between 90-100 kmph. The Royal Enfield off-roader suits most bikers due to a seat height of 800 mm. The rider finds the sweet spot on 153 kg-Xpulse at around 80 kmph mark, however, a comparatively tall seat height of 823 mm will not be comfortable for riders below 170 cm. Virtually able to surpass every obstacle, a ground clearance of 220 mm is common to both the bikes.

Which one to pick?
Unique in their own terms, the motorbikes manufactured for similar purposes inarguably have a considerable gap in terms of built, quality and performance. With the price starting at Rs 97,000 (ex-showroom, Delhi), it doesn’t take away any credit from Hero Motocorp to bring an off-roader under Rs one lakh. The bike will perfectly go with your daily commuting needs and occasional off-road thrills.

On the other hand, it would be unfair to declare the Himalayan the winner of the comparison, majorly for the amount it comes for. Priced almost double as that of XPulse 200, the Royal Enfield off-roader starts at Rs 1.67 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi). From short rides to adventurous expeditions, the Himalayan can happily endure it all.