The Royal Enfield Himalayan has been a synonym for adventure and reliability among motorcycle enthusiasts. With the launch of the Himalayan 450, Royal Enfield has taken a significant leap forward, offering a machine that not only promises the ruggedness of its predecessor but also introduces a suite of modern features and improvements.
Design and Build
The Himalayan 450 retains the classic adventure styling with a more contemporary touch. It’s a well-rounded package that delivers on most wishlist items from prospective customers¹[1]. The motorcycle boasts big-bike dimensions and a substantial stance, making it comparable to 500-650 cc adventure bikes. The design is functional yet aesthetically pleasing, with a more muscular fuel tank and sharper lines that contribute to its modern look.
Performance
At the heart of the Himalayan 450 is a 39.5 BHP engine that offers new-found expressway cruising abilities. The performance is deceptively fast in the midrange, and the 6-speed gearbox with slip and assist clutch helps maintain this performance throughout the day¹[1]. The bike is best experienced between 3,000 to 7,000 rpm, where it truly comes alive.
Technology
One of the standout features of the Himalayan 450 is its circular TFT instrument cluster with connectivity and Google Maps navigation, which is considered segment-best even two segments above¹[1]. This modern digital instrumentation simplifies navigation and eliminates the need for a phone mount, making for a cleaner and more integrated experience.
Comfort and Handling
The Himalayan 450’s Showa suspension system is well-tuned to dismiss bad roads and potholes with ease, providing excellent ride quality at speeds¹[1]. The longer wheelbase offers excellent highway stability, and the handling is neutral. The tyres feel adequate for the performance on offer, ensuring confidence on both tarmac and trails.
Off-Road Capabilities
With a 21” front wheel, 224 mm ground clearance, and 200 mm suspension travel at both ends, the Himalayan 450 is a very capable machine off-road¹[1]. These features allow it to tackle a variety of terrains, making it a true adventure bike that can go wherever your heart desires.
Pricing and Value
The Himalayan 450 is priced competitively, undercutting most rivals while justifying the price jump over the earlier generation. Royal Enfield has also launched a comprehensive accessory and merchandise catalogue, enhancing the overall value proposition¹[1].
Conclusion
The Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 is a testament to the brand’s commitment to innovation and customer satisfaction. It’s a motorcycle that has grabbed the nation’s attention and is likely to become the go-to choice for adventurers seeking a reliable, capable, and enjoyable ride.
Whether you’re cruising on highways or exploring off-road trails, the Himalayan 450 is equipped to take you on your next adventure with confidence and style.
I hope this blog post captures the essence of the Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 and provides a comprehensive overview for enthusiasts and potential buyers alike. If you have any specific aspects you’d like to delve into further, feel free to let me know!
Looks, Build Quality and Other related items
To be frank, looks is something I don’t consider when buying an automobile. (With no offence to any previous or existing owners, I was willing to buy Creta and ended up purchasing Scorpio N with that Van inspired rear door) What is more important to me is that the motorcycle should fit my needs. That being said, it wouldn’t hurt to have a nice looking vehicle. Himalayan 450 looks nice to me.
Size – On first look and subsequent looks it did not look substantially big. Every review that I saw, said the bike looks big and can compete against some of the 650 cc adventure motorcycles in size. For some reason I did not feel so, that is until, I parked it next to a OG Himalayan during the first service. It did look substantial then. May be it was my brain playing the tricks.
Looks – Adventure motorcycles, by its nature is not going to win any beauty contests. It is purpose built and Himalayan is more so. However in black it looks good, highlighted even more by that golden rims. To me, inner beauty is more important and we will get there soon.
Build Quality – My benchmark for build quality within Royal Enfield stable is Super Meteor 650. Himalayan 450 is definitely not up to SM 650 level, but it is really close. Except for few open welding joints, I did not observe any uneven gaps, loose parts or ugly finishes. The motorcycle feels really tight when riding in any road conditions. Switch gears felt ok and wires could have been managed better. But all this is relative to SM650. When compared to BS6 Himalayan it is miles a head. Comparing outside RE stable in similar price range, ADV 390 felt better than Himalayan 450 in all aspects.
Height & Weight – Himalayan 450 is tall, but not as tall as KTM ADV 390. I am surprised how few cms of height and seat/tank width can completely change our perception of height (I am referring to ADV 390 here). For my height, which for reference is 180 cm, it felt comfortable. Coming from OG Himalayan, weight is really not an issue for me, it felt comfortable to push the motorcycle out of parking, put it in main stand and move it using the legs in bumper to bumper traffic. If in doubt, it will be better to do all this in person before you book one. But I am sure you will get used to any motorcycle in a span of few weeks irrespective of its height or weight.
Seating and Riding Comfort
This section was one of my top priority, but due to my stupidity, I did not spend enough time with the motorcycle before buying it. I am glad to report that most of it is positive with few scope for improvements.
Handlebar – Handle bar is wide and provides a relaxed riding position. The riding triangle is exactly between BS6 Himalayan, which was more relaxed and ADV 390, which was little aggressive for an adventure tourer. I felt slightly committed while riding Himalayan 450 irrespective of where I sit in that long seat, but after a 11 plus hour journey, I was fresh enough to walk around the steep resort. I prefer this riding triangle more than my BS6 Himalayan and do not need any handlebar risers. The only issue is the handlebar grip. It has a hard pattern and while riding without gloves in city it pains after sometime. Accessory-1 – A soft and slim handlebar grip is definitely required for me.
Rider Seat – The rider seat is very well engineered in-terms of shape, size and angle. It is the best seat in any motorcycle that I have ridden. It has lot of space to move around during long rides. I was able to comfortably do non-stop 120 minutes in four lane highway during my Kodaikanal ride. My previous best was around 100 minutes in BS6 Himalayan. That said, I was spoilt by the comfort of touring seat in my BS6 Himalayan and I would like to add it in Himalayan 450 as well. Accessory-2 – Touring seat for rider will be added, only if the shape, size and angle is similar to regular seats.
Pillion Seat – This is the most important factor in selecting any motorcycle for me. We had to let go of Tiger 660 only because of this issue. The pillion seat is still not extensively used, but I was told that is as comfortable as BS6 Himalayan. Accessory-3 – Touring seat for pillion will be added.
Luggage – This is another important factor for me. After a lot of research on safety/convenience we added RE metal panniers to our BS6 Himalayan, in-spite of safety concerns incase of a fall. The good news is RE metal panniers can be fitted straight away in Himalayan 450 (I was told), however it will need a new pannier rails of Himalayan 450. Accessory-4 – RE Pannier rails will be fitted. Though there is a provision for top box, I never felt comfortable riding with one. Will not be adding it.
Mirrors – I don’t know how RE did it, but the mirrors are not vibrating at all. I am surprised how a common expectation from a motorcycle can become an achievement for RE. However, the size of the mirrors are really small. When I move around from one position to another in that really long rider seat, mirrors become useless. During my Kodaikanal ride, I had to constantly adjust the angle of the mirrors while riding. Accessory-5 – A bigger mirrors. Not finalized on the brand yet, because RE’s touring mirror prices are insane. Need suggestions.
Wind blast – I faced more wind blast when compared to my BS6 Himalayan because of two reasons. A) I was going faster 2) Lack of a proper wind shield. The BS6 Himalayan windshield was not perfect for me either, it used to direct the wind towards the upper portion of my helmet. But considering the cruise speed of 80’s it didn’t bother me much. Accessory-6 – Need to try the taller windshield from RE and see if it becomes any better.
