A test mule of what appears to be a Hero Xtreme has been spied, and the biggest visual change is the presence of a USD fork, replacing the current model’s telescopic unit. Another change that can be discerned is the presence of an oil cooler, which could mean major changes to the engine of the next-gen Xtreme.
- Engine to get a major overhaul, possibly increased output figures
- Looks similar to the current Xtreme 160R
Hero Xtreme spied testing: 200cc 4-valve engine on the cards?
The presence of an oil-cooler presents two distinct possibilities, one could be that Hero has updated the current model’s 163cc engine to increase peak output figures to present a fresh challenge to the segment leaders from TVS and Bajaj.
The current 2-valve 163cc engine isn’t known to be the peppiest mill in the class and if Hero can step up its performance, it could also find a home in new models down the line.
Another possibility is that this test mule is using the same 199cc 4-valve engine as the Xpulse duo, and the placement of the oil-cooler has been configured specifically for this bike. Hero is moving away from the 2-valve engine that’s currently only found in the Xtreme 200S (and earlier, the Hero Xpulse 200 also had it), which is why we think the newer, more capable 4-valve engine will make its way to this bike.
The presence of the USD fork also means that the main frame will undergo some changes and the bike’s weight might increase slightly as well. The rest of the bike looks quite similar to the current Xtreme 160R and that’s no bad thing.
Currently, the Xtreme 160R is priced between Rs 1,18,616-Rs 1,29,738 (ex-showroom, Delhi) and when this updated or newer and larger Xtreme does break cover, we expect prices to go up, considering all the changes that will be made to the bike.
Would you choose the Xtreme 160R over the equivalent Bajaj Pulsar or TVS Apache? Let us know in the comments section below.
Also See:
Hero Xpulse 200T 4V review, road test
Bajaj Pulsar NS 200, NS 160 review: Keeping it fresh