The Hero Impulse came way before its time, and it was a downright shame it didn’t do too well. And we have been waiting ever since for the replacement. Well, we got the XPulse concept, and that looked mighty interesting with its 21-inch front tyre and off-road prowess. We expected a production ready version of that, but instead, Hero took a slight diversion, by giving us this, the XPulse 200T, instead.

So Hero has been very clear that the XPulse will be a platform that will spawn a bunch of different motorcycles, and the 200T is the touring option of the family. It gets a different seat and handlebar to make it more comfortable for the long haul, coupled with 17-inch alloy wheels at both ends to keep it more road focused. Ground clearance is also 30mm lower, and a windshield will help protect against the wind. Besides featuring Bluetooth connectivity and navigation, in terms of safety, it gets a single channel ABS system, and LED lights. The motor will be the one we first saw on the Xtreme 200R, and if that is anything to go by, the healthy midrange will surely be a boon for this platform. This bike is production ready, and it will be the first one that Hero will launch here in India early next year.

To give us an idea of what else to expect, there were four more custom motorcycles based on this platform. A Café Racer concept that had clip-on handlebars, a USD fork and a single seat body section. A Desert concept that had taller suspension, spoked wheels a high exhaust and a lot more off road potential. A Scrambler concept to take on those dirt roads while keeping the retro look alive. And finally, a Flat-Track concept, that looked, well, flat track ready. None of these are confirmed, but these are directions that Hero is exploring. We are partial to the Desert concept more than anything, as that seems to make the perfect replacement for the beloved Impulse.

But until that comes along, the XPulse 200T will do, and we can’t wait for Hero to launch it here.