Hero XPulse vs Royal Enfield Himalayan: Spec Comparison

These two bikes don’t fall in the same price bracket nor do they compare in terms of engine and performance, but their ADV aspirations bring them together. Let’s find out how they compare on paper

After a long wait, Hero has finally brought in the XPulse and as expected, it is now the most affordable adventure tourer on sale in India – a title previously held by the Royal Enfield Himalayan. The XPulse is priced at Rs 1.05 lakh while the Himalayan retails at Rs 1.68 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). In terms of pricing, the two motorcycles may be poles apart, but their ADV aspirations bring them together. Here’s a detailed comparison of what each one has.

Suspension:

The suspension is arguably the most important part that makes an ADV. Without the right suspension components, a motorcycle simply can’t wear the ADV badge with pride. Both motorcycles here come with telescopic forks up front and a monoshock setup at the rear. But the difference, however, is in the size. While the XPulse comes fitted with a 37mm dia front forks the Himalayan gets marginally thicker 41mm ones. Suspension travel on the Himalayan is also marginally higher – 200mm in comparison to the Xpulse’s 190mm. The story is somewhat identical round the back. Both motorcycles come with a monoshock setup, but at 180mm the Himalayan has 10mm more travel than the XPulse.

Tyres and Brakes:

When you look at the tyre sizes of both these motorcycles, it becomes clear that they take their ADV DNA very seriously. Both motorcycles get the same size 90/90 21-inch rims up front. At the rear, though things are marginally different – the XPulse gets a 17-inch wheel in comparison to the Himalayan’s 17-inch. The price premium that you pay for the Himalayan also fetches you better braking equipment. The Royal Enfield offering gets a 300mm disc up front and a 240mm disc at the rear. Hero, on the other hand, has fitted the XPulse with a 276mm disc and a 220mm disc at the front and rear respectively.

Dimensions and weight:

Engine:

Both motorcycles are quite different when it comes to engine and performance.  The Royal Enfield sports a 411cc single-cylinder air-cooled FI motor that dishes out 24.5bhp and 32Nm. In comparison, the XPulse’s 199.6cc single-cylinder motor sends 18.1 horses and 17.1Nm to the rear wheel. Both engines come mated to a 5-speed transmission. The XPulse uses the same motor that we have seen on the Xtreme 200, but an additional tooth in the rear sprocket gives it better grunt low down, albeit at the cost of higher top speed. The Himalayan, on the other hand, not only makes more power and torque, but it is also delivered lower in the rev range and that should aid while riding off-road.

Equipment:

The XPulse clearly pips in this department thanks to the LED headlights and tail lamps and the fully digital instrumentation with Bluetooth connectivity and turn-by-turn navigation. While the Himalayan gets dual-channel ABS, the XPulse makes do with a single-channel unit. Neither of the two offerings has a long list of features to flaunt – reduces the risk of it breaking down when you go off-roading.

So, which one of these should you buy? Well, find the answer for we will be bringing them together soon until then, stay tuned!

Also Read: 

Hero XPulse 200 Review

Royal Enfield Himalayan ABS launched at Rs 1.79 lakh