[Kalash_6324]

Originally Posted by Oppanna

Based on your requirements, go for Xpulse 4v eyes closed and enjoy your rides. I for one have been using Xpulse 4v for all my rides irrespective of the terrain. Monday to Friday office commutes, Saturday trails and sometimes Sunday long rides too.

This has been serving me well for the last 19500 kms without any hiccups. I currently maintain one bike garage.

On highways you can effortlessly ride at 85-90 kmph and if pushed hard it will reach 115/120 kmph mark but then i would never ride at that speed no matter what nor i would recommend anyone.

Coming to the fuel efficiency i get 36-40 kmpl on city and 42-45 kmpl on highway rides when ridden below 90 kmph. Till date 58 kmpl was the highest and 29 kmpl was the lowest if these stats are important to you.

As usual Hero spares are available over the counter and cheap when compared to counterparts.

Stock Ceat tyre serves well on all terrain and my stock tyres lasted 11K (rear) and front has life for another 10K kms.

Stock break pads are nissin and they are priced at Rs.1300 each. As an alternative you can go with Rane make TVS Apache pads for the front which costs Rs.300 odd and for the rear Honda Dazzler which costs some Rs.700 are direct fit.

Do let me know if you have any other questions.

Eyes closed, Xpulse is the best bike you can buy for the purpose you have mentioned.
The long travel suspension is gonna do a great job of eating up potholes or gobbling up trails if you ever want to.
With the 4v update, performance is good enough for city and highway rides.
You'll also be able to fit it into the small cracks and crevices on the road and even venture off track a bit to avoid traffic.
To make it practical, just add a side bag or something of the sort.
It has the perfect blend of comfort, ride, performance and ease of maneuverability in tight city traffic.
Getting something like a commuter will be relatively boring (except the TVS Raider maybe)

Now, waiting for the Himalayan 450 or Xpulse 400 doesn't really make sense, because those bikes are gonna be heavy.
So it'll pretty much be back to square one.
And the reason why I wouldn't go for the Pulsar is because the ride quality and comfort won't be as good.
Think of the Pulsar has a hot hatch and the Xpulse as an extremely capable SUV that's also comfortable and has a plush ride.
Now chose what speaks to you more.

[The_Medic]

The answer to your predicament is staring right at you. It is the xpulse 200. Whichever variant you get, it'll solve your issues. I have used my dad's 200 4v for commutes for a few days while recovering from a minor disc prolapse. And it is the comfiest bike on less than perfect roads by a country mile. And then once my back was better, i have hooned on it through traffic like crazy. The single channel ABS could help me lock the rear wheel and i used that to sharpen my turning circle on tarmac. Absolutely amazing.

And as you already figured out, climbing sidewalks and dividers is second nature to it.
The maintainance is cheap, the bike is robust as can be. I don't know about the update setup but it's only weakness were the headlights and the centre stand hitting everything while riding two up. Former was fixed with maddog alpha kit. Latter was done by simply removing the centre stand and using it as a paddock stand while servicing it at home.


And now here is where i will give a probably unpopular opinion. You could make it a one bike garage by getting rid of the int650 and getting a replacement that is better at commutes. Maybe wait for the Himmy 450? Or the adv390 which already exists and is the 4th ktm i will very likely get my grubby hands on (by slyly giving my soon to be wife my current rc390 so that it stays in my garage). Coz trust me, it is an absolute pleasure to always keep riding your best bike in the garage.. The way rc slices through traffic is absolute bliss. And the boost between lights is second to none. Plus, whenever i get off it when i reach my hospitals, waiting and giving it a second look to adore it parked amongst the activas and unicorns is absolute grin inducing stuff.
Cheers and good luck!

[John316_WRC]

- I can't believe some people are recommending you the Aerox even after you mentioned your back problems! Aerox suspension is STIFF! stay away.
- Jupiter has the best ride quality among all scooters. My 2017 Jupe rides better than my new Activa125 I picked up last month, but remember larger wheels will be more comfortable so I suggest you skip scooters altogether.
- First option: Go for the Xpulse since you already like it.
- Second option: Honda Unicorn. Very comfy, very smooth, better commuter than the 100cc warriors.

Cheers.

[shridhan]

Meteor 350 has all, presence, tough build, fairly low maintenance, very nimble and light handling. It's rear suspension is not plush but is workable.

In fact, I was thinking of getting INT 650, because I felt Metoer 350 is too nimble. Meteor is easy, sometimes I need not put my foot on ground until I reach my tight parking spot allocated to me. So just test ride it.

[SKannan]

Originally Posted by 2StrokeJunkie

Ok, jokes apart, I will cut straight to the chase. I am looking for a 2nd motorcycle (actually 4th ) to accomplish the following crucial purposes:

- Get me in and out of dense high blood pressure-inducing Bangalore traffic.
- Get me to and from work - quickly, safely and enthusiastically every day.
- Save my injured back from the potholes and speed breakers.
- Have a commanding road presence yet be lightweight, easy to maneuver with enough power to accelerate quickly to the next stop light.
- Light on the pocket in turns of daily running and maintenance.
- A motorcycle that is rough and tough.

I would suggest having a look at CB Unicorn 160. Even today, it is one of the most comfortable commuters with excellent suspension and posture. I have both Thunderbird 500 & Unicorn 150 (2017 model). I use the Unicorn for office commutes in Bangalore and it is very comfortable over bad patches, highly refined, and most important - no back pains!

[kvamshi04]

Originally Posted by 2StrokeJunkie

Should I be looking for a scooter instead?

Buying a scooter can indeed be a practical and stress-free option, especially if you need to carry items like a laptop bag or do regular grocery runs.

Moreover, scooters are known for their ease of navigation in urban environments. They are typically lighter and more manoeuvrable than motorcycles, making them well-suited for weaving through traffic and finding parking in congested areas.

While it's true that transitioning from a larger capacity bike, like a 650cc motorcycle, to a smaller scooter may initially feel less exciting in terms of power and speed, it ultimately depends on your personal preferences and needs. If practicality, convenience, and a hassle-free riding experience are more important to you, then a scooter would be a suitable choice.( You try looking at TVS NTORQ, Suzuki Burgmann & Yamaha Aerox)

But, if you are keen on getting a bike as suggested by one of the members, you can consider Scram. It will keep you engaged on a daily basis, unlike other smaller CC bikes. The problem with using a smaller CC bike for daily runs is, you tend to get bored with it and you start missing the joy of riding.

Originally Posted by GutsyGibbon

If I lived in Blore, my garage would have a GS1250 or an Africa Twin, and an Activa. One would look ridiculous picking up Kothambari soppu (cilantro) on a GS1250.

Kothambari soppu (cilantro) in a poly bag on the handle of a GS1250(with the top box and panniers)

[the_joker]

Originally Posted by John316_WRC

...
- Second option: Honda Unicorn....

Originally Posted by SKannan

I would suggest having a look at CB Unicorn 160. ...

I would also recommend Unicorn for it's ride quality. But check with Honda Dealer. The one near me quoted more than 20 days waiting period for Unicorn. Seems like they haven't gotten a shipment after the latest updates.

The second recommendation would be Xpulse as others suggested. But take a long test ride in all conditions to make sure you are ok with the acceleration behavior is linear (I saw a mention of updates for 2023 version correcting this problem). I test rode an older version. The acceleration was not linear, there was a slight hesitation at some points.

A classic 350 also has very good ride quality, but wouldn't make sense for you since you already have the interceptor.

[RT13]

A few thoughts

a) strongly disagree with everyone recommending a scooter for regular commuting, to someone with a bad back. Terrible idea. A scooter as a local runabout perhaps but definitely not for someone with a dodgy back in Bangalore using it for a daily commute. Just no!

b) the Xpulse seems to present a compelling argument and it’s something I’ve been toying with myself. But… something stays my hand. In city, when those gaps open up, a bike rider really wants to capitalise on it. And it does seem a smidge underpowered and also a little less than refined. There must be a reason there are so many barely used bikes up for grabs. At least that’s my reservation. Worth buying a new one though, over a used one, at the marginal price difference.

c) Have you considered the CB300R? For a guy talking about the RX, it seems absolutely THE bike to get. In fact in one of the reviews somewhere (don’t remember which), the chap said it reminded him of exactly that - his old RX and that it is it’s spiritual successor. Light, handles like a scalpel, fast AF, wonderful gearbox, superb light clutch and so refined to boot (easily the most refined single in the country IMO)! In fact, it’s uber-Honda refinement is arguably its achilles heel in a country where many seem to value the grunting, groaning, huffing, puffing, howling, screaming ’appearance of performance’ over quiet excellence of engineering. Unless you’re looking at very heavily loaded touring, it’s got plenty of poke for highway riding too (assuming the ergonomics work for you). Will keep up with the Interceptor. In fact, I’d say it’s genuinely the one bike that could do it all (except trails). I would be all over it except that I don’t commute (at all) and so I hesitate plonking that much just to have it sit around for an occasional dawdle about.

[hungrygamer]

Fellow Bengalurean here, I travel 3 days a week from Marathahalli to Thanisandra and on the odd day I take my rr310 my back really complains, somebody mentioned the suzuky v storm 250 , it's a looker will that suit the requirements WRT power and portability

[phamilyman]

Get an xPulse and get it joeled no?

FUN and comfortable too

[100Kmphormore]

Ee Saala Cup Namde line has now sadly turned into a joke on the optimism that the city's cricket fans console themselves with.

It's Ee sala - this time - cup namdagbodu - cup might become ours

Coming back to the topic, I strongly suggest you start using your Alto, or get a little fitter. The Xpulse too has a rep for causing back pain in the long run and a clunky gearbox. Any bike will have your old injury flaring up again, the roads are too bumpy. I ride a Himalayan daily and that burner of an engine has me scared whether I might burn my leg everytime, the weight or suspension is the least of concerns with REs. I am surprised to find the Interceptor heats. Coming from my perspective and test ride experience I think only the Ducatis can get me uncomfortable in that aspect. The Interceptor runs way cooler and KarthikK has used it as his office commute bike. The weight has never been a botheration as I make sure I park in places from where I can maneuver it. Maybe some more time on that saddle with a new perspective?

[b16h22]

Originally Posted by 2StrokeJunkie

I did however manage to get a ride on a friend's late 2022 Xpulse CS Santosh Rally Edition and what a ride it was!


Let me know what you guys think!

I have a Rally edition Xpulse 4v with me. It was picked up for a friend of mine abroad. It had about 2.5k on the ODO. I've done about 300+ kms on it in 3 months. Just taking it out every weekend for a 20-25km ride to keep the mechanicals and battery in check.

I come from a first gen Duke 390 and currently own a Gixxer 250. I'm only 5' 6" and can just about manage the height. I can flat foot the bike on one side and tip-toe both legs if I want to move it around. I think the seat height is around 885mm with stock seat. The bike settles a bit in the initial suspension stroke so you don't feel the height is impossible to manage. Initially, I found it hard to paddle the bike around but as I've gotten comfortable with it, it got a lot better. Just don't rush your movements in a way that unsettles the weight of the bike. Just don't expect to maneuver it around like say, a naked bike. I do feel the contrast in ease of use when I jump back on the Gixxer. I just have to plan every move, every stop beforehand on the xpulse. In a way, I find the learning experience very rewarding but it can get tiring if it is your only bike and you have to ride it in stop & go traffic all the time.

Suspension is good out of the box. It is soft but you can change it's character quite a bit thanks to the compression and rebound damping adjustments. A big plus imo. It handles well for a tall dual sport but in general, it feels soft. You can forget about the potholes and speed breakers and along with the relaxed nature of the engine in the lower rpms makes for a calm unsettled ride inside the city. The 4v gearing is very good for city riding. Engine is tractable at sub 50-60 speeds. But once you hit 85-90, you do feel the lack of a 6th gear. I felt the engine was stressing out by then. And for a bike that had only 2500kms on the clock, refinement was a little disappointing at higher rpms. It is not particularly quick either. Feels like a sprightly 160-180cc than a 200. If you are using it mostly in the city and for occasional touring, you wont find it an issue.

Brakes are soft in response. It could be great when you are going off road but on road, you need more bite. And the tall forks dive quite a bit under hard braking.

Gear shifts are okay, not great. Quite a few false neutrals between 1 and 2. And the gear indicator takes a few milliseconds to update the current gear. Not sure if it is an issue with this particular bike.

General build quality is decent but you notice stuff like a rotating switchgear assembly on the throttle side and stickers coming off from the front fender etc. The valvetrain does make a rattle when the engine is hot. And refinement gets a little worse as well.

Overall, it is a good bike. I bet it is a hoot to ride off-road but you have to be really good to tap into the potential and a regular Xpulse will be better for most of us. But if you want the exclusivity and the adjustable long travel suspension plus that CS Santosh signature on the tank Rally edition makes for a strong case. But you will miss out on out-and-out highway touring ability I feel. Do check out the Vstrom and ADV 250 as well.

[aviator1101]

Originally Posted by 2StrokeJunkie

Ok, jokes apart, I will cut straight to the chase. I am looking for a 2nd motorcycle (actually 4th ) to accomplish the following crucial purposes:

- Get me in and out of dense high blood pressure-inducing Bangalore traffic.
- Get me to and from work - quickly, safely and enthusiastically every day.
- Save my injured back from the potholes and speed breakers.
- Have a commanding road presence yet be lightweight, easy to maneuver with enough power to accelerate quickly to the next stop light.
- Light on the pocket in turns of daily running and maintenance.
- A motorcycle that is rough and tough.

What I gather from your initial post is that you require a bike for city commute which should have a soft sprung suspension and good average. I have a completely different take. Xpulse at around 167 kg kerb weight in no way is a very light bike. Added to that is the saddle height of 825 which further increases to 885mm in case of the rally version which will keep you tip-toeing mostly. The real pain would be the viby underpowered motor. Even the 4V is not very comfortable over speeds above 90 kmph on open stretches.

In my opinion, a Xpulse just for city commutes is a gross overkill. And this comes after owning one, not from mere speculations. Off the road, nothing can beat the Xpulse, on the tarmac, everything else is better

Settle for a simple commuter bike, maybe a Gixer 150 or a TVS Apache 160 4V which has softly sprung suspension, low saddle height and not a very aggressive riding position, which will take care of your back problems and give good average in city use. And these bikes especially TVS have very good build quality also. Adventure bike or adventure touring machine is not your requirement. But as they say, once you buy a machine, you find use for it and subsequently fall in love with it. So finally it's your call. Suggestions have ranged from 100 cc to 450 cc(not yet launched), but ultimately it's you who will take the call and sign the dotted line.

[2StrokeJunkie]

So after reading all the advice and feedback here, I went back to the Hero showroom but they did not have the Rally Edition now called the Pro in stock and they didn't have any idea when they would get them. I was not keen on buying one from E-city, Lalbaugh, or Magadi Road.

I went to the KTM showroom nearby and tried out their ADVs. Test rides at KTM like always were a breeze, no documentation was even asked, no pesky pillion to ensure you don't run away with the bike. They filled gas and handed me the keys no questions asked. Compare that with Hero where a mechanic promptly plonked himself behind me on their trashed test ride bike which was a 2-year-old Xpulse. After much convincing by me about not being able to test the suspension if he sat as a pillion, only then did he relent.

I first tried out the X-Adventure - the new budget offering. The suspension was trashy. The less said about the ride quality the better. The motor was perky, 1st to 2nd gear transition caught me off-guard once but that was about it. This model runs on the 250 suspension - which is why the ride quality isn't as good as the standard version is what the salesman told me.



Next, I tried out the standard version and the ride was a lot better than the X-Adv but not Xpulse rally level. Before I tried out the SW I enquired about the price - 4.8 on-road, almost 5 lakhs. I really don't know what KTM is thinking but I wasn't even going to consider it for my requirement.



The test ride reminded me why I never bought a KTM, the vibrations, the rough nature of the motor, the panels, and the fairing shaking with the vibrations. After riding the KTMs and getting back onto the Interceptor, it felt so much more refined and well put together than the KTMs.



So all I could do was wait for Hero to call me and tell me they have got stock of the Pro version. I kept checking their website and noticed that most of the showrooms in Bangalore had got the Rally Edition except for the one I intended to book mine from. In the meantime I kept watching videos on YouTube - a Kannada Vlogger DV had put on a Devil full-system exhaust and got some accessories custom-built from Torque Block and a couple of Kannada vloggers had made some hilarious content that was super entertaining. I realized that this motorcycle was a big hit with the vlogging community transcending boundaries of language. Unfortunately, all I could do was satisfy myself by watching content and waiting.



I finally got a call from Hero but I was traveling on work so couldn't make it. Went after 2 days and found out they had only 4 Pro versions in stock. These were selling out really fast so I had to act fast or wait for another month or so. After some negotiations with the Home Minister on why I needed a 4th motorcycle, and some masculine pep talk from my friends I went ahead and booked the bike on the Hero website late at night and decided to go to the showroom the next day and pay the rest of the amount.



Completed the payment today in the afternoon, a 24-hour delay because of NEFT security protocol, and I finally collected the motorcycle in the evening. There was even more delay at the showroom due to some software issues they had since I had made the booking online. After a wait of close to 3 hours I finally got the gate pass, tanked up, road home, filled air in the tires which the showroom had not - they were over 10 psi lower, admired it for a while, and tried finishing up some work but was too restless so went for a small running-in ride to get familiar with it. The digital console has more features than the Interceptor - LOL



Some of the features on the Pro version are; better quality knuckle guards that connect to the handlebar, projector headlights, switchable abs, taller windscreen. The first few kms felt unfamiliar but I got comfortable soon enough Straddling is easy on this and the ride quality is just what the doctor ordered. I'm being gentle on the motor because of the running-in period, felt that the throttle was snatchy initially but it seems like it's getting better as it frees up. The first service is at 500 km. Took it for a spin on the same horrible road that I tested the KTMs on and it just felt much better. I think I need to change the rear shock setting to be a little softer. Did about 25 km of running-in today.



I will need to understand setting up sag, dampening, and rebound on this to get the most out of the adjustable suspension. I was not very impressed with the explanation the showroom guys gave me. Found a few bits out of place on the bike and got them to fix it. No user manual was provided with the motorcycle, their answer was it is online, no physical copy - scan the QR code on the bike to get it. The QR code led me to a WhatsApp number and the other had chassis details. Downloaded a user manual from the website for the older CS Santosh Rally Edition, they don't seem to have one for the new Xpulse Pro version yet. I have christened mine the seXpulse. S E for Special Editon, I will probably ask CS Santosh to sign the tank. I'm pretty pleased with the Xpulse Pro, it's a very different type of motorcycle compared to the ones that I have previously owned. The riding dynamics are very different too and the next few weeks are going to be a learning curve so I'm taking it easy but I'm excited.



Hero has a very govt. sarkari kind of vibe to it unlike say a Yamaha, KTM, or RE purchasing experience. Their customers are also a very different demographic but I'm glad that they have built a motorcycle that is practical, has style, and offers an alternative lifestyle experience. Only hope their service is up to the mark because the YouTube videos I've seen seem to have many Xpulse Rally Edition vloggers complaining. So fingers crossed. I've noticed some glue-like material on the headlight which I am going to get checked at the service center tomorrow. Having the showroom right opposite my house made the purchasing decision easier, only hope they are able to service the bike well.



The first thing I did before even getting the bike out was to get them to take off the saree guard and fit a BoBo mobile holder, the USB charger is below the meter console on the new version vs the old one that had it under the seat. I have ordered a gear lever sock and a paddock stand, from Amazon. I think the next accessory I would consider fitting is a top box but I think that would look too big, need some kind of contraption to be able to carry my laptop bag to work. Any suggestions? And thank you, guys, for all the suggestions and for sharing your input - the posts with the "eyes closed to get the Xpulse" and the doctor with the back issues are among the many besides my own personal experience that pushed me to get this motorcycle. Looking to clock many miles on it and maybe actually use it for what it was built to do - going off-road. As many said, this is overkill for city commuting but it does it really well so no complaints. Like the old Tata Sierra ad, the seXpulse - takes the rough with the smooth. Cheers!

[BlitzAl]

Congratulations on the new bike! I have been pondering the Xpulse ever since I borrowed one in Coorg and man what a blast. The only thing keeping me away is the fear that coming from a Int 650 myself, I'd get tired of the lack of grunt way too soon. If I lived in the hills and didn't have to do atleast 150-200 kms of highway to hit the hills, I'd have gone for it eyes closed. Hence a humble request, please do update in this thread your experience after you get a few trips under your belt.