[TheRajput]

Originally Posted by rakesh_r

You can go in for a pair of Hi and lo tone horns

Thanks for your recommendations. The Roots smart tone sound quite good in the Amazon reviews and I'll probably go for it. Will surely update it on the thread once I install it.

Thanks.

[petrolhead_neel]

Hello XPulse community, hope y'all are enjoying your trail rides!

Paula is nearing 2000kms, and honestly, I'm in love. I have been doing a lot of dirt riding and she has been a lot of fun. What has surprised me so much is how much smoother the engine has become now. Low down, it's still the same lame engine that sounds pathetic. Not too much of a problem for me because I like revvy engines. The mid range sounds throaty and has a lot of punch. My trail rides are mostly through fast and flowy dirt trails where I keep switching between 2nd, 3rd and 4th. The engine is now a joy above 5k, and there's an adequate amount of engine braking to slow down during the corners. What also amazes me is how balanced the bike feels! I have been paying a lot of attention to try and improve my riding skills and things like body position and its been a revelation. Massive thanks to Urban_Nomad for helping me out in everything (it's Teachers' Day, coincidentally!).

My bike also had an unfortunate stationary spill sometime back. Baba had parked her in some lose mud and the stand gave up. The bike landed on tarmac, though. Lost a rear turn signal, a bar-end and the clutch lever. But we got a pair of KTM turn signals fitted and they look so much more suited! Up next is tail tidy.

I love how the bike looks (reminds me of retro dirt bikes like Honda's erstwhile XL series), and don't miss any opportunity to take photos. Here are some, considering opening a thread.

Originally Posted by VR/46_Chet

5 months and another service later, the tappet noise is still there and like I was told earlier, there IS a new (reworked?) head kit that's going to replace the current one. Hopefully, I'll get it done this Sunday and will update after I do. I have to say I'm a bit surprised no one here has posted about it yet.

I really want to get this done as well, if it's indeed an official recall. I'm okay with how the bike is right now, but a little more smoothness wouldn't hurt if workshop downtime is the only tradeoff. Do let us know. I am a little salty after hearing that the BS6 model is a tad bit smoother, but on second thoughts, I think I'm better sorted with a better looking bash plate, an exhaust that runs higher and a little bit more power and torque, not to mention the crazy price that we got her for. Again, the run-in has made the bike *considerably* smoother. On dirt, who cares anyways! It's awesome to see Hero tweaking and making the XPulse better. The factory team bikes have some droolworthy modifications.

I am yet to get the replacement ABS unit as well, and it's driving me nuts at times. Lodged a complaint on Twitter and I'm hoping to get it done soon. If that doesn't happen, I'll disconnect the system altogether.

Regards,
Neel

[motonomad]

Originally Posted by Urban_Nomad

Another pic of my X post seat mod and knobbies. The seat cost me 1k (I insisted that the existing seat cover was used)

This looks brilliant. I desperately need a taller seat as the posture feels too cramped because I am a bit on the taller side (6'3) and also because it is difficult to move forward with the deep stock seat.
I was poking the Gurgaon dealer to get me the rally seat but he and the TSM say that the seat is not available as a separate part. I checked with a seat cover guy back in my hometown but the foam he had felt too soft to be any good. So I have been reaching out to rally kit customers who were finding it too tall to buy their seat. :P

Since it has been over a month since you posted this, how are you finding it? If good, where did you get it done?

Originally Posted by VR/46_Chet

5 months and another service later, the tappet noise is still there and like I was told earlier, there IS a new (reworked?) head kit that's going to replace the current one.

Mine has done about 2.6K and I haven't noticed any unusual noises. I noticed few other people had complaints about the tappet noise but new head is brand new information. Keep us posted on this please.

[shady]

Originally Posted by TheRajput

I'll be using my Xpulse for daily office commute of 50kms once the Mumbai monsoons are over. I have two upgrades in mind. One is the seat cushioning (I'm 5.11'' & can afford an increase of an inch or two in the seat height) and the other is the horn, as I find the horn a bit weak.
Any recommendations for this?

Regarding the seat, I got my xpulse seat widened for more support and added cushioning of about 1.5 to 2 inches on the top or you could go for a rally style seat. Find a shop where they work on seat cushions and customize it to your requirements.

[petrolhead_neel]

Need some urgent help. The local showroom called me to inform that the replacement parts have arrived. I will be dropping off the bike soon.

The ABS unit change is a no brainer. But should I go ahead with the engine head change? I have got very mixed feedback on this, but people who have had it changed have got mostly positive things to say. There is an unusual noise (tappet noise?) from the engine. It doesn't bother me too much, but if this reworked head fixes it and makes the engine smoother, should I get it changed? I really, really don't want to compromise on long term reliability and worse, make the engine less responsive. The bike is barely 2k kms old, and I am worried about the engine being opened this soon.

Please advise. Freaking out!

[ashwinprakas]

Originally Posted by petrolhead_neel

Please advise. Freaking out!

Chill bro.

Get the part changed eyes closed, if they mess up then get it changed again, keep getting it changed until your expectations are met, that's why we have warranty in the first place.

I've been in your shoes a decade ago with my first motorcycle i.e ZMA, I'd replaced a cylinder kit and several timing chain tensioners under warranty. The chest ache goes away after the first replacement, after that it feels like a competition item.

Cheers,
A.P.

[TheRajput]

After a two year break from motorcycling, finally did a solo ride from Mumbai to Malshej Ghat on my Xpulse. This was my first long ride on this bike as I wanted to get used to riding it since I'll be using it for my daily commute instead of my car next month onwards. Started lazily at 8 AM from home and returned around 4 PM. The total ride as per the trip meter was 260 kms in 6.5 hours with an average speed of 40 km/h.
There was a nakabandi exactly before the main Ghat section and the cops didn't allow any bikers to pass. Waited for a few minutes but the cops weren't budging so had to take a U-turn and found a nice spot on the way back to take some pictures and then headed towards home with short breaks in between.

Observations on the XPulse:

Handling & Ergonomics-The handling is nimble and is easily flickable. The rider ergonomics are relaxed and somewhat similar to the RE Classic which I previously owned. I did not encounter any kind of strain or discomfort on the wrists or shoulders. I wish that the pass light switch was index finger operated rather than integrated into headlight switch.

Suspension-The bike glides like a magic carpet on the pothole filled State Highways. Crossed all the craters and speed breakers at decent speed. The bike is a true VFM in terms of suspension and ride quality.

Engine-I'm a very sober rider in terms of speed and never exceed 90kmph so I'm satisfied with the engine performance. 80 kmph is the sweet cruising speed on this bike without any vibrations as such. Also, the engine doesn't heat up in bumper to bumper traffic.

Seat-Here comes the bummer. The seat feels hard and can numb your bum within an hour of continuous riding. It was the only turn off during the ride, but now I know exactly which areas of the seat have to be widened and will be getting the seat modified soon. Suggestions on the seat modification are welcome!
I have no complaints on the seat height as I'm 5'11''.

ABS issue-Rear ended an Activa while coming back near my home in crawling traffic. There was no gravel and the road was smooth, but then too the lever jammed.
The good part is that my replacement unit has arrived at the dealer and will be getting it done on Monday. Hope it solves the issue.

Overall, the bike is total bang for the buck with decent performance, great fuel economy, and the best suspension in this price bracket. Any suggestions/recommendations are surely welcome.

Some pictures from the ride:

[TheRajput]

Originally Posted by VR/46_Chet

Happy to report that the ABS issue has been fixed. Would've been happier if it didn't affect the application of brake but I think it wasn't bled properly after changing the fluid. Now, I'm not only having to apply it twice as much, the bite doesn't feel the same as well. I hope bleeding the brake properly will solve this, please correct me if I'm wrong.

Got my ABS unit changed today and I'm facing the same problem of long travel of the brake lever. Have you been able to solve the issue?

[SoumenD]

Autocar review of the BS6 X-pulse. The oil cooler seems to have made the engine smoother & they also claim the engine feels peppier. However 0-100 timing of almost 16+ seconds is almost 1.5 minutes slower than BS4.

https://youtu.be/PYOtlorPGIM

Never the less if bottom end has indeed improved and engine is smoother I will be happy to get this as a replacement for my 13 year old RTR. Its a solid bang for the buck.

[ast.ggn]

Originally Posted by TheRajput

Got my ABS unit changed today and I'm facing the same problem of long travel of the brake lever. Have you been able to solve the issue?

Get the brake bleeding done, it will be fine after that.

[sreeJiva]

Just completed 700 kms on my bs6 version and I'm loving the overall experience.

But i HATE the headlight. Can't see s***t at night. I tried adjusting the angle in proportion to the sag after i sit on the bike, but could obtain only marginal improvement. Cant drive more than 45 km/h confidently at night. Rainy season in Kerala makes it even harder due to this being LED white light with very poor throw.

Aftermarket Aux lights are out of the question now as Kerala MVD laws have become dead set against modifications, no matter how functional or minor they might be.

Desperately need a work around, and that too a traditional halogen option. Hoping a fellow grease monkey in TBHP would figure it out soon.

My friend and I got our bikes on the same day.
My Grey Xpulse on delivery day Aug 17 below:

[Red Liner]

Originally Posted by sreeJiva

Desperately need a work around, and that too a traditional halogen option. Hoping a fellow grease monkey in TBHP would figure it out soon.

My friend and I got our bikes on the same day.
My Grey Xpulse on delivery day Aug 17 below:

Doesn't look very after market. Could pass off.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CFuUj_YA...=1412win5asgh5

[sreeJiva]

Originally Posted by Red Liner

Doesn't look very after market. Could pass off.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CFuUj_YA...=1412win5asgh5

DM'd the guy on Instagram and he said its an enduro setup for weight reduction, made with fiber. 12v 35w setup. Anything higher and fiber will start to melt.

I wanted Himalayan setup with 55w halogen minimum.

I'm trying to work out a custom headlight with him. Like below.

[oldschoolcool]

Originally Posted by petrolhead_neel

Hello XPulse community, hope y'all are enjoying your trail rides!

Paula is nearing 2000kms, and honestly, I'm in love. I have been doing a lot of dirt riding and she has been a lot of fun.

Hey! I am considering the XPulse as a dirt-only monster. Currently riding a heavily modified Unicorn 150. I've gone through multiple rebuilds and I feel her age, but she stills pulls through!

A few questions:

1. How does the bike feel when the tank is full? Too top heavy?
2. What about on a near empty tank? Is there a lot of change in weight? Is this something you can feel?
3. Have you experimented with dirt-only tires? If so, any recommendations?
4. How much extra weight do you think can be stripped off the bike?

Thanks!

[petrolhead_neel]

Originally Posted by oldschoolcool

Hey! I am considering the XPulse as a dirt-only monster. Currently riding a heavily modified Unicorn 150. I've gone through multiple rebuilds and I feel her age, but she stills pulls through!

Hey, that's awesome. I would whole-heartedly recommend the XPulse to you. I know what you're talking about, my Twister (also modified for the dirt) turned 10 years old a few days back and she has gone through one and a half rebuilds. She does show her age, and that's alright. I have made it a point to take it easy on the Twister, now that I have the XPulse.

Here's what I think. We have a couple of racers/rallyists here who can help you out even further. Urban_Nomad moved from a modified Impulse to an XPulse+rally kit sometime back, and he's very helpful. A recent member is Jayman, who also recently got an XPulse (he has raced the Himalayan and the Impulse prior to the XPulse). Where I live, I don't really have any opportunities other than practising and riding trails alone. I have plans of getting into racing dirt as well, and the XPulse will be modified as my skills progress!

[*]How does the bike feel when the tank is full? Too top heavy?

I don't feel that much of a difference when it comes to dynamics and balance. The tank is pretty large for a dual-sport, and you'll definitely feel it sloshing around when it's full, but that's about it. Love how balanced the XPulse is. They've hit the jackpot here.

[*]What about on a near empty tank? Is there a lot of change in weight? Is this something you can feel?

Again, you can feel a difference but it doesn't affect how you ride, in my experience. An expert rider will feel a bigger difference maybe, don't know.

[*]Have you experimented with dirt-only tires? If so, any recommendations?

So far, I haven't. Urban_Nomad has suggested me to get Ralco MX tyres when it's time to upgrade, and that's the plan. The stock Gripp XLs are not bad at all, and only fall short when you're riding in loose terrain. The Maxxis tires that come with the Rally Kit are great as well, but they're dirt only (wear out very fast on tarmac and are sketchy to ride on anything that isn't dirt/sand/slush).

[*]How much extra weight do you think can be stripped off the bike?

I can't give you numbers, but there are a few areas where you can shed some weight, bit by bit. A few kilos, I'd estimate. There isn't a lot of remove, really. It's a simple bike. There's a bit of unnecessary plastic, and of course, the infamous tail. If you want to see what you can do with the XPulse, you should check out Abrar Bin Ayub's build.


The XPulse won't be a monster, but with a few mods, she's a lot of fun on the dirt! Also, the Rally Kit is transforms the XPulse into something else. Can't wait to try it out myself.

Neel