Hero MotoCorp is gearing up to introduce its most powerful adventure motorcycle yet – the Xpulse 421 – with the company recently filing a design patent for the model in India.
Hero Xpulse 421 details
Hero’s upcoming ADV will come with a 421cc single-cylinder, liquid-cooled engine paired with a six-speed gearbox. Notably, the motorcycle seems to feature a long-travel USD front fork and a rear mono-shock to handle rough terrain.
The design sketches showcase a taller frame, characteristic of an adventure bike, featuring a scooped single-piece seat, a flat headlight unit paired with a taller visor, and angular radiator shrouds. The rugged look is further emphasised by handlebar guards, a top-box rack, and an underbelly pan.
For braking duties, the Xpulse 421 will feature a petal disc at the front and a regular disc at the rear, both mounted on spoked wheels wrapped in block-pattern tyres. It is likely to get an 18-inch rear and a 21-inch front wheel configuration. The bike is also expected to include standard ADV features like an upswept exhaust, although the exact styling of the end-can may see refinements before launch.
The motorcycle is expected to position itself and be priced against established rivals like the Royal Enfield Himalayan 450, the next-generation KTM 390 Adventure, and TVS’ rumoured Apache RTX based on the new RTX-D4 engine.