[naturaldisaster]

Originally Posted by navin_v8

The fact that the Himalayan rider rode it for 90kms on the rear rim without tyre speaks a lot about his as well as the motorcycles endurance and build quality.

Agreed! Thats the first thing that came to my mind when i read this news. An RE bike ran for 90kms like that? must be a well built bike. This just shows that anything can be looked at either positively or negatively.

Originally Posted by navin_v8

Whoa Mate! That's a pretty lofty proposition for a motorcycle which hasn't even completed a year in the market. The marquees you've mentioned above have been participating in Rallye Dakar since its inception and by now have specialized in their respective categories. If the above was just a sarcastic statement by you then you can choose to ignore what I have typed above.

Considering that RE have created an engine that can actually handle a beating and that newer and more complex motors (like the 750) are in the works, this kind of proposition could very well become a reality. A breath of fresh air from RE.

[Darth Sid]

I've been seeing a lot of pictures on Instagram of the Himalayan being enjoyed in the US. RE North America has made two Himalayan's available for test rides and several people seem to have said that they like it. They seem to be Indian spec, though. Not sure. They have not removed the saree guards!

[Dust_Harl]

Originally Posted by navin_v8

The fact that the Himalayan rider rode it for 90kms on the rear rim without tyre speaks a lot about his as well as the motorcycles endurance and build quality.

Post just says he rode 90kms with a puncture and does not quote he rode only with the rim without tire. If that is the case then both the rider and the bike can apply for Guinness Book of world records for this endurance or at lease Limca Book of Records for riding without tire but just rim. Boy that will indeed be a super build and they can explore little more and develop bikes without tires.

Originally Posted by navin_v8

Also none of the marquees you've mentioned above offers their ADV Tourers in the sub 500cc capacity in India as of now. Once they start offering those is when the comparisons will make sense.

Not sure if you have scanned the market. It is indeed available. Only KLR 125 is CKD and rest all like KLR 250, 500 and other makes from Suzuki, Yamaha and KTM are available as CBU and many including CS Santosh use it. Visit his trails where he used to conduct training sessions near Hoskote in the outskirts of Bangalore and you can see them.

If you are from Bangalore then even Farid Yamaha motors do stock a few and you can see them and buy them if you intend to.

So bottom line ADV Sports bikes are available and if the company claims Himalayan to be a dual sport bike then it makes sense comparing them with that lot than road biased bikes.

[ArizonaJim]

Darth Sid

Yes.
RENA, Royal Enfield of North America, has two Himalayan's and they are both the standard Indian versions.

They are offering test rides to those who make an appointment before showing up.

These "test rides" are not the little short 4-6 km rides that riders in India are getting.
A member of Classic Motor Works (the official Royal Enfield web site in the USA), wrote that he took a 100 mile (161 km) guided tour when he rode one of the two Himalayan's RENA has.

https://forum.classicmotorworks.com/...77542.html#new

Because these are using a standard carburetor and they have not passed the various Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Transportation requirements, they cannot currently be sold in the US.

That said, there are a lot of people here who are very impressed with the motorcycle and are anxious to buy it.

I seriously doubt the version with a carburetor will be sold in the US but with the addition of computer controlled fuel injection and a catalytic silencer along with some features like a fully adjustable headlight I am sure it could pass the needed requirements.

The Himalayan seems to me to be just the right size.
It is large and powerful enough to be ridden on our slower interstate highways to interesting destinations but small enough to ride on our back-roads and in our off road areas without getting bogged down in the dirt, mud and sand.

It will be interesting to see if Royal Enfield deems it worthwhile to make the needed modifications to the motorcycle to meet our import requirements.

As for Europe, I've heard rumors the EU has dreamed up new requirements for vehicles in its member states and these may be so restrictive the Himalayan will never qualify for sale there.
With the United Kingdom backing out of the EU (and its stringent requirements) there is a possibility that sales in the UK (with the fuel injected model) may develop.

As for the exports causing problems with a supply in India keep some things in mind.

In order for Royal Enfield to become a world class company, it must sell its products overseas. This (among other things) will drive Royal Enfield to improve the quality of their motorcycles. We all will gain from that.

Over 92 percent of the motorcycles Royal Enfield produces are sold in India.
The 8% exported has very little effect on the waiting period the Indian people see.
With Royal Enfield's increase in production and talk of them building more production areas, I think the waiting period will become even shorter even with them adding the Himalayan to their product line.

Ride Safe.

[maker_of_things]

Originally Posted by Dust_Harl

Not sure if you have scanned the market. It is indeed available. Only KLR 125 is CKD and rest all like KLR 250, 500 and other makes from Suzuki, Yamaha and KTM are available as CBU and many including CS Santosh use it. Visit his trails where he used to conduct training sessions near Hoskote in the outskirts of Bangalore and you can see them.

So bottom line ADV Sports bikes are available and if the company claims Himalayan to be a dual sport bike then it makes sense comparing them with that lot than road biased bikes.

Correct if I'm wrong but I think it's KLX and not KLR. KLR is the ADV tourer (650cc) and while KLX is Dual Sport series.

In any case, none of these are ADV tourers which is what navin_v8 was referring to in his post.

Sure you can compare them but it doesn't make sense to compare a mild offroading machine to a proper lightweight off-road oriented bike.

[navin_v8]

Originally Posted by Dust_Harl

Post just says he rode 90kms with a puncture and does not quote he rode only with the rim without tire. If that is the case then both the rider and the bike can apply for Guinness Book of world records for this endurance or at lease Limca Book of Records for riding without tire but just rim.

Mate IF ever you've had a puncture you will know that the entire weight is on the rim and not the tyre. Once the thin gap between the tyre and the rim in the form of air escapes the entire weight is transferred from the air to the rim. I am a minnow in comparison to these rally riders who test the word "Endurance" to the limit. Even if the rider rode with a punctured tyre for 90 kms it speaks volumes about the rider as well as motorcycles' endurance. See the different terrains the Himalayan in question is subjected to with that flat rear tyre while running on just rim, there's dirt road as well as tarmac. I think you missed the post mentioned by ku69rd where he mentions about motor racing legend couple Jagat and Anita Nanjappa. This couple rode for roughly 70kms on a flat tyre on their motorcycle during a rally event. As far as Limca and Guinness book of world records goes nowadays anything and any one and their grandmother creates some kind of Guinness Record. Also not every rider is there to create Guinness records while riding they instead participate to win/complete the rally.

Boy that will indeed be a super build and they can explore little more and develop bikes without tires.

No comments.

Not sure if you have scanned the market. It is indeed available. Only KLR 125 is CKD and rest all like KLR 250, 500 and other makes from Suzuki, Yamaha and KTM are available as CBU and many including CS Santosh use it.

Mate I am not sure if you know the difference between ADV Tourer and Dual Sport Dirt Bikes as rightly mentioned by maker of things. The KLR 250 is long dead and has been replaced with KLX250S which is a dual sport dirt bike having a 7 litre fuel tank. Now don't tell me you can tour on a bike with a 7 litre fuel tank and knobbie tyres. Also other brand names that you've mentioned offer their dual sport dirt bikes in India and none of them are ADV Tourers. I am well aware of these bikes available as CBU and there are dime a dozen showrooms in Bombay which offers these. If one considers the CBU market then the options are endless, I was talking about ADV Tourer in sub 500cc class which can be bought off the shelf in India. Nada, Nope, No bike in that category as of now.

Visit his trails where he used to conduct training sessions near Hoskote in the outskirts of Bangalore and you can see them.

Who needs to visit when one can see it in detail online. He used the same trails for torture testing Himalayan as well. I repeat the bikes you've mentioned and the one he uses on his trails are NOT ADV Tourers they are dual sport dirt bikes which are primarily built for a specific purpose.

If you are from Bangalore then even Farid Yamaha motors do stock a few and you can see them and buy them if you intend to.

I am well aware of these bikes available as CBU and there are dime a dozen showrooms in Bombay which offers these and even more.

So bottom line ADV Sports bikes are available and if the company claims
Himalayan to be a dual sport bike then it makes sense comparing them with that lot than road biased bikes.

Mate bottom line is Himalayan is an ADV Tourer the keyword here is "Tourer" with Adventure thrown in. It is marketed as an ADV Tourer and here's the reference in Sid Lal's own words as well as the Media proclaiming Himalayan as an ADV Tourer. Kindly do not mix up different class and different models.
http://royalenfield.com/motorcycles/...yan/sid-speak/
http://www.thehindu.com/business/Ind...cle8360799.ece

[rohing]

Hi - There seem to be 2 settings for the front windshield. The default one is directing air to my face (I am 6.1 ft). Would anyone know how if the other setting (which pushes the shield away) would be better?

The bike in general has smoothen out quite well as I approach the 500Km, 1st service mark. Hopefully it will be better after the service. Some random observations from a daily user:

- Riding in traffic is great

- It is a beast to push when switched off (not comparable to splendor et al, which you can push to a petrol bunk you better have it tanked up)

- Pickup and low end torque is just OK (again this is relative to one's expectations)

- I am hoping it will smoothen out more after the 1st service. I am taking it next weekend on a 600km daytrip to Sakleshpur/ Chikmaglur. Will know more about highway manners and bad roads then.

- Very comfortable to sit and ride even in peak hour traffic. No backpains driving daily 30 kms on pothole/speedbreaker filled Bangalore roads

- Horn and headlight are effective and do their job well

- Mileage in city (high density traffic) is around 25. Meets expectations.

[ku69rd]

Originally Posted by rohing

Would anyone know how if the other setting (which pushes the shield away) would be better?

I can claim to be 6 with shoes on and yes I have cranked up the windshield to its top position and find the wind blast manageable. Earlier it was just on the forehead and a simple 400 km ride day would be very tiring.

But now, its very comfortable.

[Darth Sid]

Originally Posted by ArizonaJim

they are both the standard Indian versions.

These "test rides" are not the little short 4-6 km rides that riders in India are getting.
A member of Classic Motor Works (the official Royal Enfield web site in the USA), wrote that he took a 100 mile (161 km) guided tour when he rode one of the two Himalayan's RENA has.

https://forum.classicmotorworks.com/...77542.html#new

That said, there are a lot of people here who are very impressed with the motorcycle and are anxious to buy it.

I seriously doubt the version with a carburetor will be sold in the US but with the addition of computer controlled fuel injection and a catalytic silencer along with some features like a fully adjustable headlight I am sure it could pass the needed requirements.

So they are the Indian spec Himalayans. I couldn't see the carb in any of the pictures but the saree guard raised my suspicion. Since a lot of people there get curious about the neutral finder I am quite certain people would ask about the saree guard too. Wouldn't they be surprised to learn that the part is mandatory for a bike to pass registration?

I went through the whole thread you linked here. I didn't realise that the forum is no longer "enfieldmotorcycles.com". Fortunately, my user ID still exists there. It has been a very long time since I last logged in there. Anyway, the reports there seem to be very consistent with all the reviews I have read of the bike as well as my own observations on a short (yes, 4-6 km) test ride. This is the first time that all reviews sing the same tune about any motorcycle and I am singing it too!

Because of the carb the Himalayan was initially prohibited from registration in Delhi. After some clarification RE were able to but they have to make the bike meet emission norms by April next year. So that means fuel injection is inevitable. Even ABS.

Personally, I want to go back to old school mechanicals and save myself the trouble of dealing with sophisticated electronic and electromechanical components which is my main reason for considering the Himalayan. If I decide to buy it, I will have to do so before they put fuel injection and ABS on it. Don't want to worry about the fuel pump failing or the injector getting clogged and leaving me stranded far away from RE support.

[nasirkaka]

Personally, I want to go back to old school mechanicals and save myself the trouble of dealing with sophisticated electronic and electromechanical components which is my main reason for considering the Himalayan. If I decide to buy it, I will have to do so before they put fuel injection and ABS on it. Don't want to worry about the fuel pump failing or the injector getting clogged and leaving me stranded far away from RE support.

Exactly my thoughts a few years back on old/simple tech vs complex modern electronics. One of the reason why i got rid of all the wiring harness including the injectors, fuel pump, ECU and converted my EFI classic 500 into a Carbed version for peace of mind. But that perception is slowly changing based on last 2-3 years of riding the Duke 390. Have done about 35K kms and (touchwood), no major issues/breakdowns with electronics. Infact tech like ABS has been a boon from safety point. Am guessing these makers spend a lot of time & effort in refining the technology in trying to make it fail safe. With time, the failure rates will only reduce. If not, we would all be very scared of flying as airplanes are highly dependent on tech but ofcourse at a much advanced level. For Himalaya to survive the ever increasing stringent emission norms and for export market, it will have to eventually embrace the modern tech, which i would actually welcome in my present state of mind.

[flotsam]

I've just come back from a 10-minute test ride of the Himalayan (and another ride on the pillion seat). And I concur with all the views already stated by other test riders on this thread.

The bike is easy to handle in all traffic conditions. I was riding with a pillion (the shop sales guy). My reason for this post is to reassure anyone who is 5 ft 6 inches in height (like I am) to have no fear. I could touch both my feet on the ground when I came to a stop.

And I also practised pushing the bike back and forth: it was a little heavy but not unmanageable. I also tried putting it back on its main stand on a road that sloped towards the gutter. This was also possible using a little brute force, and some technique which will probably be perfect after practice.

I did a test stop on a hill road going up just to see if I could comfortably hold the bike on an uphill. And yes, I could.

I had already booked the bike 2 months ago, but was given a test ride only today. And I am now sure that this is the bike for me. My previous bike was a 1991 Royal Enfield Bullet 350, with right-side gear lever. Incidentally, I had no trouble shifting: each shift was smooth, and neutral was easy to find on all occasions.

[rohing]

A quick update of 1st service, and 600km day trip. The good and the bad:

Decided to take the bike to Sakleshpur (it is beautiful in the monsoons) and also get much waited highway drive. My bike had done 355km only, but decided to get the 1st service done in prep for the trip.

Service : (Done at Teknik Motors Sarjapur Road)

- Nothing was replaced under recall. I was told nothing was applicable for me. I am highly doubtful and will email royal enfield directly

- CLUTCH CABLE - Insisted they replace my clutch cable (as suggested here) as gear shift was not pleasant. They REFUSED. They said RE has sent a circular that classic 350 cluth cable gauge is lesser and will cut over time and hence not to the swap. They adjusted the cable and said all will be well. And, after 600 kms 'All is not well'. Gear shift is very irritating to say the least.

- Oil was changed and that was pretty much what was done. The service station experience is crappy to say the least.

Trip:

The good:

- The bike came on its own in the highway. Crusing at 80-100 was a pleasure with some reserve power. Not too much though!

- Great posture, good braking and felt very planted. Not tired even after a straight 600km drive

- It was raining all the time and the bike never had an problems. It was just great to drive. Really really really happy to have bought it.

- I had 3 friends with me - one Electra 350, Thunderbird 350 and a Duke 390. Not to start a bike war here, but Himalayan was handsdown the most comfortable and best suited bike for this trip. The different roads, rainy conditions, cruising ability etc. was unmatched. PS: This is just my opinion so let it be just that - I am not trying to put down any bike

- Heating was not much of an issue (atleast relative to the KTM)

The not so good:

- Gear Shift (known problem)

- The bike suddenly blanked (lost power) at 120 kmph though it did not switch off. Not sure what that could be - carb issue? Little scary. Never went that far again.

- Headlights in the rain after 6pm left a lot of be desired. Need Aux lights for sure.

- Mileage was around 25. Would have been happier if it was up by another 5-10km given a lot of riding was done in 5th gear @ 90kmph on a 4-lane road.

- The position of the hazard light switch is just dumb. Cant get to it in a emergency braking situation

Overall, very happy.

- Need crash bars
- Aux lights + Bulb upgrade?
- GPS holder, 12V port
- Need to check why the bike blanked out
- Clutch cable
- Panniers / Tank mounted bag

All recommendations are welcome.

[ayon]

Originally Posted by rohing

- CLUTCH CABLE - Insisted they replace my clutch cable (as suggested here) as gear shift was not pleasant. They REFUSED. They said RE has sent a circular that classic 350 cluth cable gauge is lesser and will cut over time and hence not to the swap. They adjusted the cable and said all will be well. And, after 600 kms 'All is not well'. Gear shift is very irritating to say the least.

- Headlights in the rain after 6pm left a lot of be desired. Need Aux lights for sure.

My himalayan has done almost 2600km. The gear shift was extremely hard initially. At the first service got it adjusted. That made a world of difference. Then from the environment learnt about the cl350 clutch cable replacement. Got it done and believe it or not the gearshift problem was back. Got the clutch adjusted again when the rocker arm was replaced. Thus the conclusion is that its the adjustment which is the main aspect.


Spot on observation regarding the lighting . Got cree 18 watt leds. The lighting has improved beyond words. The look of the bike has also improved. They act like amazing DRLs

[dkaile]

Originally Posted by rohing

- Gear Shift (known problem)

- The bike suddenly blanked (lost power) at 120 kmph though it did not switch off. Not sure what that could be - carb issue? Little scary. Never went that far again.

- The position of the hazard light switch is just dumb.

Overall, very happy.

- Need crash bars
- Aux lights + Bulb upgrade?
- GPS holder, 12V port
- Need to check why the bike blanked out
- Clutch cable
- Panniers / Tank mounted bag

All recommendations are welcome.

Congratulations. If your bike is mfg till May 16, it will require a rocker arm replacement otherwise mid Jun onwards it's coming from the factory.

- RE has already come out with a stronger Classic 350 clutch cable which is of same specs as of the Himalayan, just longer. Get it done and you will be at peace. Requires a pro-active mechanic though, who knows his job. After a 1000 kms my bike's gear shift is 'butter' smooth.

- For the breathing/blanking issue, it is just proper tappet adjustment. I also faced that problem initially. I have posted specs of the tappet adjustment on my ownership thread. Get it done and you will be happy on that front too.

- Yes, hazard lights switch could have been better placed.

- 27 W LEDs are working great for me (refer to my ownership thread for details of USB etc.)

Cheers...

[Darth Sid]

Originally Posted by nasirkaka

Exactly my thoughts a few years back on old/simple tech vs complex modern electronics.

But that perception is slowly changing based on last 2-3 years of riding the Duke 390. Have done about 35K kms and (touchwood), no major issues/breakdowns with electronics. Infact tech like ABS has been a boon from safety point.

Am guessing these makers spend a lot of time & effort in refining the technology in trying to make it fail safe. With time, the failure rates will only reduce. If not, we would all be very scared of flying as airplanes are highly dependent on tech but ofcourse at a much advanced level.

For Himalaya to survive the ever increasing stringent emission norms and for export market, it will have to eventually embrace the modern tech, which i would actually welcome in my present state of mind.

Meanwhile my thoughts on this developed in the last couple of years. When I used to ride a Bullet, I was wary of overly sophisticated tech on a vehicle that may breakdown and need to be repaired on my own. Then I switched to P220 and a Duke 200 and my faith in modern tech was born. I would have been even happier if I had ABS (that can be turned off at will) as an added safety feature.

My perception started changing back after getting parts like the speedo console and fuel pump replaced on my Duke. These were the only electronic/electromechanical components that were changed in warranty. The whole engine was replaced due to mechanical faults but that can happen to any vehicle.

The second fuel pump was clearly a revised component as I could tell from the sound it made while priming. The makers must have spent time improving the part. But the new pump failing a second time after a year or so convinced me that while modern tech is better, it adds more variables to the equation than one can account for on one's own. I trust my car's systems because they have been tried and tested. These component manufacturers can afford to have some failure rate in components such as this because that is not life threatening. Airplanes have to run on reliable parts (with redundancy in almost all systems) because of obvious reasons and the manufacturers do not take loss of life lightly.

Yes, the Himalayan will have to be fuel injected to meet emission norms and that is inevitable. ABS will also become an option as, if memory serves, it comes with the wheel sensor mounts and space for the modulator. If I do decide to buy a Himalayan (after KTM reveals the Adv by 2016 end) and I definitely have my sights locked on it, I will have to do so before the carbureted, non-ABS model gets discontinued.