2020 Hero XPulse BS6: What All Has Changed

The updated Hero XPulse was more a regulatory requirement than any model year update by Hero MotoCorp. Under the government mandate, all automobiles in India needed to meet the new, and more stringent Bharat Stage VI (BS6) emission regulations from April 1, 2020. For two-wheelers, making the engines cleaner meant mostly a transition to fuel-injected engines from carbureted engines. And even with existing electronic fuel-injection systems, the emissions needed to conform to the new regulations, which meant changes in the state of tune, as well as addition of bigger catalytic converters.

Also Read: BS6 Hero XPulse 200 Specifications Revealed

The exhaust now gets a new catalytic converter and has also been re-routed from under the crankcase

The changes in the BS6 models meant the emissions are kept in check to meet the updated regulations. But it has also meant more investment from manufacturers, use of better technology, and a new two-stage catalytic converter. Although Hero MotoCorp has yet to announce the updated prices of the XPulse, it is expected to become marginally more expensive. For the uninitiated, the BS4 XPulse was offered in both carbureted and fuel-injected variants, but now, in the BS6 era, it will only be offered with a fuel-injected engine. Here's what has changed on the Hero XPulse.

Also Read: Hero XPulse 200 BS4 Review

1. The exhaust has been re-routed on the XPulse, along with a new oil cooler, and with the two-stage catalytic converter, the exhaust is now more restrictive than before. The header pipe now is re-routed under the engine and back up to the exhaust end-can. Although from the looks of it, the ground clearance seems to have been compromised, due to the extra room inside the sump guard for the exhaust, but according to the updated specifications the ground clearance is the same on the BS6 model, of 220 mm.
2. The XPulse BS6 loses some performance, and now makes 17.8 bhp of maximum power at 8,500 rpm and 16.4 Nm of peak torque at 6,500 rpm. In comparison, the BS4 model made 18.4 bhp at 8,000 rpm and 17.1 Nm of torque. Just looking at the figures, it seems to imply that although the new model has lost outright power and torque, the engine may be marginally more free-revving, with a higher redline, and that could translate to marginal difference in real-world performance feel, if any.
3. With all the changes, the BS6 Hero XPulse has also put on some weight, all of 3 kg. The bike now has a kerb weight of 157 kg, compared to the BS4 model's 154 kg kerb weight.
4. As far as price is concerned, Hero MotoCorp has yet to announce prices for the BS6 model, but we estimate prices to be around Rs. 1.12-1.15 lakh (Ex-showroom, Delhi).

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