EICMA 2019: Hero XPulse 200 Rally Kit debuts
If the stock XPulse 200 wasn’t enough "adventure" for you, Hero MotoCorp has announced a special kit that takes things a notch higher. The two-wheeler brand has announced the Rally Kit that brings several upgrades to the stock Hero XPulse 200 to enhance its off-roading capabilities. The Rally Kit, however, is not homologated for road use.
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Hero MotoCorp's R&D hub – the Centre of Innovation & Technology (CIT) - in India has developed the new Rally-Kit for the XPulse 200. The kit benefits from the expertise of Hero MotoSports Team Rally.
One of the most crucial aspects of off-roading is ground clearance. The Rally Kit improves the ground clearance on the XPulse 200 by 55 mm (275 mm on the kit vs 220 mm on the stock motorcycle). An extended kickstand makes up for the increased ground clearance when parking the motorcycle. The kit also brings adjustable front forks with extended wheel travel to the package.
Ergonomics have been revised too, and the XPulse 200 Rally Kit comes with handlebar risers. The risers aim to provide easier access to the handlebar when standing on the footpegs. Hero MotoCorp has also added a flatter saddle to the mix to give the XPulse 200 a rally motorcycle-inspired styling.
The stock wheel setup (21-inch front/18-inch rear) is ideal for off-road riding. The Rally Kit brings more off-road focused tyres to the motorcycle for better traction over loose surfaces. Hero MotoCorp has also revised the sprocket setup and added 12 (front)/40T (rear) sprocket to the Rally Kit. The new sprockets aim to deliver better acceleration than the standard motorcycle. The improved acceleration, however, comes at the cost of top-speed.
Do note that Hero MotoCorp has not mentioned any upgrades to the engine. The stock motorcycle uses a 199.6 cc air-cooled, 2-Valve, single-cylinder, OHC motor that produces 18.4 PS at 8,000 rpm and a peak torque of 17.1 Nm at 6,500 rpm. The motorcycle is equipped with an aftermarket exhaust. The list of upgrades ends with the new gear pedal that’s part of the Rally Kit. The extended gear pedal is designed to suit off-road boots. The kit is ready-to-fit on the XPulse 200 motorcycles.
The braking setup is retained from the standard motorcycle, and the Rally Kit-equipped bike continues to use petal-type discs on both wheels to perform the anchoring tasks.
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The new kit should be available at Hero MotoCorp dealerships (India too? Most likely) in early 2020 (January or February), although an exact timeline and its cost are yet to be revealed.