This Forbidden Hero Adventure Bike Might Make Americans Daydream
Honda and Royal Enfield have proved that there is a big market for peppy, bash-friendly adventure bikes worldwide. That’s why the CRF300L Rally and Himalayan enjoy the fandom that they do, be it in Asia, Europe, or America. To no one’s surprise, more brands have tried to join the party in recent years. This year’s EICMA has brought one such new brand into the mix. We’re talking about world-renowned Hero MotoCorp (yes, the same brand that saved Harley-Davidson in India), which just showcased its flagship ADV in Milan.
Meet The Hero XPulse 450: A Potential Heavy-Hitter In The Single-Cylinder ADV Class
We’re talking about the XPulse 450 from Hero MotoCorp. The XPulse moniker has already birthed a couple of capable dual-sport-like adventure bikes around the 200cc mark, which have done quite well in Asian and Latin American markets. Several riders have praised these bikes for their affordability and dependability in Europe as well. The 450 version aims to build on that, providing more power, tech, and premiumness to take on bikes from Royal Enfield, Honda, KTM, and CFMoto. How, you ask? Well, by promising a solid spec sheet. Here are some details.
An All-New Thumper Engine With Over 45 HP
We start with the engine, and this is a 421cc single-cylinder setup, despite its ‘450’ name. Hero says the engine is derived from its Dakar Rally know-how, aimed at ensuring usable power in the dirt. The output is ~47 horsepower (at 9,100 RPM) and 28 pound-feet (at 7,500 RPM), which puts it ahead of bikes like the 452cc Royal Enfield Himalayan and the updated 399cc KTM 390 Adventure R. The horsepower is also higher than both Honda ADVs in this segment: the CRF300L Rally and NX500. A six-speed transmission sends the power to the wheel.
Off-Road-Ready Suspension Joined By Spoke Wheels
Like the engine, the chassis elements are off-road-oriented. USD forks (with 8.8 inches of travel) sit up top, mounted on a 19-inch spoke wheel. At the rear is a long-travel monoshock, clamped on a double-sided swingarm and a 17-inch wheel. As for adjustability, Hero says the front forks have 22-step adjustability for compression and rebound. Tubeless spoke wheels, single disc brakes, and a tubular steel chassis round things off in the mechanical department. There’s no light on the weight, ground clearance, or disc sizes, though.
A Premium Cockpit With Segment-First Features
Standing out is important in such a competitive segment, and Hero is trying to do that via its premium cockpit. There’s a large TFT instrument cluster (looks to be around seven inches), armed with phone connectivity via Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. No other bike in the segment has these right now. In addition, it’s a gateway to a plethora of information about the bike and will also help toggle through rider aids. The latter includes traction control, ride modes, throttle maps, and switchable ABS. All-LED lights, a 12V socket, and a USB port are present, too. A special mention goes to the quick-release mounts near the pillion seat.
The XPulse 450 Is Only Planned For Europe As Of Now
So when can we see this on American shores? Well, that’s where the bad news strikes. For now, Hero is only focusing on selling the XPulse 450 in Europe. Yes, it won’t even go on sale in its home country–India–for now. Thus, its US launch remains a matter of if, not when. You should also know that Hero has never officially entered North America since its inception 40 years ago. For now, we can only consider it a forbidden fruit.
Source: Hero MotoCorp
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