:Hero’s XPulse 421 spotted testing: Upcoming RE Himalayan 450 rival! |

Hero MotoCorp’s upcoming flagship adventure motorcycle has once again been spotted testing, this time in Ladakh. The heavily camouflaged prototype, widely expected to be called Xpulse 421, appears to be in advanced stages of development as the company continues to evaluate it in high-altitude conditions ahead of its global debut. Once launched, the motorcycle is expected to take on rivals like the Royal Enfield Himalayan 450.The latest spy images reveal several design cues despite the camouflage. At the front, the motorcycle has a rally-inspired stance with a tall windscreen and a vertically stacked LED headlamp housed within a sharply styled fairing. While the front looks muscular and substantial, the rear is comparatively slim. The XPulse 421 is expected to feature a rear monoshock with upside-down front forks for long distance travel. Hero is likely to offer adjustable suspension with compression and rebound adjustment at the front and preload adjustment at the rear. The test mule also sees a 21-inch front wheel and an 18-inch rear wheel wrapped in dual-purpose tyres. Braking duties are expected to be handled by disc brakes at both ends and dual-channel ABS.Powering the new adventure bike will be an all-new 421cc, liquid-cooled, single-cylinder engine. Although Hero MotoCorp has not revealed official specifications yet, the motor is expected to produce around 40 hp and will be mated to a six-speed gearbox. The test motorcycle also flaunts a fully digital TFT instrument cluster. Although Hero MotoCorp has not officially announced the launch timeline, repeated sightings of the motorcycle in real-world testing suggest that development is making steady progress. We can expect a global unveil later this year.