Hero Xpulse 200
The bike that everyone has been looking forward to finally makes it to the fleet
BACK IN MAY, WHEN I FIRST RODE the Xpulse 200 at Big Rock Dirt Park, I knew I’d put my own money on it, especially after seeing C S Santosh put it through the torture tests. And that’s exactly what I did after I got back to Pune. Hero MotoCorp, though, took its own sweet time to deliver the bike after a waiting period of over two months. It was delivered sometime in the month of July after which it has been a mixed story so far. What has impressed me the most is the commuting ability of the bike. The first two ratios are short which allow for quick acceleration while the third cog is supremely tall. Cornering in third gear is no problem at all and the Xpulse barely needs any downshifts. I have also taken two trips to Mumbai and both were quite pleasant, if not quick. The suspension takes everything in its stride and you don’t’ have to slow down for anything. The Xpulse really feels indestructible but a massive pothole on the Pune-Mumbai Expressway took a toll on the rear rim. But that’s due to my maniacal style of riding. However, Hero took nine weeks to source the rim! And that’s where my fairytale ends and vexation begins. The product is sensational, no second thoughts about that; but the service and after sales has marred the overall ownership experience. And now for the long-term Xpulse (the black one) - it’s heading to TVS Motosoul in Goa. Let’s see how it fares in the hands of Manaal for a while... ⌧
Abhishek Wairagade (@abhibhi)