Hero Impulse Test Ride

Hero Impulse

 The Hero Impulse is the first offering by the leading motorcycle manufacturing house Hero MotoCorp (previously Hero Honda) since they decided to part ways with Honda Motors and Scooters. While skeptics are still busy questioning the ability of Hero MotoCorp R&D facility to face the changing Indian 2-Wheeler market, we have in our nearby showrooms, the Impulse.

At home in dirt

The Impulse is a different product, unlike anything the Indian market has seen till now. It is a dual-purpose bike, take it for a ride through the streets or just drift away from the tarmac to play in the rugged earth, it is at home both ways!

courtesy: Bike India

Talking about the engine first, it's a 150cc, 4-stroke single cylinder, air-cooled OHC powerplant performing it's duties on the CBZ, Hunk and Achiever for Hero and the Unicorn for Honda. A change in compression ratio and cylinder head though have changed the character of it. The mill now makes a little less power (13.2 bhp) but more torque (13.4Nm) to overcome the kind of terrain it has been built to tackle. High torque also means quick over-taking in the streets. Oodles to torque meant that we had fun kicking dirt and jumping over uneven terrain.

courtesy: Bike India

The rugged tires perform quite well in dirt and stick to the surface, giving you enough confidence to throw it around! They feel at home on the streets too, but definitely take a miniature toll on the fuel consumption owing to their nature. The Hero guys must be thanked here for keeping this point in mind and equipping the bike with dual purpose tires of milder nature.
The rear brake is 110mm drum with an upward mounted arm, looks neat but we would like a disc brake assembly here more. The sprocket guard is a clever addition as well as the Utility box on the left side of the motorcycle. The rear shock is worth mentioning, a Nitrox charged Monoshock unit with 150mm travel, which soaks up bumps effortlessly on streets as well as keeps you stable off-roading.

courtesy: Bike India

Coming up front, the 19-inch wheel houses a 240mm disc, holding it in place are telescopic hydraulic suspension with large 180mm travel, enough for city riding and optimum for that off-road fun that you want to have! We would like to see a disc guard which seems practical and would prevent damage to the disc.





Coming to the ride and looks of the bike, IT IS TALL ! The bike boasts of  245mm ground clearance and 835mm saddle height, which puts it out of reach for certain riders who have a shorter stature, anyone standing below 5'5 would find it immensely difficult to reach the ground. The handling of the Impulse is precise and fun but shorter riders might find it difficult to maneuver in congested city traffic.

courtesy: Bike India

 The seat is quite wide to support the rear of both the rider and the pillion, coupled with optimally wide handlebars it provides enough comfort for those long rides and highway trips!

courtesy: Bike India

The exhaust pipe is a great looking piece, placed on the side of the seat (no need for pillions to worry as there is a shield to prevent any accidental burns!).

courtesy: Bike India

The beak in front is nice to look at and is instrumental in imparting that rugged character to the bike.


So overall the Hero Impulse is a great bike (or that would be an understatement), great for your trips around town (provide you are tall enough), when you want take the plunge (in the dirt, that is) or for that long road-trip you had planned. The bike is a go-getter, it goes everywhere you want to take it. It's a fun machine and you do start having fun as soon as you dump the clutch.
Anything that we would like to see soon on the bike. Sure !
1. A rear disc brake
2. A disc guard up front
3. Adjustable seat height
and most importantly
4. A variant with larger engine capacity to..........uh well, challenge the Dakar !!!!!!!!

Specification Of Hero Motocorp Impulse 150

Engine Type

Air Cooled, 4-Stroke Single Cylinder OHC

Displacement

149.2cc

Compression Ratio

9.1:1

Maximum Power

13.8 Bhp

Maximum Torque

13.6 Nm

Cylinder Bore

56.5 mm

Stoke

49.5 mm

Ignition

D.C-CDI

Starting

Kick Start / Self Start

Wheel Base

1360 MM

Tyre Size

19 inch(F) - 17 inch(R) mm

Wheel Type

Spokes

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