Gone are the days when motorcycle segments were easy to count on the fingertips. Now, there are the 160s, 200s, 250s, 350s, 500s, 750s, 800s, 900s and so on. Hero MotoCorp was for a long time playing in the field with displacements below than these, except for the Hero Karizma as its only premium motorcycle, but truely it grew outdated over the years. Hero’s latest motorcycle though, puts the brand back on the premium bike map, and in a way better than the Karizma did, and goes well with the times.
Hero Xtreme 200R was unveiled some months back when the company had promised organising its first ride experience and now they have, but to the surprise of many, at the Buddh International Circuit. It was a brave move to introduce a 200cc motorcycle on huge Formula 1 race track. None the less, the experience was fun as we could go full throttle at most times.
The design and styling of the Hero Xtreme 200R has rather been carried out well, with its side cowls, a sharp tail, sculpted fuel tank and headlamp unit. However, the writing on the sides seems rather too big in proportion to how big the bike looks. Hero have also given it a built-in tank pad, which looks good and protects the tank from scratching. The Xtreme 200R does look like a modern entry level sports oriented bike.
The side cowls actually make for a lot of the Hero Xtreme 200R’s sporty appeal. It gets a standard bulb for a headlamp and DRLs as well. We’ll get to how good or bad the headlamp is when we test the bike in the real world.
While the Xtreme 200R looks appropriately sporty, it is the least powerful motorcycle in the segment, with the likes of TVS Apache RTR 200 4V making about two more bhp than its 18.1 bhp at 8,500. It’s power comes from a 199.6cc single-cylinder air-cooled carburetted engine with 17.1 Nm of torque. The engine is quite refined and there is minimal NVH (noise vibrations harshness) at lower RPMs, but at higher RPMs, the engine is under a lot of stress and doesn’t like to hit the limiter.
Since we were on a race track, there isn’t much to say when it comes to how comfortable the Hero Xtreme 200R is. But the 37mm front forks, combined with the seven-step adjustable monoshock at the rear are stiff enough to handle a track, but I expect the setup to be comfortable in the real world.
Braking from the 276 mm (front) and 220 mm (rear) discs on the Hero Xtreme 200R is fairly bitey but but not as effective if you are to come to an instant halt. Hero will offer it with an optional ABS, which is always a better to go for.
With such braking and suspension, combined with the fairly fat tyres (100 mm front and 130 mm rear) will ensure quick and safe cornering on, for example, city roundabouts or highway entry and exits.
The riding stance of the Hero Xtreme 200R is quite a great combination of a comfort and sportiness as the footpegs are slightly rear-set and the rider can easily lean over the handlebar if the red mist for aggressive riding. If not, the handlebar ensures a relaxed riding posture.
Fuel tank capacity of the Xtreme 200R is 12.5 litres. While we can’t say how good the fuel economy will be, expect something near 40 kmpl. Watch this space for a full detailed road test of the motorcycle.
Hero MotoCorp hasn’t launched the Xtreme 200R in our market yet, but when it does, expect a price tag of about Rs 90,000 to Rs 1 lakh. There are, in fact, several 200cc motorcycles in India already and Hero has been quite late in introducing one. It faces stiff competition from the likes of the TVS Apache RTR 200 4V (Rs 91,600) and Bajaj Pulsar 200NS (Rs 95,300). So, it pretty much boils down to how competitively the Xtreme 200R will be priced. The overall package, no doubt, makes a great everyday commuter that looks quite stylish and promises comfort. But considering the competition, a right or wrong pricing can make or break the deal for it.
