Honda XR300 Rally vs Hero Xpulse 210: Which Is The Best Entry-level ADV?

The Honda XR300 Rally has been one of the most anticipated bikes in India, and now that Honda has finally launched it here, we’re quite excited. In terms of price, the rally variant carries a Rs 2,08,000 ex-showroom tag, and it goes up against the Hero Xpulse 210, a bike we quite like. 

Naturally, a lot of you buyers might be wondering as to which one’s better. So we thought of putting the 2 entry-level adventure bikes against each other and see how it goes: 

Price & Variants

• Here is where the Xpulse flexes its incredible value for money price tag. Prices for the base variant start from just above Rs 1.68 lakh, ex-showroom, and that’s a lot of bike for that much money

• The top variant, with all the bells and whistles, costs just about Rs 9,000 more than the base variant

• Honda, meanwhile, has priced the XR300 Rally on the higher side. But again, it’s a bike with a bigger engine and more premium componentry, and if that is what you’re looking for, the extra money could very well be worth it

Dimensions & Design 

• The XR300 Rally’s specifications aren’t out yet so we couldn’t really compare the 2 bikes’ dimensions. But in terms of designs, both are quite similar: simple, rugged and purpose-built 

• That said, the XR300 Rally’s bigger looking windshield, longer front fender and chunkier-looking fuel tank make it look like the slightly beefier-looking bike of the two. The Honda bike, then, comes across as the better long distance adventure touring bike, while the Xpulse 210 looks like a dual-purpose bike: lean and minimalistic

• In terms of looks then, it has to be a tie. Both bikes look properly rugged, like you can take them anywhere, and which one you finally decide on will be a personal choice

Features & Safety

Hero Xpulse 210’s console shown

• While the XR300 Rally’s features’ list hasn’t really been revealed, the bike does get a TFT console. Along with it comes Bluetooth connectivity as well as Honda Selectable Torque Control, which is Honda speak for traction control

• The Xpulse 210 misses out on traction control. That said, it does get a TFT console on the top variant as well as Bluetooth connectivity, which facilitates turn-by-turn navigation as well as SMS alerts

Engines & Underpinnings

• While Honda hasn’t revealed the XR300 Rally’s engine specifications, the 293.5cc air-oil-cooled engine has been borrowed from the Honda CB300F, so expect it to make around 24.4PS and 25.6Nm, perhaps with small variations to suit its trail-loving character

• Funnily, the XPulse 210 has similar power figures despite having a much smaller engine. And that’s because it has a liquid-cooled engine, while the XR300 Rally has an air-cooled unit

• The Xpulse’s engine has a great low-end and with liquid-cooling, it’s also able to hold higher speeds well. We found the engine in the CB300F to have a great low-end grunt, but not as exciting when it comes to the top-end performance. So, expect a similar character on the XR300 Rally as well. 

• In terms of fuel mileage, expect figures around the 30-35kmpl mark with the Xpulse 210. 

• Both bikes are well-equipped when it comes to the underpinnings, at least from what we can see on the Honda and what we know about the Hero. We’ll be able to judge the handling better only with a proper comparison, but as things stand, neither should disappoint you if you take on the trails

Verdict

This is a close one, for both the Honda XR300 Rally and the Hero Xpulse 210 are 2 excellent, off-road ready bikes that come across as fantastic beginner adventure bikes. If you’re on a tighter budget, the Xpulse 210’s value for money price tag is hard to ignore and it is the bike to go for. But then if you want the authentic Japanese ADV experience and don’t mind paying a bit more for it, we’d suggest you wait a bit. In fact, the detailed specifications will be revealed between now and December, and deliveries will commence shortly after. For now, you can pre-book the Honda XR300 Rally for a token amount of Rs 5,000.

We’ll get our hands on an XR300 Rally test bike soon and will be putting it through its paces. And that’ll help us answer your queries about this Honda adventure bike better, and whether it’s worth waiting for this bike or buying the XPulse 210 right away.