The adventurer touring segment in India has only handful of motorcycles to choose from. So when Hero MotoCorp first unveiled ‘XPulse’ to the world at EICMA in 2017, people were anticipating that the machine would go on sale soon. But, much to their disappointment, this highly awaited premium motorcycle will not see light of the day at least until December, a report suggests.

The Delhi-based two-wheeler manufacturer is yet to launch its 200cc offering, the Xtreme 200R, across the country, and a launch for the Duet 125 and the Maestro Edge 125 scooters is also on the cards. So for now, the company has put the off-roading machine, the XPulse, on the back burner, it seems.

“We’re focusing on the Xtreme 200R, Duet 125 and Maestro Edge 125 launches. Once we are through this, our focus will shift towards the XPulse launch, which we are really excited about,” reported BikeWale, a bike review platform, quoting a Hero MotoCorp official.

The Hero XPulse is powered by the same 200cc air-cooled single-cylinder engine as the Xtreme 200R, but with revised gearing. This unit produces 18.4bhp and 17.1Nm of torque via a five-speed gearbox. The gearing ratio will, however, be different on the XPulse 200, as it is marketed as a touring bike and is fuel-injected, unlike the Xtreme 200R, which is carbureted. It gets a 14-litre fuel tank, which should provide a good touring range coupled with decent mileage figures aided by FI technology on board.

The off-road style front mud guard, visor, hand guards and engine sump guard on the XPulse lend it a distinctive look. Ans, to take care of jumps, the XPulse is equipped with 190mm of suspension travel for the front and a 10-step adjustable monoshock at the rear with 170mm of suspension travel. The ground clearance stands at 200mm.

Other features include a full-LED headlamp and a digital instrument cluster that can be connected to your phone via Bluetooth. This unit shows navigation that could prove useful in everyday life or when off-roading.

In terms of pricing, one can expect a sub-1 lakh ex-showroom price tag for this entry-level adventure bike. The Xpulse is likely to enjoy a wide berth in its segment as there’s no competition except for the Royal Enfield Himalayan, which is priced in the premium range of 1.68 to 1.72 lakh rupees, ex-showroom Delhi.