[Turbosailor]

Congratulation on your new ride. The main advantage of Xpulse over KTM in my prospect are ease of mind due to less electronic aids and less fiber parts, so less niggles and dangling parts after prolonged usage in bad roads. Its very easy to maintain and ride. Wishing you a happy and safe miles ahead.

[Jajabor]

Congratulations on your new purchase, I too had almost finalised on the XPulse Rally edition but than opted for the RE Himalayan Scram 411 as I am more used to riding RE bikes and also own a RE STD 350. The XPulse Rally edition is a great bike enjoy many miles on it.

[1985Darkkid85]

Originally Posted by 2StrokeJunkie

.


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.

Attachment 2472603

Many congratulations on your boy toy, i am assuming you bought it from Prakash Motors in Lalbhag road, though your avatar claims Wakanda

I am going to pickup a 2v used Hero-Xpulse which has run at 19k , since the 4v is priced at a hefty 1,87,000 RS now O.T.R Bengaluru.

Also, slightly unfit for the Rally/Pro edition since i am vertically challenged at only 172 cms.

Can you give the links for the gear lever sock and paddock stand, that you got? I am assuming they are a direct fit on the 2v too?

[abtyagi]

Congratulations.

It's a great bike and so much fun, especially if you do trail riding. It would run circles around KTM A390 on a trail.
I and a friend who owns a 4v, do a lot of trails, and many a time the xpulse has fallen several feet, and it just gets up and going again, love it for that, no frill.

[sreejithkk]

Originally Posted by 2StrokeJunkie

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.

Congratulations on the Xpulse Pro. Regarding the user manual, the manual uploaded for Xpulse 4v 2023 covers the Xpulse Pro variant as well. (I could see separate sections in the manual for Pro Variant, for procedures to adjust front and rear suspension). Attaching a link to the manual for your reference.

https://www.heromotocorp.com/en-in/u...ay%202023).pdf

[2StrokeJunkie]

Thank you all. I've been riding the seXpulse for the last few days and giving it more attention than the other bikes in the garage who probably feel neglected but riding this motorcycle is such a pleasure. Not in terms of power or performance but just ride quality.

The motorcycle is super smooth and quiet to ride almost like an electric bike. Since it's running in I am trying not to cross the 4k rpm mark- does about 50-60 kmph in 5th gear. The gearbox is nice and slick with a reassuring click when you shift gears. I have got stuck in neutral a few times but I think it should sort itself out by the 1st service. Ridden a little over 100 km in the last few days. Took it for my first office commute yesterday and it performed well, though I still need to figure out the judgment on where the front wheel ends since it extends out a bit compared to what I'm used to riding so I inadvertently touched another scooter with my front wheel in heavy traffic



The rear suspension was pretty stiff when I got the bike and was causing me aches and pains in my back. For those wondering I have implants because of an implosion fracture on L1 that turned into spinal compression in 2018 -2 rods and 8 screws, so pain and stiffness are constant but I do keep myself active, swim as often as possible, and I'm not giving up on motorcycles anytime soon.

I went to the showroom today and convinced the mechanic to check the rebound and set it to what is recommended in the manual and use the C-spanner to reduce pre-load. He gave me some gyan about not messing with the stock factory settings since it will affect the durability of the suspension, etc but finally did what I asked him to do.

I'm not sure what he did with the preload because on testing out his first attempt the rear felt even more stiff than before so he then corrected and it is now on its softest setting. Ride quality has improved a lot and I'm no longer wincing over bad roads.



The thing with the seXpulse compared to my other motorcycles is that I do not have to slow down over speed-breakers potholes etc. Just stand on the footpegs and it just flies through, you don't feel anything. It is pretty incredible. On the interceptor for example I would have to keep my eyes peeled, plan alternative routes to avoid a pothole, or avoid taking bad roads completely. Today I went through a subway on Ring Road that is filled with bad potholes and I didn't slow down instead I just straddled and we sailed right past the bad stuff. Even the linkages on the flyover on the way to and back from Manyata were dispatched with aplomb with my butt firmly planted on the seat - no jerks were transmitted onto my spin. With the rear suspension tuned to my needs, the seXpulse is finally letting me enjoy the reason I bought her in the first place - amazing ride quality over our world-class roads, which makes me wonder why Karnataka charges the highest road taxes in the country.

The seXpulse is a real eye-catcher. I've had more inquiries and compliments on this motorcycle than on the 650! On the weekend while returning from a swim at a social club, I saw a bunch of employees around the bike, a waiter I know asked me for details because his friend wanted to buy one. His height however was 5 feet 4 inches so I told him it would be hard to manage, another one of the employees had a new Himalayan and was eager to tell me his bike was better.



This motorcycle gets dirty in the rain pretty quickly and the front mudguard does not stop the muck from being thrown up, the dirt stains and watermarks on the black plastic panels do not go away easily but this kind of bike looks better when its dirty. The welds on the motorcycle do not look very clean but I guess at this price there is not much to complain about.



I cleaned the bike myself for the first time and seems like I will need to get a pressure washer to wash this bike. I'm also wondering if I should go to Rao seats to check out options for better seats. There seems to be some chain lube paste used, any recommendations on what kind of chain lube to use for this motorcycle - should I stick with a paste?

I am not very happy about the quality of rearview mirrors. Any suggestions as to what I should replace them with? Also been looking at some big bore views on YouTube though I don't have any such plans as of it but it's good to know the potential the motorcycle has - seems like a new-age RX135. Let me know if you have any other suggestions for me.




To the chap who asked for the links, I have DMed you the Amazon links and I bought this motorcycle from Bhagath Motors at the Horamavu Cross off the ring road in Wakanda :P

[1985Darkkid85]

Originally Posted by 2StrokeJunkie

I'm not sure what he did with the preload because it's now good :P

Can you please tell me what suspension setting is the bike on?
I frequently ride with a pillion, so I would be very curious to know what he did to alleviate your pain .

What setting is it currently on? Also, how much are you charge for the service?
Did you get it done at Prakash motors in Lalbagh Road in Bangalore?

[RenuKumar]

Congratulations on the very potent motorcycle in its category. You could have waited for the Xpulse 400.

I wanted to compromise with the Adv390 but I felt waiting for few months is worth it.

[jopp4n]

Congrats on your new ride.
Also I would not recommend chain paste as it would throw all over the rear parts of the motorcycle, a spray would do just fine.
I would recommend you to try the Husqvarna 250 mirrors as it has a good coverage and looks asthetic as well, it would also be within the handlebar length

[2StrokeJunkie]

Originally Posted by 1985Darkkid85

Can you please tell me what suspension setting is the bike on?

What setting is it currently on? Also, how much are you charge for the service?
Did you get it done at Prakash motors in Lalbagh Road in Bangalore?

I referred to the user manual and changed the front suspension rebound and dampening to the std settings recommended by the factory with 14 clicks anti-clockwise on the front. I found this a little stiff but confidence inspiring but will try out new settings to see what I like.



To adjust the rear I went back to the showroom and asked the reluctant mechanic there to adjust the rebound to the recommended settings in the manual to 10 clicks anti-clockwise - he also adjusted the pre-load by 2 notches and I found it too stiff - much stiffer than before, so he then changed the preload onto the softest setting on the shock with the C-spanner - it won't go any softer.

The rebound adjustment screw on the rear shock is above the battery at a strange angle and I did not hear any clicks while the mechanic was adjusting it. Got him to turn it on full lock clockwise and then turn it back 10 clicks or rather turns anti-clockwise, I'm not sure he did it correctly and will have to check it out myself.



Strangely this mechanic always refuses to make any customized adjustments to suit my riding style - when I went to adjust the rear shock he tells me that the rear shock will leak oil and malfunction if any adjustments are made over what the factory sent it out with! Today when I asked him to bring the levers up since I prefer the clutch and brake lever to be on the same levels as my palms on the handlebar VS the levers being lower and me having to stretch my fingers, this chap again tells me it will be difficult to ride the bike LOL at which point I told him not to worry because I know how to ride. I'm a little peeved at the ridiculous attitude of this mechanic and might need to get things set up outside or at home soon.

Basically on the suspension front to go soft turn the adjustments anti-clockwise - to go hard turn it clockwise.

The bike is brand new and has just crossed 200 km on the odo - 1st service is still 300 km away so no charges at this point - only getting things adjusted to meet my requirement.

I mentioned this earlier as well, this is at Bhagath Motor's Hormavu Junction on the Ring Road service road, not LalBaug.

Originally Posted by RenuKumar

Congratulations on the very potent motorcycle in its category. You could have waited for the Xpulse 400.

I wanted to compromise with the Adv390 but I felt waiting for few months is worth it.

Thank you! So I did think about this for a long time but as many have mentioned here the Xpulse 400 does not seem like it will be out anytime soon, at least not this year and honestly, I am done waiting for new bikes to release so I can enjoy riding, time is short and I don't know if I will even be around or capable to ride when the new bike releases - I know that might sound a little over dramatic but I would rather just go out and get it and ride it when I have the capability and drive to do it than put it off and continue riding between my ears and live with regrets.

From what I have been reading across the internet the Xpulse 400 is not due until 2024-2025. And if you go by the way Hero has released updates for its entire lineup of motorcycles you will know that this manufacturer believes in making very small updates and releasing them the next year.

Take the Impuse to Xpulse 4V evolution right - while I have not closely followed this product - I do know that the Impulse has been in the market since maybe 2014 if not earlier.



-From 150cc to 200cc



-From Carbed to FI
-From BS4 to BS6 exhaust routing



-From 2 valves to 4 valves



-From rally kit to the CS Santosh Rally Edition and now the 4V Pro



-From the LED headlight setup to now projectors, improved riding geometry and relatively stronger knuckle guards.

For over a decade, Hero has made small improvements every year to the same platform to keep selling the motorcycle, taking feedback from customers and updating it to meet the demands of changing govt. policy. And they have now IMO perfected it in its 200cc 4V avatar. Maybe making it a bigger bore - upto 230 - 250cc would help it make up for its lack of top end. That is what this platform should probably evolve into in the future.

232cc Bigbore kits being sold on Amazon by NMW.



For them to go ahead and release a liquid-cooled 400cc motorcycle on a completely new platform will be a huge step. In fact, to me it would make more sense if they could use that torquey 440cc lump in a bigger Xpulse, though I don't know if the agreement with HD will allow for that.

The Xpulse is currently the most premium product on offer at Hero showrooms (I've yet to see the 440X in the flesh) and their customer service is woefully underprepared to give customers a premium experience. Right now it works perfectly for them because even their top-of-the-line product, the Xpulse is just under 2.00 lakhs on-road. For them to go head to head against the Himalayan and the ADV390 would require a major overhaul on all fronts to take on the Royal Enfield and KTM customer experience, brand and compete at the same price point.

Also, my purpose for this motorcycle like I explained earlier when I created this thread was to have:
-An urban dueler - strictly to tackle our urban terrain and maybe the occasional offroad adventure
-Great suspension
- Low running cost
- Inexpensive spares
- Low initial investment - at the price the Xpulse sells for - nothing meets this requirement better
- And with the Pro (Rally Edition) - I also get a level of exclusivity given that the height of the average Indian male is 5 feet 6 inches - 99% of people will stay away from buying this, the Dakar Rally colour scheme stands out, it comes fully loaded, it even piques the curiosity of my SBK owning friends and acquaintances who want to know more about it, sit on it etc AND it nails the VFM tag like nothing else in the market.

I've been using the seXpulse for my daily rides and am loafing in the area a bit - I sometimes think of it as an Activa on steroids. The ride is butter smooth - Bene thara ide - I enjoy riding it and overall I'm super stoked with this purchase. Cannot wait to finish the 1st service and then push it beyond 4k rpm. I find parking it on the side stand a little tricky given its height, need to find a suitable road surface to perch it up on the near upright angle on the side stand to make sure it doesn't tip over but other than that all is good. Happy riding!

[BlitzAl]

Agreed on not waiting for the Xpulse 400. Beats the whole point of an easy to ride and easy on the pocket fun machine you could use to commute. Man the timing of this thread is remarkable for me, just when I'm having a tug of war in my mind on the Xpulse. Right now looks like I will be biting the same bullet soon!
For the side stand issue, I've heard some people saying a shoe extender helps.

[cataclysm]

How's the Xpulse doing @2StrokeJunkie?

[2StrokeJunkie]

Originally Posted by cataclysm

How's the Xpulse doing @2StrokeJunkie?

It's doing excellent mate, no complaints. Sadly I haven't been riding around too much because I've been down with the flu and the weather in Bangalore has turned into a damp squib. I did meet a friend with a Yamaha FZ1 a few days ago so we took some pictures, matching colour theme too.



I've yet to complete 500 km and the first service since I've been working from home for the past few weeks. Hope to get it done by the middle of August tops.

[2StrokeJunkie]

So I've crossed the 400 km+ mark and thought I would list out a few observations about the seXpulse Pro.




In my short period of ownership, I am glad to report that for the intended purpose I bought this motorcycle - that is to commute through the maddening traffic of Bangalore city - this motorcycle does it with aplomb. I now look forward to my daily commute through rush hour traffic to get to my office in the heart of the city in peak rush hour traffic.

Compared to commuting in the city with an Interceptor or any other motorcycle, the Xpulse Pro is in a totally different league. Riding even in the city has become pleasurable once again.

Gonna list out the things I like about it:

-It has a great road presence
-The seating posture is upright & comfortable
-The high seat gives it a commanding position
-The suspension makes light work of anything you can throw at it
-Supreme ride quality
-The 21-inch front tire gobbles up potholes, footpaths, and everything in the way
-The CEAT tires are road oriented and do a great job for my intended purpose
-The rear brakes are good
-The headlight is good, maybe better than my stock headlight on the Interceptor
-The engine is smooth and vibration free
-The gears shift with a nice reassuring click
-The seat for my use so far is comfortable
-The switch gear, grip quality is good - everything you touch on a daily basis on the motorcycle feels good and has a nice click.
-Saddling the bike is natural, the tank locks right in place between your thighs, and the stock handlebar with the stock risers on the Pro makes it seem like this is how this motorcycle is supposed to be ridden all the time.
-The instrument cluster gives you a lot of information.
-Though mileage will not be optimal at this point, it is still pretty frugal.
-The knuckle guards do a decent job of protecting your hands.

The main bit I really enjoy about this motorcycle compared to the others I own is that I can ride this bike sedately and it won't complain, I can ride it aggressively and it loves being hustled. In fact, I ride this bike much more aggressively than I ride the Interceptor and it feels like this is just what it was meant to do. The motor is not too powerful so it won't get you into trouble easily, the motorcycle is light and flickable, the suspension keeps everything under control and the 21-inch front tire makes even mid-corner corrections possible - in fact, even if I'm committed into a turn and there is a massive pothole that appears halfway through the turn, this motorcycle will not get unsettled by a rock or a pothole or anything else, that big front tire will just climb out of it or over it - that is how much of confidence it inspires in me.



I ride this bike aggressively most of the time within the boundaries of keeping the engine below 4k-4.5k rpm until I finish the first service and I find the power adequate even in its restricted form. The more aggressively you ride it, the more rewarding it is. Bad roads instead of being an obstacle are now an opportunity because when everyone else slows down I can blast through the same messed up portion of non-existent road, helping me get away from traffic jams and slow-moving traffic. Taking corners are great too, while it did take me a little time to get accustomed to the different feel of cornering with a large 21inch front tire compared to the 18 or 17 inchers that I am familiar with, the beauty of the 21-inch is that it gives you plenty of time to chose your line and even make corrections mid way and it just pulls you through - feels effortless and very confidence inspiring.

Car drivers, bike riders, autorickshaw drivers, etc get intimidated when I pull up alongside, astride the seXpulse Pro because I am sitting higher than them and the bike looks big - despite it being just a tiny 200cc motorcycle. Again because of the large wheels, rally spec suspension, light-weight, and comfortable seating position/ergonomics - balancing this motorcycle in slow-moving traffic is also very easy. This motorcycle is literally the best urban warrior for a city like Bangalore and this environment does not even test a fraction of what this motorcycle is actually capable of doing. I notice plenty of Himalayan riders getting a complex with this 200cc motorcycle, many trying to race with me and I find the insecurity of these 410cc boys hilarious. Even with me not crossing 4.5k rpm the engine feels adequate and not extremely underpowered like I had first imagined.



Now Ill come to some of the cons:
-Because of the extremely short gearing, downshifting every time you slow down is a must. The problem is the gear indicator does not show you which gear you are in when the clutch is pulled in. I find myself checking the gear indicator before I pull in the clutch while taking a corner quickly at times, so I know how many gears I need to go down. This does not happen all the time but I noticed myself doing it a few times taking some sharp corners that I am familiar with. It's not a deal breaker but having a gear position indicator that works even with the clutch pulled in shouldn't have been too much of a hassle for Hero to offer - but yea having a gear indicator in itself is also a luxury if you grew up riding old skool motorcycles.

-The side stand does not give me a lot of confidence and I need to be very careful when I park the motorcycle. Need to plan and fine-tune the parking position for it to remain safe and park it at a slight angle otherwise the parking position would be too upright, which could cause it to tip over easily.

-The front brake feels wooden but I understand it is not made aggressive so there is room for hard riding in the slush offroad. In city conditions, the front brake does not inspire as much confidence as say the front brake on the Interceptor but it does stop. Maybe the fork dive from the front suspension also makes it seem ineffective because the braking will only start once the forks have compressed and there is quite a lot of travel on offer before it happens on the Xpulse Pro.

-The tubed tires give me a little bit of a worry, maybe I need to do the way2speed tubeless conversion. Will decide with time, however for use in the city I don't think a tubed setup is a problem.

-Hero's fit and finish levels are not the best but then even the best are known to mess up at times. I noticed an undulation in the beading of the fuel tank that I need to get checked out.



Overall. the motorcycle runs perfectly. I look forward to riding it every day and I don't have to worry about it getting dirty or scratched in a few places. It is a rough and tough machine that will wear its scars proudly and even if it needs repairs, the damage on my wallet wont be heavy. The interceptor has been parked for the last 2 weeks with the cover collecting dust which I feel bad about. Waiting to finish the first service after I complete 500 kilometers and maybe switch to the interceptor for a bit but with the Xpulse here I don't think I will ever use the 650 again for commuting duties. Will give you guys an update on how my 1st service experience turns out, hoping for the best! Will push the motor past the 4.5k rpm mark after that. This motorcycle has made me reboot my learning curve in riding and I plan on doing a trip to Big Rock post the monsoons to learn how to ride it better. Wish I had bought this motorcycle or one like this earlier in my life but I guess it was just meant to be this way. Pleased as punch with my purchase decision and I owe some of you guys on T-bhp for helping me make it.

Happy riding!

[SidharthaN]

Great feedback, I have a Xpulse at 9k kms on the odo, the normal version. Am through with the 3rd service. The engine is rough at sustained speeds of 80 on the highway and it feels stressed at 6000rpm. Have already got the air filter etc cleaned out but to no avail. For the first time I cam back from a trip 100kms into it because I was not comfortable and confident with the how the motorcycle felt. Your usage is different, so let's see how it fares. My other motorcycle is a 2016 TB at 1,30,000 kms on the odo and still maintains 80 kmph with ease, not sure how the hero engine will pan out in the long run.