Hero Royal Enfield Himalayan BS6 vs XPulse 200 BS6: Real-world Performance Numbers Compared

David vs Goliath, or so the spec sheets of the Hero XPulse 200 and the Royal Enfield Himalayan would have you believe. Both of these are the most affordable adventure motorcycles one can buy in India but each one has a different approach to the same goal. The XPulse is light and almost enduro-ish while the Himalayan is bulky and a bit of a jack of all trades.

In our comparison of the BS4 versions of the bikes, we felt the XPulse 200 was the better choice for almost all situations except when it came to touring, where the Himalayan could really stretch its advantage. How do these bikes fare after the BS6 updates? We have tested them both and here’s what the numbers reveal:

Acceleration

	Hero XPulse 200 BS6	Royal Enfield Himalayan BS6
0-60kmph	4.81 seconds	3.87 seconds
0-100kmph	14.10 seconds	10.49 seconds

Was there even a doubt? The Himalayan’s engine displaces twice the cubes the XPulse’s unit does with a healthy dosage of torque. The gear ratios are quite tall as well on the Himalayan, helping you maximise the potential of the 410LS mill. To the XPulse’s credit, its acceleration figures have improved from earlier by almost a couple of seconds in the run to 100kmph. The crisper throttle input and precise fuelling has led to a stark improvement but we knew it still wouldn’t out do the Himalayan.

Also Read: Hero XPulse 200 BS6: Living With The XPulse - Part 1

Roll-on Acceleration

	Hero XPulse 200 BS6	Royal Enfield Himalayan BS6
30-70kmph in 3rd gear	6.05 seconds	5.15 seconds
40-80kmph in 4th gear	7.84 seconds	6.87 seconds

Both motorcycles have outdone their BS4 counterparts in this regard, the XPulse to a larger extent. The numbers suggest the Himalayan is swifter at getting past slow-moving traffic and it feels that way from behind the saddle as well. The problem arises only when the revs drop below the 2000rpm mark on the Himalayan. The engine starts shuddering, forcing you to drop down a cog to get the move done. No such problems on the light and zippy XPulse, making it a better commuting alternative.

Also Read: Royal Enfield Himalayan BS6: Road Test Review

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Braking

	Hero XPulse 200 BS6	Royal Enfield Himalayan BS6
80-0kmph	43.89m	42.07m
60-0kmph	25.14m	23.42m

Both Hero and Royal Enfield have worked quite a bit to make their respective motorcycles better stoppers. Sadly, the numbers don’t reflect that in the Himalayan’s case as it took quite a lot of distance to come to a dead halt. You do get this extra sense of confidence from the braking system now with minimal ABS intervention when panic braking. A similar feeling arises on the XPulse with Hero tuning out those irritable ABS issues that plagued the BS4 bike. The braking distance from 80kmph has reduced by 2m but from 60kmph, it is the same as the old bike.

Fuel Efficiency

	Hero XPulse 200 BS6	Royal Enfield Himalayan BS6
City	49kmpl	32kmpl
Highway	42.37kmpl	39.96kmpl
Fuel tank	13 litres	15 litres

This is a tale of two halves. The XPulse can convert its zippiness to deliver great fuel efficiency within city limits. The more refined BS6 motor is 3kmpl more efficient, allowing you to technically ride the XPulse for almost 150km more on a single tankful of gas than the Himalayan. The situation is flipped on its head on the highway as despite being 2kmpl more efficient, the XPulse will have to stop for gas around 50km sooner. The Himalayan can realistically do Mumbai to Goa on a tankful, which is a lot of miles for a single stint in the saddle.