Exclusive: Hero MotoCorp Readying New 300 cc Sports Bike

Hero MotoCorp is getting ready to launch its new full-faired sports bike which will come with a new 300 cc single-cylinder engine. carandbike has exclusive details of the new 300 cc sports bike, which will be launched towards the end of the year, or early next year. An advanced prototype of the new 300 cc sports bike has been spotted on test, along with another test mule of the upcoming Hero XPulse 400, which will get a new 421 cc engine. According to sources in the know, the new 300 cc sports bike is in an advanced stage of development and will be launched before the upcoming XPulse 400.

Also Read: Exclusive: Hero XPulse 400 To Get 421 cc Engine

The new 300 cc engine will make around 25 bhp with peak torque expected to be around 20 Nm. Once it goes on sale, the new 300 cc sports bike will rival the likes of the KTM RC 200 and the Suzuki Gixxer SF 250 and is expected to be priced at around or just under Rs. 2 lakh (Ex-showroom). The new 300 cc sports bike from Hero MotoCorp will sit just above the Hero Xtreme 200S, and once launched, it will be the flagship model from Hero MotoCorp.

Hero's upcoming 300 cc sports bike was spotted testing with the upcoming Hero XPulse 400.

The 250 cc segment has been seeing rapid growth over the past few years, clocking growth of an average of 50 per cent. And it’s the 250-350 cc segment which has been contributing the major share, between 40,000 - 45,000 units every month. It is this segment where Hero MotoCorp doesn’t have a product yet, and the new 300 cc platform will provide the scope for Hero’s product offensive.

So far though, there’s no clarity on what the new 300 cc Hero sports bike will be called. While it makes sense for Hero to extend the Xtreme family with a bigger, more performance-oriented model, the new bike may not be called the Xtreme, which is more identified as a premium commuter brand, with models like the Xtreme 160R and the Xtreme 200S. To give the new 300 cc sports bike a more premium identity, it’s highly likely that Hero MotoCorp will revive the popular Karizma name, possibly calling it the Hero Karizma 300, once it is launched. Based on the same 300 cc engine, Hero is expected to launch a naked street version as well. More details are expected in the coming months.

Image Source: Unboxing Oneself