[Gordon]

Had gone to the showroom yesterday to check out the matt blue Thunderbird 500 and the Himalayan. From a distance, both bikes were equally impressive. But when you come close, the fit and finish of the Thunderbird far exceeds the Himalayan. You don't see any rough edges on the Thunderbird at all. But the Himalayan was littered with it.

[blacknebula]

Originally Posted by Rajiv0909

Inconsistent at the least, the one I had seen at the showroom had cleaner welds than mine

Attachment 1507997Attachment 1508001Attachment 1508004

PS: Using a mobile phone to upload pictures, formatting standards may not meet forum standards. I apologize in advance

Thanks for sharing the pics Rajiv. The quality definitely needs improvement. I will be picking my bike soon. Hope ill see some clean welds there.

[TuxDiesel]

Originally Posted by Rajiv0909

I got my bike in the second lot. No accessories yet, I saw the latest catalogue at their accessories store yesterday and the only additions I noticed were engine guards (for all other bikes but H) and women specific gear

We went to a few bike accessories shop and checked what saddle bags might fit.

Tried the following :

1. Rhynox Nomad 2.1 .- We were hoping that this would be a perfect fit. But the bags were going over the rear turn indicators. And it was just about an inch above the exhaust.
2. Longranger and Longranger pro - Same problem. They were hovering just about an inch above the exhaust.
3. Viaterra Rapide - Sufficient clearance from the exhaust. But the 'V' shaped grab rail was making the bag go out of shape. And it didn't look stable enough.

One solution to this might be to remove the "V' shaped grab rail and mount a custom straight grab rail.

Has anybody tried any saddle bags ? Any suggestions ? One requirement is that we cannot compromise on the pillion seating.

[Rajiv0909]

Originally Posted by blacknebula

Thanks for sharing the pics Rajiv. The quality definitely needs improvement. I will be picking my bike soon. Hope ill see some clean welds there.

All the best Blacknebula !!

I was observing a KTM RC recently and noticed similar welding defects on the frame, it's just that the orange paint does a better job at covering them

In any case, from where I see it, these are minor defects.

Originally Posted by TuxDiesel

Has anybody tried any saddle bags ? Any suggestions ? One requirement is that we cannot compromise on the pillion seating.

I did try a pair from viaterra ( don't recall the name) that was designed for upswept silencers but the base was touching the silencer.

I think the solution to this problem lies in installing the pannier frame ( as and when it becomes available from RE) . If you are in a hurry, you could get something similar fabricated. In either case the pillion comfort will not get compromised

[Jude300]

It might sound funny but I ve started preparing myself for my Himalayan which is yet to arrive. I wear good leather shoes to office and hence was concerned over the sports type gear lever that could potentially spoil my shoes when I ride to office.
Found this in eBay and even amazon and ordered one. Not sure if it helps but have got it so that I can have them on my bike from day 1.

https://m.ebay.in/itm/182112161874?u...D0&_mwBanner=1

I preferred this over the other type of shoe protector which can be worn over the shoe since this is fixed to the gear lever all the time while the other one has to be carried along and worn each time you ride which is a pain.

[rahulkodinya]

I called SAI RAM Autocraft, Mahadevpura today and they confirmed that bike is available in stockyard. I made the remaining payment and now waiting for delivery, should happen early next week. They didn't accept to show the vehicle in stockyard. I asked them at-least not to proceed with paper work without my confirmation and looks fine with that.

I want to make sure that bike has no major issue and belongs to the second batch of motorcycles where welds are relatively better.

Guys, please share the manufacturing dates of your bikes if belongs to second batch.

And how to make sure that the guy who rides it from the stockyard to dealer;s place, is riding it properly and following the run-in guidelines.

[Rajiv0909]

Originally Posted by rahulkodinya

Guys, please share the manufacturing dates of your bikes if belongs to .

I guess mine was assembled on 19-04

[dkaile]

W H A T A B I K E ! ! ! !

Detailed observations follows!

Cheers...

[dkaile]

So what exactly is this Himalayan? Why so much ho hallah and pandemonium? Why is each and every reviewer raving about this bike? What's so special?



Well we did an extensive road test of more than 30kms on various terrains to find out the answer. Now coming from riding superbikes very frequently and owning a heavy Harley Softail myself, both me and my fellow HOG who also owns a Suzuki Bandit 1200 besides a Steet Bob, had quite low expectations from this new offering from Royal Enfield. It was not a conventional Bullet by any fumes of fancy. It was nothing like what RE had ever built. First look of the bike in the flesh and I realised why Sid Lal had that wry smile in all the interviews and wanted us to test ride the bike before making a judgement.

First impression was that it was 'big' for a Made in India RE bike. Nothing like this has been done before conventionally here. Hell, my Karizma looked puny standing alongside!



It was towering over it!



First thing to check was the much ridiculed weld joints. I found them to be quite satisfactory on this 2nd lot machines that had just reached the dealership yesterday.



The Instrument Cluster had lots of details and some people ridiculed it for this, but why not? I liked it



The fit and finish was excellent and that is coming from someone used to riding the costlier stuff. The chrome levers were at par if not better than my Harley and the handlebar grips were 'better' than the stock grips we get on our Harley. And that is saying something!



The test ride starts and the first thing we notice is how 'easy' it is to stand on two pegs on this bike!



I hadn't had this much fun on an 'Indian' bike since my first RX 100 in the first year of college way back in 1987!



The saddle was so comfortable, the ergonomics were perfect and I took to this bike as a fish to water. Harley should learn from RE what a comfortable seat cushion is supposed to be compared to what it gives stock on it's Sportsters. My smile says it all!



The other bike we took along was the Thunderbird 500 and I must say this quite bluntly that the TB500 looked and rode like a bike which was 2 generations behind this one. It was shaking, skidding and rattling at a paltry speed of 120kmph whereas the Himalayan was rock steady with juice left for more.



I was so disappointed with the TB500 in comparison that I cross checked whether I had been handed down a 350 instead of a 500. 500 it indeed was, and a relatively new one at that!



Some more profiles...

The excellent engine guard



The single horn needs a upgrade. The centre stand came as standard.



Tank finish is exquisite



Yeah, the headlight does not turn with the handlebar



The beefy rear tyre of 120 spec handles corners brilliantly.



The TRIP does indeed start here!



We took 10 minutes to come out of the shock after the test ride wherein we tested it in all kinds of potholed roads and no roads at all and reached the conclusion that this indeed was the perfect tourer for India, as Sid Lal had been claiming. After having ridden the Versys and the Tiger, I really wanted to compare what was really missing in this 1.6 Lac rupees offering and I was left scratching my head for the brilliant package that RE had built for touring and the Himalayas in particular. The power was sufficient for Indian roads, the heat and engine noise was peanuts after the Harleys, the fit and finish was excellent for the price, the suspension was exactly what we need for our urban jungle. This can spell a death knell for the 13L Tigers and the 8L Versys, yeah, it's that good for me!

A brilliant overall package



We booked 2 bikes. Await further details for that.

Cheers...

[barcalad]

Originally Posted by dkaile

So what exactly is this Himalayan? Why so much ho hallah and pandemonium? Why is each and every reviewer raving about this bike? What's so special?

Well written and some nice photographs, there!

I do agree that on this recent batch, the welds and overall fit and finish of the bike seem to have become of a better quality. Looking forward to take one on a spin soon.

Congratulations on your booking. Like your other threads, I believe this one too would deserve a impeccable ownership thread of it's own.

Now, just need to find a weekend to sneak into Meerut.

[howler]

@dkaile : thanks for this perspective from someone who is used to riding fancier wheels , it really does rationalise a lot of gripes people have about the littler things about the Himalayan and miss the big picture. This truly is a value for money offering given its capabilities . Nice review !

[ku69rd]

Originally Posted by dkaile

So what exactly is this Himalayan? Why so much ho hallah and pandemonium? Why is each and every reviewer raving about this bike? What's so special?

Dheeraji Saab,
To be honest with you, am not surprised with your writings. You have depicted how exactly I felt when I did the test ride. It's a fantastic machine and yes this will surely take you where your Harley's will not be able to take you with so much of ease and aplomb.

Enjoy your ride and as usual, I think its time for me to close my ownership thread once you write your own.

Very good photos as usual.
All the very best and a welcome to the RE Family.

[navin_v8]

Originally Posted by dkaile

So what exactly is this Himalayan? What's so special?

First of all congrats on booking the Himalayan and secondly that is some brilliant test ride report coming from you mate. I concur with you on the build quality, fit, finish and cycle parts used on the Himalayan. As a Tbird500 owner I feel the Himalayan is miles ahead than the Tbird in terms of ergonomics and engine response. Also since it is lighter than the Tbird it feels surprisingly flickable for such a tall and relatively heavier bike. I take your words about the quality and riding ergonomics as compared to a Harley Davidson. RE has truly taken a leap of sorts with this model. I was truly amazed by what 1.70 lakhs can buy in the form of Himalayan.

The best part of this motorcycle is the VFM proposition, it is very hard to beat. One can throw around this motorcycle without the fear of breaking expensive cycle parts as compared to other super expensive ADV Tourers. Apart from Sid Lal I would also acknowledge CS Santosh in giving his valuable inputs while developing the Himalayan. This motorcycle has the potential to change the preconceived notions that people have about RE motorcycles in general. Awaiting your detailed review.

[Gordon]

Originally Posted by dkaile

So what exactly is this Himalayan? Why so much ho hallah and pandemonium? Why is each and every reviewer raving about this bike? What's so special?

We took 10 minutes to come out of the shock after the test ride wherein we tested it in all kinds of potholed roads and no roads at all and reached the conclusion that this indeed was the perfect tourer for India, as Sid Lal had been claiming. After having ridden the Versys and the Tiger, I really wanted to compare what was really missing in this 1.6 Lac rupees offering and I was left scratching my head for the brilliant package that RE had built for touring and the Himalayas in particular. The power was sufficient for Indian roads, the heat and engine noise was peanuts after the Harleys, the fit and finish was excellent for the price, the suspension was exactly what we need for our urban jungle. This can spell a death knell for the 13L Tigers and the 8L Versys, yeah, it's that good for me!

A brilliant overall package

Your review is good enough for me. Thanks a ton. Reflected much of my thoughts, and is giving me enough conviction. Just a little more, and I'll be in the showroom not caring about my finances

[AMG_ang]

Picked up my Himalayan on Friday and did a quick ride to Yelagiri on Sat and back on Sunday!
Having ridden D390 in the past, this machine feels like riding the SUV of the bikes
All is well until now except that im hearing some tappet sound. Hopefully it goes after 1st servicing.