MILAN: India's largest two-wheeler maker Hero MotoCorp today unveiled concept of an off-road bike Xpulse, which it plans to launch next year.
An adventure bike, the Xpulse concept provides a glimpse into Hero's plans to expand further into higher engine capacity segments.
"We are constantly developing concepts for the future – keeping in mind global trends and customer aspirations," Pawan Munjal, Chairman, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Hero MotoCorp told reporters here.
The XPulse gives a directional guidance on the path that Hero is going to ride on in the future, he added.
According to company sources, Hero MotoCorp has definite plans to launch the product next year.
"We created this segment in India a few years ago and we feel it is about time that we start conceptualising some new thoughts and ideas in this space," Munjal said.
Keeping with the rising global stature of brand Hero, the company is creating such concepts not just with the Indian users in mind, but also with a focus on the evolved global markets, he added.
The company earlier used to sell an off-road model Impulse. It has, however, stopped production of the bike.
Munjal said Hero MotoCorp is also committed on motorsports and would continue to invest in it.
"As part of our long-term commitments for promotion of motorsports in India and also ourselves going globally into motorsports we will we making further investments of building the culture of motorsports in India and beyond," he said The company's motorsport division, Hero MotoSports Team Rally, also presented its plan for the upcoming Dakar Rally 2018, including its new motorcycle, which the pilots will ride at the rally.
"The team is now ready for Dakar 2018. We are also taking our learning and experience from motor sports to develop new concepts and products for our customers," he said.
The Hero MotoSports Team Rally had a successful debut season on the rally racing circuit last season, with a 100 per cent finish rate in all the rallies that it participated in.