Hero Xpulse 210 or Suzuki V-Strom SX: Which is the better buy under Rs 2.60 lakh?

I am looking for a new bike for myself. I usually travel on highways and occasionally go off-roading and I also want a bike that's suitable for city riding. Between the Hero Xpulse 210 and Suzuki V-Strom SX, which would you recommend? My budget is Rs 2.60 lakh. 

Farooq Nizami, via social media

Autocar India says: Both options you have shortlisted are good city bikes with reasonable highway manners. The one area where the Suzuki V-Strom SX and the Hero Xpulse 210 are quite far apart in terms of capability is in their off-road manners. The V-Strom SX is a dressed-up street bike using the same suspension units as the Gixxer 250 models whereas the Xpulse 210 is a proper dualsport with genuine off-road capabilities.

If you have serious off-road ambitions, then we’d recommend going for the Xpulse 210 but if you’re mainly going to use your bike on the road, then the V-Strom SX is the more versatile option. Do bear in mind that at Rs 2.16 lakh, the Suzuki is a good deal more expensive than the Hero (Rs 1.76 lakh - Rs 1.86 lakh) so if you want to come comfortably under your budget, the Xpulse is the way to go. 

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