[RiderZone]

Got in a weird situation with the Xpulse today. The self-start suddenly stopped working, only made a sparking sound from near the battery area. I didn't pay much attention, just kicked over the bike and got going, that's what kicks are for right? The RPM gauge was wonky, kept going from 0 to 6k and back randomly, even though physically the engine sounded fine. I still didn't worry about it too much.

About 3 kms later the bike started sputtering and losing power like it had run out of fuel. The tank was half full. The RPMs were now constantly at 0, and the gear indicator section was empty. Then the dash completely died. Cycling the key or the kill switch didn't do anything. The backlights on the switches were still lit. The engine didn't die entirely, so I kept riding until I made it to a mechanic. Lucky I didn't stop and turn off the bike before I got there, it won't have started again.

My first thought was that some fuse had blown, because the functional switch backlights made me think battery connection wasn't the problem. We opened the bike up, but neither of us could figure out where the fuse box was Then on a whim I opened Youtube and searched for the symptoms, and the very first video seemed to show a fix for the exact same problem I had. This is the first time in my life Youtube has been used for something useful, I was very lucky to find that video, or would've wasted who knows how much time and effort fixing a non-issue.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cuihPyywoJU&t=70s

I'm unsure if this is the same with all motorcycles, but the battery negative terminal on the Xpulse is left open to the elements, which seems like a rather stupid thing to do on an off-road machine. The positive one has a red cover, I think the negative one is supposed to have a black one. In my case the terminal visually looked tight and reasonably clean, but it was not making proper contact somehow. Removed it, cleaned with sandpaper, put it back, all good. The symptoms were rather confusing, but it was quite a simple problem in the end.

[ashwinprakas]

Originally Posted by RiderZone

just kicked over the bike and got going, that's what kicks are for right?

Not really, on a DC Ignition motorcycle with a Self Starter the Kickstarter is a novelty item on a well maintained motorcycle and a minor convenience on a not so well maintained one.

Other than that it shouldn't be seen as a means to get out of a situation where the battery is totally dead or not present as this is a good way to fry your electricals.

Bajaj makes it a point to mention the same in their manuals, not sure if Hero does it too.

I'm unsure if this is the same with all motorcycles, but the battery negative terminal on the Xpulse is left open to the elements, which seems like a rather stupid thing to do on an off-road machine. The positive one has a red cover, I think the negative one is supposed to have a black one.

Only the positive terminal will short with the chassis hence the boot is a safety precaution.

Negative terminals are mostly left without a boot as it really doesn't add a functional value as it is the terminal that is grounded to the chassis.

Regards,
A.P.

[RiderZone]

Originally Posted by ashwinprakas

Not really, on a DC Ignition motorcycle with a Self Starter the Kickstarter is a novelty item on a well maintained motorcycle and a minor convenience on a not so well maintained one.

I was under the impression that even with battery issues, kickstart bikes can keep going, that kickstart is like a failsafe thing. What power is needed for fuel pump, ECU, spark etc. can be had from the alternator or something. But then again my lack of understanding of basic motorcycle mechanics is legendary.

[ast.ggn]

Xpulse with new 4 valve head under testing.

Image source: Powerdrift on Instagram.

[ku69rd]

Originally Posted by ast.ggn

Xpulse with new 4 valve head under testing

Honestly it just needs another 7bhp more the ability to cruise at 110 all day long without stress

[drt_rdr]

Wanting 25 horses, 6 gears and all that out of a 200 cc motor would take it out of its current Rs. 1.2 L or theeabouts to the range of Duke200 at 1.9L or something though.

I appreciate Hero for giving us the choice to buy a bike with these kinds of capabilities for this kind of a price.

People who basically just tour and want more power have the choice to buy the Himalayan, BMW, KTM. Heck, even the FZ25 and Gixxer250 are capable enough bikes if you have some basic dirt skills in place.

I think a more reasonable ask for the Xpulse would be for it to lose atleast 10 kilos of weight somehow. And going by the reports of urban_nomad, Hero could fit it with more hardy bars and wheels. That would make it a much more usable bike for what it is. Even if the price goes up by 15k or something in the process, it would still be offering a ton of value. Or they can offer aluminium bars and wheels as part of the rally kit.

I'm just surprised Hero would make compromises like this on the Xpulse when the Impulse (atleast the first year model which I own) appears to be a super hardy bike. I'm still running factory fitted levers, handlebars, footpegs, and wheels, having put the bike through quite a bit of abusive riding for tens of thousands of kilometres and having been through multiple drops and crashes at standstill, low and moderate speeds on the road and off it.

The levers are bent into bullhorn shapes but still very usable. Had to replace the brake pedal once and hammer the gear lever back into shape, but the handlebars and wheels are holding up surprisingly fine.

[nasirkaka]

I'm just surprised Hero would make compromises like this on the Xpulse when the Impulse (atleast the first year model which I own) appears to be a super hardy bike. I'm still running factory fitted levers, handlebars, footpegs, and wheels, having put the bike through quite a bit of abusive riding for tens of thousands of kilometres and having been through multiple drops and crashes at standstill, low and moderate speeds on the road and off it.

The Xpulse is definitely made to a budget, where parts like levers, handlebars, crash guards, foot pedals, Rims, hubs etc are not of the greatest quality. But the frame structure, suspension, and basic core of the bike seems well put together.

Been riding a bit with some riders from an Xpulse group in Bangalore where most ride hard, and still there is been not much complains on the core integrity of the bike. But again, its the most ill treated bike out there with user throwing it all around, dropping it, crashing it, jumping it, etc. Its a bike which makes novice riders feel good and attempt things which we would not dare on other expensive bikes, or face consequences. And because spares are very much affordable, riders don't mind subjecting the xpulse to torture. I guess carefree riding helps in someway, which will not hold true even for bikes like himalayan/ktm/bmw, etc, where spares are much expensive in comparison. I was surprised that the entire from wheel assembly of the xpulse including the rim, spokes, hub, rotor, etc cost only some 3.1k. Doubt if the same would be possible with aluminum rims.

So there is definitely a lot desired in terms of power, or weight reduction, but as it is, the bike is difficult to beat for the fun per buck it brings anywhere off the highway.

Sharing some general weekend ride pics.

[ast.ggn]

Originally Posted by drt_rdr

I think a more reasonable ask for the Xpulse would be..

...to go back to design board and put in efforts in engineering, material selection and quality control.

In 2 years of ownership, my bike has got: cylinder head kit replacement, ABS pump replacement and is waiting for Odometer replacement and 3rd/4th gear pinion replacement all under warranty. Copy pasting different components from existing Hero line up isn't going to work if you are selling a bike which is marketed to take abuse.

[drt_rdr]

Originally Posted by nasirkaka

I was surprised that the entire from wheel assembly of the xpulse including the rim, spokes, hub, rotor, etc cost only some 3.1k. Doubt if the same would be possible with aluminum rims.

Standard bike doesn't have to come with aluminium parts. Just a harder composition of steel would do fine. The impulse doesn't have any aluminium parts either IIRC.

They can give aluminium parts in the rally kit for people who want to spend.

Originally Posted by ast.ggn

...to go back to design board and put in efforts in engineering, material selection and quality control.

In 2 years of ownership, my bike has got: cylinder head kit replacement, ABS pump replacement and is waiting for Odometer replacement and 3rd/4th gear pinion replacement all under warranty. Copy pasting different components from existing Hero line up isn't going to work if you are selling a bike which is marketed to take abuse.

Ouch. I guess Hero was planning to sort the bike out by the 5th year in production, hence the 5 year warranty.

[nasirkaka]

Standard bike doesn't have to come with aluminium parts. Just a harder composition of steel would do fine. The impulse doesn't have any aluminium parts either IIRC.

They can give aluminium parts in the rally kit for people who want to spend.

That Impulse was a much sorted bike being derived from, i think nxr150, and evolved over time. Not to mention the honda engineering, refinement and reliability. Hero will have a lot to catch-up to get to those levels of quality and refinement. Good part being, the intent is there, as we can see the attempted changes over time, be it adding oil cooling to Bs6, or the now speculated 4 valve upgrade.

The main grouch with the bike is its engine which does not feel like a 200cc mill to begin with. Also not the most refined or peppy out there. If the updated 4valve makes a noticeable difference in terms of refinement and rev happy, it would make a big overall difference. It would also be on Hero's mind to keep the cost difference between Himalayan and xpulse as wide as possible, as with narrower difference, many buyers may drift towards Himalayan. Many challenges, hope they overcome and keep improving the product.

Yes, aluminum rims could be a good addition to the rally kit, aluminium bars too. That heavy exhaust is another area to consider, rally kit being road legal, i doubt the possibilities.

[ku69rd]

Originally Posted by nasirkaka

Yes, aluminum rims could be a good addition to the rally kit, aluminium bars too. That heavy exhaust is another area to consider, rally kit being road legal, i doubt the possibilities.

Possibly you want to check the Excel Takosago Aluminium Rims, they are wonderful. One of my riding partner has it on his Xpulse and there is a day n night difference between his bike and mine. The acceleration has improved and handling is simply out of the world when you compare his bike and mine.

Small change but makes a big difference, yes it comes at a cost of nearly 40K. Possibly if you are intent on keeping the bike for long it will make a good choice. Also if your next buy comes in with the 21 & 18 inch wheels then it is a no brainer. A good investment which will easily more than 7-8 years.

[RiderZone]

My friend is planning to take her Xpulse with rally kit for some off-road events, small races etc. We were looking into a couple of things but couldn't find any info via the owner's manual or the internets.

1. What weight fork oil should be used with the rally kit forks when rebuilding? 10w was our best bet but just not certain. There seem to be 15w options available too.

2. What's the correct capacity of fork oil to be used with the rally kit forks?

3. Would there be any advantage/disadvantage in using 10w40 synthetic engine oil, instead of the 10w30 mineral oil that Hero puts in by default? We thought the slightly thicker oil might be better for the heat and the torture the engine will likely see.

Thanks!

[Urban_Nomad]

Originally Posted by RiderZone

1. What weight fork oil should be used with the rally kit forks when rebuilding? 10w was our best bet but just not certain. There seem to be 15w options available too.

2. What's the correct capacity of fork oil to be used with the rally kit forks?

3. Would there be any advantage/disadvantage in using 10w40 synthetic engine oil, instead of the 10w30 mineral oil that Hero puts in by default

1) I believe hero, like most manufacturers uses a very thin fork oil, 2.5w i think. I know someone in our group who recently changed his fork oil to 10w. Said he liked it (vague, I know but thats all I got). But he is a heavy set guy and this might work against someone who is a lightweight

2) Hero svc said 250 ml. I use 350 ml. Works fine for me

3) Some folks have changed the oil to the above specs but couldn't find any discernable difference. I would recommend getting regular oil change at the hero svc and keep your 5 year warranty intact. Chances are, your friend would need it

Hope this helps

[drt_rdr]

Originally Posted by Mafia

I suppose a 1.4L ex-showroom price is to be expected without the rally kit. Considering there is no other bike with this capability in this price range, it will work for Hero.

Hero is claiming a bump up in power and torque in its teasers. I would expect 1 or 2 hp boost at most coming in at higher revs. I'm guessing performance would more or less remain unchanged for people who don't like to rev.

But a 20k hike for the standard model would be quite a jump even with the updated engine. The way our market works, in the mind of the average consumer, that would likely put it squarely up against the CB200X and the FZ25S, perception wise atleast. I wouldn't think Hero wants to lose the price advantage it has in the segment. I'd say they wouldn't up it by more than 7-10k unless they're bringing in improvements in other areas as well .

[RiderZone]

Last weekend, after months of owing the Xpulse, I finally built up enough courage to use the rally seat. It was a disaster, If I flat-foot on the left side, I can't even reach the rear brake. Perfect beginner commuting bike I tell ya.

If you get moving somehow, the rally seat is surprisingly comfy, but the bike is even more unusable for me now than before, so back to stock I go.