The speed/thrill duties are taken care of by my 2021 Interceptor 650.
BHPian cataclysm recently shared this with other enthusiasts.
Good folks of TBHP, please help me out.
I want to replace my 6-year-old Himalayan. The purpose of this motorcycle has only been mountain touring. So I take it to the high-Himalayas 2-3 times a year. And since the hills start less than 70 kms from my place, I’ve been okay with the low cruising speed that the Himalayan offers. The speed/thrill duties are taken care of by my 2021 Interceptor 650.
The only viable contenders I could find are:
- Hero XPulse 4V Pro
- KTM 390 Adventure-X
I don’t want to wait for the Himalayan 450 because I don’t want to end up being a guinea pig. Himalayan 450 can be considered only after mid-2024, which is too long a wait. Same for the bigger Xpulse.
I’ve taken a test ride of both, Xpulse 4V (Standard not Pro) and 390 ADV Standard (Not the X). Here’s what I think:
Hero Xpulse 4V Pro
The motorcycle is huge but I could manage to flat foot. But Hero being h(z)ero, offered a test ride of the standard variant with a pillion.
Pros
- Lightweight and nimble
- Power seems more or less similar to my Himalayan
- Informative dash
- Brakes were better than the Himalayan
- Suspension (Standard) felt comparable to the Himalayan
- Adjustable suspension in the Pro variant will make the ride quality even better
- On-road price of 1.78 lakh
Cons
- Tubed tyres always cause anxiety, especially when riding in the middle of nowhere
- Hero’s sales felt rather poor because of which the service also makes me anxious
My only concern is that the lack of power might make me want to replace the motorcycle in the next year or 3, which is fine because there will be way better ADVs by mid-2024 or 2025.
KTM 390 Adventure-X
The reason behind going for the X over the Standard is that I would like to swap out the front suspension with the SW variant and replace the rear one with the one from Xpulse. So the 60k saved will go into this. I also didn’t feel the need for traction control or the quick shifter.
I test-rode the Standard variant.
Pros
- Power! Didn’t feel as powerful as my Interceptor but way faster than my Himalayan
- Lightweight and nimble
- Informative dash
- Brakes were crisp
- Tubeless setup gives peace of mind
Cons
- Vibes everywhere. My Himalayan vibes are lesser than the 390 ADV. Didn’t feel refined.
- No low-end grunt
- On-road price of 3.4 lakh. Not sure worth it for a motorcycle which will be used majorly 2-3 times a year, rest will be just short city rides and occasional weekend rides
- Suspension is nowhere as plush as the Himalayan or the Xpulse
So, folks what should I do? If I didn’t have an Interceptor, I would’ve just bought the 390 ADV. But having an Interceptor changes things as it satisfies my need for power and speed. In fact, I never really liked my Himalayan till I bought the Interceptor.
I could then really appreciate the positives of the Himalayan and not just focus on the lack of power.
I am not considering selling the Interceptor along with the Himalayan to get a bigger ADV as I am very happy with the Interceptor.
And, holding on to the Himalayan is out of the question now as I’ve found a buyer and the sale process has already begun.
I have an upcoming ride in September, so I would like to buy an ADV in the first week of August.
Please help a brother out. What would you guys do if you were in a similar situation?
Here’s what BHPian Red Liner had to say on the matter:
My suggestion is to actually wait until mid-next year. Your Himalayan is heavily depreciated already. You won’t lose much more by waiting.
The 450 is too close to launch to discount away. Ditto for ye Triumph Scrambler.
Both your existing choices of motorcycles can also easily be bought and used. They have been around for a number of years and are quickly depreciating in light of newer launches.
- If buying now: Buy used
- If buying new: Wait until mid-next year
Here’s what BHPian aviator1101 had to say on the matter:
I can empathize with you, Sir. Because I am in a similar situation.
Why do I say so?
I sold my Bonneville T100 last month.
Have a ride to Ladakh planned in September. But, nothing viable is available on the horizon.
Coming to the options that you have considered. Anybody in the market today to buy an ADV would have done the same.
BUT
I have owned both a Himalayan 411 and Xpulse 200. Xpulse is good off the road, but it is grossly underpowered, more so with a pillion in hills and I would not touch it again. Also, it’s utterly uncomfortable on long rides. It doesn’t come anywhere close to the Himalayan despite all its flaws.
I have ridden the 390 ADV and feel it is not actually an ADV, it’s more like a 390 Duke on stilts, and a bike which has barely any low end, always keeping you busy.
The above is entirely my personal opinion, others may differ.
So, what I am doing and would suggest you consider is hiring a bike from a rental agency for the September ride. It’s just one ride.
Next, I would give the benefit of the doubt to Royal Enfield and wait for the Himalayan 450.
Folks at Royal Enfield have probably learnt their lessons the harder way with the initial lot of Himalayan 411s. The 450 has been tested extensively and I’m sure they would deliver a much better product this time around.
In case it doesn’t tick all the boxes, I would consider the Triumph Scrambler 400X which also gives you the advantage of alloy wheels.
Advantages are many
- You get a much better true blue adventure tourer/ scrambler without any compromises.
- You save at least a lakh plus on the on-road price of a 390 ADV with both these bikes.
- If whatever news is coming out with respect to the 450 in terms of the power and highway cruising capabilities is even 75-80% correct, you may reconsider selling your Interceptor later
Hope that helps you make up your mind.
Here’s what BHPian five46 had to say on the matter:
Suggest you consider a long test drive of the Suzuki V Strom SX.
Sits mid-way between the capabilities of the Xpulse and the 390.
Xpulse is a little hardcore – suited for trails, 390 – like you mentioned really a weak low end and would rob the fun in the mountains.
Here’s what BHPian Axe77 had to say on the matter:
I’m with Redliner here. I feel there are some incredible launches around the corner. I am hopeful that the Himalayan 450 will be an excellent machine. Ditto for the Hero ~400+ CC. These could be the ideal replacements for your bike.
If going for KTM 390 X better off trying to buy a used regular 390A as a stopgap. I also expect the next-gen KTM 390A to be the ideal bike to upgrade to from what you’re describing as your use case. It should (again, fingers crossed) be a much better and purpose-built proposition than the current edition but it’s a fair distance away – 2025 perhaps.
Hold on to that Himalayan a bit longer and if you must replace it, perhaps go used as Redliner suggested.
Keyword: Hero Xpulse 4V vs KTM 390 ADV: Best bike to replace my RE Himalayan