The Indian two-wheeler market had always been a space where budget commuters reigned supreme with sales only the 150-200cc motorcycles could ever dream of. But, as of late, there has been a substantial following for performance-oriented commuters, even if that meant a slight drop in fuel efficiency.
This only lead to prime manufacturers shifting their focus towards the premium commuter segment. So, naturally, it was inevitable for the country’s leading two-wheeler manufacturer to step up and launch their motorcycle in this space.
The result, as you probably have guessed by now, is the Hero Xtreme 200R. The Xtreme 200R is an all-new motorcycle to come from Hero’s stable. Sure, it took them a long time to become a reality, but the company invited us to BIC to experience their 200cc motorcycle. That alone says a lot. Here’s a lowdown.
Table of Contents
Engine
The bike you see here is powered by a 199.6cc BS-IV compliant engine that’s good for 18.1bhp and 17.1Nm of torque. It is mated to a five-speed manual transmission and uses air for cooling the engine. The engine is carburettor-fed and fuel-injection is not available (as of 2019), even as an option. Thumb the starter, and the engine growls to life in a smooth and refined manner. The low-end performance is adequate, but it’s the mid-range that feels the liveliest.
Specifications
This is the part where the Xtreme 200R leaves you wanting for more. Sure, it looks good and the design is well balanced, but there aren’t any extra muscles or neither any intimidating cues that are associated with 200cc motorcycles. Dimension-wise, the bike is 2,062mm in length, 778mm in width, and 1,072mm in height. The ground clearance is 165mm and seat height is 795mm. The dry kerb weight is 148kg.
Fuel tank capacity
The Hero Xtreme 200R has a decent fuel tank capacity of 12.5-litres. The fuel efficiency, on the other hand, is expected to be in the vicinity of 40km/l.
Mechanical parts
The Hero Xtreme 200R, in the handling department, ups the ante in terms of riding dynamics. Helping the cause is a beefy 37mm front forks setup and wide 17-inch tyres with the front 100/80-17 in size and the rear being 130/70-17 in size. The diamond-type frame chassis has also seen some improvements over the Xtreme 150. The front disc is 276mm in size and the rear one is 220mm in size.
Features
As for the safety net, Hero has the rider covered with the single-channel ABS as standard. The part where the Xtreme 200R could have done better is the old-school instrument cluster, which could have done better with a better screen and all things digital. The headlamp also misses out on LEDs, but thankfully pilot lamps and an LED taillamp are part of the package.
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