EICMA 2024: Hero XPulse 421 Concept Breaks Cover

Hero MotoCorp showcased the XPulse 421 concept at the 2024 EICMA motorcycle show. The big XPulse was first showcased in 2019 when Hero displayed the frame and the engine at its CIT facility in Jaipur. However, the development of the bike ran into trouble as it faced many issues with the new engine. There were rumours that Hero might drop the project of a big capacity XPulse but gladly the development of the XPulse 421 was revived and test mules were spotted last year. Hero making a mid-capacity ADV motorcycle doesn’t come as a surprise as its the only Indian brand to finish on the podium of the arduous Dakar Rally. The company claims that its Dakar Rally riders have helped in the development of the new XPulse 421.

The styling of the bike is very different from the XPulse 210 as the upcoming Hero bike ditched the round headlight for a more angular unit with sharp DRLs. The tall windscreen, sharp headlight, gold finished USD fork and short mudguard give it a very purposeful look. The concept bike looks very slim which will make it easier to hold while standing up and riding. Even the seat is a petite single-piece unit and the tail section is also narrow. The only thing big on the bike visually is the raised single-sided exhaust muffler. One can also spot a large TFT screen, but what features we will see on the production bike remains to be seen. Po432wering the flagship Hero XPulse is a 420 cc, single-cylinder liquid-cooled engine which should be good enough to deliver around 43 to 45 bhp. 

The Hero XPulse 421 gets an all-new trellis frame which is suspended on a USD fork and a monoshock unit. Whether the upcoming Hero AD gets adjustable suspension or not remains to be seen. For off-road credentials it gets long travel suspension, spoke wheels and dual-purpose rubber. Braking hardware consists of disc brakes and it should get switchable ABS. As mentioned before the Hero XPulse 421 is still a concept but we can see it’s not very far from production. We expect the production version of the bike to go on sale by late 2025. The flagship Hero XPulse will compete against the 2025 KTM 390 Adventure R and the Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 and should be priced around ₹3 lakh (ex-showroom)