Hero XPulse 200 vs Royal Enfield Himalayan: Comparison Review

Excess flab is a cause for concern for the Himalayan. While the driving force might be enough to get you through most sticky situations, you would need to have arms of steel to lift the bike back up in case it tips over. Mid-capacity adventure bikes like the Triumph Tiger 800 and the BMW F 850 GS weigh 35kg more than the Himalayan. It does mask its weight quite nicely, but it is still not as easy to manoeuvre through a rock and a hard place as the XPulse.

Being 40 kilos lighter than the Himalayan has its perks - the XPulse is easy to lift up when you fall over. Muscular forearms are no prerequisites here either. It manages to dart past any obstacle easily with ample leverage to steer clear of danger. The shorter wheelbase also helps. When the front wheel does deflect over an obstacle, the XPulse regains composure quicker, with no form of wrestling with the machine involved, like you would on the Himalayan.

Standard crash protection is minimal on both motorcycles. A metal bash plate is common, but the XPulse also gives you basic knuckle protectors and a small engine guard. Royal Enfield, however, will sell you a braced handlebar, knuckle protectors and large engine guards as accessories.

Although it is a close call, I prefer the ergos on the Himalayan. A lower seat height with taller ’bars gives you the feeling of being in the bike rather than on it, like the XPulse. The XPulse is a bit more street-friendly in this department. The extra 23mm of saddle height does make a difference off-road and I, for one, could do with a slightly higher handlebar. Even when gripping the bike, I was more in control with the Himalayan’s 15-litre fuel tank which has a slim contour. Plus, the footpegs are particularly high, which does put you in a rather knees-up position. While the pegs won’t latch on to obstacles (like it does sometimes on the Himalayan), you can’t get your feet down from the pegs quickly.

Confidence is further boosted off-road on the Enfield, thanks to a wider rear tyre and a well-balanced chassis. Taking sharp turns is easier with a smaller turning radius. Both Hero and Enfield have shied away from giving rake/trail figures, but we believe this characteristic has got to do more with the Himalayan’s larger lock-to-lock angles than the rake.

Then which one should you pick for your weekend thrills? If it is a technical trail, full of obstacles, the XPulse 200 would have the edge just for the fact that it is light and properly set up. But if you do find yourself in a situation where you can steamroll through the off-roading bits, you would appreciate the extra drive available on the Himalayan.

Heading back into civilisation
For those of you who were expecting the XPulse 200 to be a do-it-all kind of a motorcycle, you will be disappointed. During our first ride, we did mention the motor’s shortcomings limiting the motorcycle’s touring credentials and this became apparent during our road test too.

	Hero XPulse 200	Royal Enfield Himalayan
Highway fuel efficiency	42.75kmpl	37.8kmpl
City fuel efficiency	46.40kmpl	36.26kmpl
Fuel tank	13 litres	15 litres

In our tests, the XPulse 200 might have delivered better fuel efficiency, but when it comes to range, it is the Himalayan which has a slight edge. However, these figures are attainable only during ideal riding situations. When ridden spiritedly, we are sure the Himalayan would prove to be more frugal than the XPulse. The small capacity motor on the XPulse feels strained beyond 85kmph. The Himalayan does a hundred, but struggles to go much faster than that.

	Hero XPulse 200	Royal Enfield Himalayan
0-60kmph	5.13 seconds	4.33 seconds
0-100kmph	16.6 seconds	11.69 seconds
30-70kmph in 3rd gear	6.49 seconds	5.40 seconds
40-80kmph in 4th gear	8.24 seconds	6.71 seconds

The obvious power and torque advantage do help the Himalayan in the city, in certain regards. Acceleration figures tip the scales in the Enfield’s favour, but it is not that simple. The large single tends to lug at low speeds, forcing you to stay in lower gears. When in a higher gear, you will not be able to just twist the throttle and shoot ahead, something which is possible on the XPulse. With its zippy characteristics and motocross-ish ergos, it feels like a proper light city bike. In urban conditions, the XPulse returns higher fuel efficiency by a significant margin too.

	Hero XPulse 200	Royal Enfield Himalayan
80-0kmph	45.20m	36.14m
60-0kmph	25m	20.74m

The braking superiority of the Enfield is apparent on tarmac. The figures above are of the ABS version of the Himalayan that we tested earlier and they are quite surprising. The XPulse takes 9m (equivalent of two Maruti Suzuki Ciaz lengths) more to come to halt from 80kmph and 5m (as long as a Land Rover Discovery) more in the same test from 60kmph.

Save or spend?
The Impulse was never a do-it-all kind of a motorcycle and neither is the XPulse 200. It does have a small edge over the Impulse in every department, making it a boon for budding off-road enthusiasts in India. If your primary intentions are to overcome your fear of dirt, then the XPulse does prove to be a worthy learner’s motorcycle. Zipping through city traffic is effortless and it is competitively priced too. At Rs 1.05 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi), it is a whole Rs 79,000 cheaper than the Himalayan. This money saved can be used for nifty upgrades such as handlebar risers and even some great dirt-riding gear.

However, if you want a do-it-all motorcycle, you should spend that extra Rs 79,000 and pick up the Himalayan. Tackling daily hustle-bustle? Can do. Ride down to Goa? Check. Overcome the gnarliest terrain that the Himalayas have to offer? Gladly. Royal Enfield has a host of aftermarket accessories to choose from as well, something which is still amiss on the XPulse. It still has its flaws and doesn’t feel as complete a motorcycle as we would’ve liked, but it does offer some things extra over the XPulse. And that can make it worth it to some.