Hero Impulse Review

The Hero Impulse is the first product of Hero Motocorp after the much publicized break-up with the Honda. Despite the split between the two companies, as per agreement Hero Motocorp can use the Honda's technology until 2014 so Impulse gets the Hero Motocorp logo but the Honda engine is retained as of now. The new brand name indeed had a grand welcome with A.R Rehman rendering the theme song for the rise of the Hero Motocorp and so had the company rolled its first transroader, Hero Impulse. Many of us were under the impression that the bike would be an all-in-all a Hero product but surprisingly, I wouldn't deter to say it was otherwise; the engineering skills of Honda have been greatly used no doubt but the Impulse's design is derived from the Honda NXR 150 Bros that was launched in Brazil. Nevertheless, Hero Motocorp has gone all-out with the promotion of its dirt bike Impulse to find a new ground in the market after their divorce from the Honda. Let us see how this on-road and off-road transroader bike scores at all.

Looks
The first remark I made to a buddy when I saw the Impulse bike was 'he is mean!' and there is no doubt about that, Impulse is indeed a rugged machine. The longish mudguard protrudes in the front and over it sits the headlight, and Yo! Man this gives the bike needed but terrible wild look. The mudguard is intentionally kept at a huge distance from the tyres so as to avoid any damage while riding on dirty roads.

Hero Impulse

To keep your hands clean, the broad handlebar is fitted with a knuckle guard, which is especially useful if you are taking the bike on rough terrains. The fuel tank is nicely masked with large air scoops and the tall motocross seat over the fuel tank gives a solid off-road riding experience. The other eye-catching feature of the Impulse is the muffler, which is situated right underneath the rear seat looks unique and cool. The Impulse bears a LED taillights and the instrument cluster consists of the digital speedometer, fuel gauge and the analogue tachometer. Oops! How could I forget to mention the spoke wheels that add some spice to the super hot Impulse?

Engine, performance and mileage
The Hero Impulse comes equipped with a 4-stroke, single-cylinder, air-cooled 149.2 cc engines that generates power of 13.2 bhp & 1.36 kgm torque. What I love about the Impulse is that the peak torque comes at mid level revs itself; cool isn't it?

The five-speed gearbox functions on 1-down and 4-up mechanism. Unlike the traditional style Impulse has a tubular steel frame for the chassis and the swing arm. The bike has a telescopic fork suspension in the front and it features a gas-charged single shock absorber at the rear. To ensure the chain does not slip off especially while riding on rough tracks, the rear sprocket is well-guarded by a strong plate and the completely metal-made brake pedal gets a jagged finish, which facilitates solid grip even if you are riding in slush and slippery roads



The one charming feature of Hero Impulse is that it gives the rider immense confidence and delight on any ground. The 19-inches front wheel gives the fellow amazing stability and lightweight trait coupled with slim body profile helps even newbie rider great controlling capacity. Telescopic fork suspension in the front and gas charged monoshock suspension at the rear offer decent comfort on any terrains. The comfortable seating and riding position with a wide handlebar enables smooth steering of the bike. In all handing the bike is totally non-chaotic and is perfect for the Indian roads.

The Hero Impulse gives a mileage of around 40-55 kmpl, which is not all that bad but might worry buyers with rising fuel prices.

Colors and price
The Hero Impulse is available in the following hues: blue metallic, black, vibrant orange, sports red and leaf green metallic. I appreciate the pricing strategy of the Hero Impulse, which has been kept Impulse priced under 70k (Rs. 66,800 ex-showroom Delhi) to ward off any fears of purse string by an average Indian bike buying prospects.

Final verdict
It looks as if Impulse is made for the Indian roads, be it a ride to the office or a casual ride during weekends, I rode to and fro the Nandi Hills from Bangalore City and it was a smoothie affair I wont forget that soon, The bike cruises off smoothly even over bad strips of road without hurting back of the rider. And talking about the off road qualities of the Impulse, I will tell you it sure gives you all the adrenalin rush for those who haven't at lease rode the big boys, and I must say it is a go-anywhere bike or as Hero calls it 'Transroader has finally arrived for the delight of many Indian riders.' The Hero Impulse is here to stay, as it features qualities that not only suit the urban riders but also the rural rider will love this bike. To top the qualities is its pricing, which makes it a great investment for a fully loaded two wheeler....All in all, Hero Impulse will make a great name for the Hero Motocorp with decent WOW factor! Way to go Hero!!

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Last updated on 09-05-2012. Published on 13-02-2012.
Published by Bikes4Sale in category Reviews
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