The new Royal Enfield Himalayan is exactly what the owners of the older model imagined it to be. Or at least how I had imagined it to be! The step-up has been immense! It is what you could call a giant leap! Both for Royal Enfield and the Himalayan. I spent a week with the new-generation Himalayan and what a week it turned out to be, with over 600 kilometres clocked, in and around Delhi NCR.
Also Read: All-New Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 Launched In India
Good roads, bad roads, no roads! The Himalayan cruises over everything
Now I had the motorcycle for a few days and one of the things that stood out was the way it felt and behaved off the road. The first thing that struck me was the how terrific the balance of the motorcycle is. The overall packaging of the engine and the low centre of gravity makes it really easy to ride, particularly off-road. Now, the bike weighs 196 kg, but all of it disappears on the move. And the seat height is 825 mm. The weight and the seat height of the motorcycle may sound intimidating but trust me, it isn’t. Riding the new Himalayan off-road, feels quite easy, and that’s because the way the bike behaves, it fills you with confidence.
The new Himalayan is easily one of the best off-road motorcycles in the sub 500 cc segment
With 200 mm of suspension travel at each end, the bike irons out all undulations and takes big rocks, bumps, potholes and everything else in its stride. The bike does not lose composure even over rough terrain and does it all in a calm fashion. With 230 mm of ground clearance, the bike is ready and equipped to take on any terrain that you throw it at!
The suspension on the ADV is heavy duty and can take quite a beating
Although, the grip from the Ceat tyres could have been a little better while riding off-road. A stronger pull from the engine right at the bottom end, could have been even more beneficial while going off-road, but by no means is it a deal-breaker.
Also Read: New Royal Enfield Himalayan vs Rivals: Specifications Comparison
The riding position and the seat is comfy for long rides
So, let’s talk about the ergonomics of the new Himalayan! Firstly, this is the standard seat height at 825 mm, very comfortable. You sit nice and comfy. The handlebar is quite wide and even if you want to stand up and ride, it feels very, very neutral and very comfortable.
If the new Himalayan shines off the road, it comes across as a pleasant surprise on the road as well. The new Sherpa 450 engine is a revelation!
The new Sherpa 450 engine is a revelation! Can't wait to see this engine on other motorcycles from Royal Enfield
Not only is it the most technologically advanced engine from Royal Enfield at the moment, but it is multi-faceted too. It can chug along easily at 70-80 kmph and should you feel the need, you can wring the throttle and keep going above 100-110 kmph all day long. The engine is tractable and you can sit at 40 kmph in 4th gear and accelerate up to triple digit speeds in the same gear as well.
Also Read: New Royal Enfield Himalayan First Ride Review
The motorcycle does feel lazy, right at the bottom end, but the moment, the revs climb up to 3,500 rpm and above, there is a delicious spread of torque offered right across.
The motor feels very different from anything RE has made over the years
If you want to make a quick overtaking manoeuvre, you will have to shift down but then that is the nature of the engine. It is quite different from any engine that Royal Enfield has been making over the years! And yes, once you get used to the engine, it is nice, it is fun, and this motorcycle is perhaps the most entertaining motorcycle that RE has made in the last few years.
The new Himalayan sounds quite nice too
The intake howl from the airbox feels quite nice to the ears and as and when you accelerate and switch between the gears, you realise that this is easily one of the best gearboxes from RE. Unbelievably smooth shifts and the clutch action is quite light too. And the throttle response, particularly above 4,000 rpm is very likeable indeed.
Vibrations are present but won't be much of a bother
You will feel vibrations at different points in the rev range more so towards the top-end but never do you feel tired of it or feel as if it is a deal-breaker. And yes! If you are riding the motorcycle in bumper to bumper traffic, it will heat up, just enough for you to take notice, and that too from the right side of the engine because that’s where the exhaust port is.
Also Read: All-New Royal Enfield Himalayan vs Rivals: Price Comparison
Despite the 21-inch wheel up front, the Himalayan feels far from being top heavy. But it does take a bit of persuasion to change directions quickly and that’s because of the wide handlebar. But once you begin to get a sense of the feel from the handlebar, you realise that the Himalayan is up for being hustled around a set of corners.
Yes! The new Himalayan can not only corner but will do so happily too
On the road, the Ceat tyres feel quite grippy and thanks to the tall stance of the motorcycle, there is enough cornering clearance. Despite the long wheelbase and overall length, the new tubular twin-spar frame has little flex and gives you to confidence to push harder.
Grip from Ceat tyres is good on the road, not so good off it
The suspension on the road is supremely capable, ironing out all the undulations in a rather effective manner. There is no drama involved at all and if you don’t feel like it, you don’t even have to slow down for speed-breakers, big potholes or any other irregularities.
The brakes on the motorcycle are not only strong but offer solid feel too
The other pleasant surprise are the brakes! The new Himalayan gets a 320 mm disc up front and a 270 mm disc at the rear and coupled with sintered pads, the brakes not only have a strong bite but good progression too.
Now, I admit when I first saw the new Himalayan in photos, I wasn’t too impressed with the way it looked. But in flesh, it feels altogether different and rather big.
Definite big bike presence on the new Himalayan. It looks and feels substantial
It is not the most handsome looking bike, but it has that big bike presence on the road and the ‘Slate Poppy Blue’ colour scheme on our test bike is perhaps one of my favourites. The old Himalayan had a bare-bones, industrial look to it. But the new Himalayan is tall, lean and mean. I really like the way it looks. And while I think the saree guard is still an abomination on motorcycles, on the Himalayan it looks a little better integrated and doesn’t stick out like a sore thumb.
The taillight is integrated into the LED indicator lights. It looks cool, especially in the dark
The one interesting detail you may or may not have noticed about the Himalayan is the fact that it doesn’t get a conventional taillight. It is integrated into these LED indicator lights. Yes, a rather quirky and a cool design feature and in the dark, it makes for a very unique lighting signature.
Mirrors on the new Himalayan aren't very friendly when it comes to adjusting them
Fit & finish on the bike is easily one of the best on a Royal Enfield motorcycle and the bike feels solidly put together! Quality of materials used is quite good too. But we do have a grouse with the mirrors. They aren’t as adjustable as we would have liked them to be.
The map-mirroring function on the bike is a fantastic feature, even if it drains out the battery on your mobile phone at twice the pace
In terms of features, the highlight has to be the 4-inch circular TFT console, which can be paired up with your smartphone to mirror Google Maps on the unit itself. You can change and play music tracks too. There’s a charging port right on the handlebar itself. It is useful because pairing the phone does drain the battery quickly.
The metal bars at either side of the fuel tank is a nod to the older model
Royal Enfield also offers ride-by-wire and two riding modes – power and eco. The eco mode reduces the power delivery in the first four gears. ABS on the rear wheel can be switched off as well and this is particularly useful while going off-road.
Prices are competitive, compared to its rivals
Prices of the all-new Himalayan ranges from Rs. 2.69 lakh to Rs. 2.84 lakh (ex-showroom), depending on the colour you buy. The slate poppy blue colour that you see here is priced at Rs. 2.74 lakh. In terms of rivals, it goes up against the Triumph Scrambler 400 X, KTM 390 Adventure and the BMW G 310 GS.
I quite liked the ‘Slate Poppy Blue’ colour on the test bike that I had
During our week-long test cycle, the Himalayan returned an efficiency of about 27 kmpl, which is very close to the claimed 28.15 kmpl figure. With a tank capacity of 17 litres, the new Himalayan will have a range of about 420-450 kilometres.
Fun, frolic and adventure is easily found on the new Himalayan! One of the best bikes you can buy at less than Rs. 3 lakh
It is easy to recommend the new Himalayan. It is a versatile motorcycle, more so than I had imagined. It feels quite easy to ride and the experience makes you want to ride it even more. Near impeccable performance on and off the road, a tonne of features, competitive pricing and feels solidly put together too. So, the question is, is it all the motorcycle you will ever need? It could very well be! With the exception of being a track bike, it does everything else in a very enjoyable fashion.
Photography: Arvind Salhan
Off-road Track Courtesy: Yansh Off-Road, Baliawas
