Hero MotoCorp is expected to be working on three all-new 300 cc motorcycles and they will act as flagship offerings upon their arrival
Hero MotoCorp appears to be developing an all-new bigger version of its highly popular adventure tourer, the Xpulse 200. The test mule has already been caught on camera more than once and it will likely be accompanied by the bigger version of the faired Xtreme 200S and the other motorcycle looks to be an all-out touring-based model.
The Hero Xpulse 300 dual-purpose adventure tourer comprises an all-LED headlamp, a tall-riding front fender and an exhaust system similar to that of the Xpulse 200. It is suspended on upside-down front forks and a rear monoshock suspension with presumably preload adjustability. The front wheel size looks to be 21 inches and the rear could be 18 inches as its 200 cc sibling.
We could also see the presence of a box-type swingarm and a lightweight tubular trellis frame. The powertrain will likely be a brand new unit and could be a single-cylinder liquid-cooled fuel-injected motor capable of delivering power and torque figures good enough to compete against Royal Enfield Himalayan or the more powerful Yezdi Adventure, KTM 390 Adv and BMW G310 GS.
The engine seems to be a stressed member of the chassis for optimised handling characteristics. Other highlights are wire-spoked wheels at the front and the rear, an all-digital instrument cluster with Bluetooth connectivity, a prominent bash plate, front beak, LED tail lamp, knobby tyres and so on. The faired motorcycle has apparent resemblances with the Xtreme 200S and it has a bulkier stance.
It could be called the Hero Xtreme 300S or the brand could revive the Karizma nameplate to stir up nostalgia. The possible 300 cc engine could be shared with these three motorcycles with slight differences in power and torque outputs while the gearbox could also be optimised based on the requirements. The 300S boasts rearview mirrors mounted on the front cowl, a lowly set handlebar compared to the Adv, rearward set footpegs, etc.
It will likely take on TVS Apache RR310, KTM RC390 and the recently launched BMW G310RR. The other motorcycle appears to be a touring-based one with slightly different styling but no clear-cut details could be seen in the spy images and we hope to know more about it in the near future.