[Vasuki]

Originally Posted by bblost

The Stealth Black: Beautiful. I almost bought this.
Himalyan : Manufactured in Feb 2017.

Congratulations. Is it Feb 2017 or 2018?

Which is stealth black, didn't get it?

[bblost]

Originally Posted by Vasuki

Congratulations. Is it Feb 2017 or 2018?

Which is stealth black, didn't get it?

Oops.

Am still quite excited. It's February 2018 and not 2017. Thanks for pointing it out.

The Royal Enfield Stealth Black Classic 500. That is one long name.

[techfreak]

Again It's not 500, It's a 410 LS in RE speak

* Edited & removed dots.

[bblost]

Originally Posted by techfreak

Again.... It's not 500... It's a 410 LS in RE speak 😀

Please avoid typing with multiple....

To clarify, I meant this was the other bike I was considering.
https://royalenfield.com/classicmatte/stealthblack/

Its called as Stealth Black on the RE website and is a 500 cc Classic.

[techfreak]

Originally Posted by bblost

Please avoid typing with multiple....

Its called as Stealth Black on the RE website and is a 500 cc Classic.

Yes dots for sure were violative of the code.

It was a little confusing as the name Stealth Black and Black Himalayan made one think the final choice as Himalayan n so forth.

Anyway good choice, been riding one since about 2 months n enjoying it.
Happy miles.

[aravind.anand]

Originally Posted by techfreak

Again.... It's not 500... It's a 410 LS in RE speak 😀

He is reffering to the Classic 500's new edition like the Desert Storm / Squadron Blue, etc. - the Stealth black (matt black)

Not the colour of choice of his Himalayan 410 LS.

[bblost]

I think I am going to be in that state of euphoria they call love.

The first 500 KMS of running in are a pain. So decided to get this sorted as soon as I can. Woke up early today and rode from my home to the Food Pyramid on the Hyderabad-Bangalore highway.

The bike loves to settle at 80 and I was comfortable remaining there for most of the ride. The odo was at 37 KMS when I started. By the time it reached 237 kms there was a change in the engine character.
It has started revving in a very relaxed manner. I had to constantly keep looking to avoid crossing my mental barrier of 80 kmph.

I think the milage is approximately 25 kmpl.
Will be able to get accurate numbers after a few days. Right now, I am not particularly tracking it.

The watch on the console is such a nice feature.

The seat is comfortable. But it will take me sometime to get fully used to it. My older Thunderbird feels like a sofa in comparison.

The vibrations are quite less in comparison to my old bike. But they are there. Mostly in the footpegs.

[Ketan]

Originally Posted by bblost

I think I am going to be in that state of euphoria they call love.

The first 500 KMS ...[/ATTACH]

I'm more or less in the same boat. I've got my motorcycle delivered last week. Decided to go on a weekend ride to BR Hills when Odo was around 70-80kms and its around 530kms. Giving it for the first service tomorrow.
I'm hoping the engine to be a bit smoother post the first service. Are they going to check the valves during this first few service intervals? I guess that was the big discussion point.
more than half of my route was two lane state highways, I tried to run-in in the range of 3k - 4k during this stretch, remaining in a range for few minutes and lowering back. I found at later point it did not require rpms to touch 4k mark before it touches the 80kmph, may be the engine settled down or it was just the heat produced over a longer run led to that.
I'm planning for a couple more rides where I can find such roads, vary the RPMs in a good, large range, keep it tight to set the piston seals properly, going beyond the 4k and may be 5k ranges to see what kmph numbers it can do at those rpms, etc.
From Kollegal to the forest check post it was all country roads with beautiful views around, I slowed down and remained in 3k and slightly above rpm range, post the forest check post is the experience for which I was riding, climbing through the amazing hill forest!
I'm finding it a bit smoother compared to my LB500. riding comfort is good, felt very nimble on twisties and climbing the hills. Seats may not be that comfortable as my LB500, but it seems after a while it starts feeling alright after you stop feeling the sponginess, is when the hard seats really working for long distance.
I've ordered the crash guard (yup the dealer here is really poor, doesn't have any accessories even to name one, I've got Rs. 1000 store credit for not taking that half helmet, trying really hard to find out to utilize it with this dealer), planning to get the seelin to prevent flat tyre, may get a top box (SHAD SH37 or Hepco Backer!), remove the saree guard when I'm at SC, not very sure about the hard pannier, not sure if I really need them, will take a call later on that.
Edit: like you said, not so concerned about the economy at this time or later, would be happy if I get anything more than 25kmpl. However, when I started with the full tank (level at the bottom of the anti-splash plate) from Bangalore, could make it back to Bangalore with F trip around 27kms, I thought I'll not risk and filled a couple liters before I reached home, it was @385kms it ran in that full tank with F trip @27kms. I have read others claiming the F trip going beyond 55kms and so on. If I read the manual (BSIV) it says below, but considering its the last quarter mark in the complete fuel meter, how can it be 5.5 ltr? any ideas about this F trip mystery? if my motorcycle is giving me 30kmpl, that means with F trip, it can make another 165 kms? any ideas around this!!

"Trip “F” is provided to measure distance travelled by the
vehicle when fuel level in the vehicle is 5.5+0.5 lts. in the fuel
tank so that the rider can plan fuel filling accordingly based
on his trip requirements, Trip “F” will get activated when
needle on fuel gauge enters the red zone."

[bblost]

Lovely writeup. Thanks a lot for the beautiful pictures as well.

I took that half helmet and gave it to my wife. She might use it in the rare occasion, we go out together.

Can you please share the link to the crash guard. My dealer also did not have it.

That trip F was so funny. I had read about it any promptly forgotten. When it started flashing, I thought it read some malfunction and stopped to read what the hell it was saying. Took a minute to remember that the F meant fuel.

I am at 300 odd kilometres. Bike will go in for service sometime later this week.

[Ketan]

Originally Posted by bblost

Lovely writeup. Thanks a lot for the beautiful pictures as well.

I took that half helmet and gave it to my wife. She might use it in the rare occasion, we go out together.

Can you please share the link to the crash guard. My dealer also did not have it.

Thank you,
There are many options in aftermarket if you don't get the one from the RE, which I guess they source from fixwell bangalore.
Hemant Darbar (HT customs), Zana customs, Donowyn Rodricks and few others individuals who are selling them, I have seen one individual was selling it for Rs 1800 as well. However, others decently standard ones look like around Rs 2800-3000 range, the one I got is from Donowyn (Mumbai chap), all items he is selling are SS while others seem to be using mild steel or alloys. I have paid Rs 3900+shipping to Donowyn. considering I'll not see the rust on that pipe, I was fed up with chrome plating my LB500's crash guard every year or two and hoping I wont have to do that if I go with SS material.
http://donowyn.com/?v=c86ee0d9d7ed

https://www.facebook.com/hemant.darbar.503
https://www.facebook.com/ybus.britain
This Chandigarh guy has some good to decent options on top box and hard panniers that he has designed and selling for about 12K, which is a good prices considering RE is selling theirs for close to 33K!
https://www.facebook.com/orangecandyindia/
And there are few more, I shall share when I come across in the REH FB group, you can keep checking or search that group.
hth.

[bblost]

There is one HUGE difference I experience between the new Himalayan and my old Thunderbird.

Errands and Shopping.

The Himalayan is very difficult to be used a errand bike. The bags don't hang correctly. Needs good parking surface. It stands so tall and straight that its difficult to get on in crowded parking lots.

This is a proper motorcycle for the highways. My friend summed it up beautifully when I was cribbing on WhatsApp.

Ek dum sahi .. jis bike me dhaniya/pudina nahi la sakte, wo bike lena ich nahi

Roughly translated : The bike, which cannot be used to buy Mint and Coriander leaves should not be bought.

All that is forgotten the minute you sit on it and take off. There are no speed breakers for this bike. The ride makes you feel everything is worth it.

I need to plan out a decent long distance run to fully enjoy it.

@Ketan : There are two stores, I usually goto in Hyderabad. Will check them out before I place any online orders. Trouble is both of them are quite far from my home and I will go sometime over the weekend and check them out.

[thedragonreborn]

You'll be surprised that it hauls the dhaniya and pudina home for me, along with other veggies. All down to bags made from parachute material and a magnetic tank bag.

I personally find the bike very willing to haul stuff around on. Agreed about the tall stance being a hindrance to swing your leg over; and I measure in a bit over 6' 1". But the same tall stance makes it easier for me to load up the bags on to the panniers.

Of course, the highway and the open country is where it shines.

[Ketan]

Originally Posted by bblost

There is one HUGE difference I experience between the new Himalayan and my old Thunderbird.

Errands and Shopping.

haha. True about the tall stance. My wife calls it a horse, when its parked in the apartment parking lot, all the bikes, including my LB500 look dwarfs when I park it among them.
Add a decent top box and you can deliver an order of all the veggies, groceries and couple pizzas as well with ease.
Engine may get heated in the traffic conditions in the city. However, I found it to be an easy to ride and maneuver in the traffic conditions as well.
Very true for speed breakers, I'm still going easy on speed breakers but so happy to see it gobbling all the potholes with such an ease. As someone mentioned long back, its an SUV of the motorcycle.
I've had some issues climbing it during the trip, but that was due to the backpack tied on the rear seat and I'm swinging my leg over that height to get on and off (Good, I could do it without much issues while I'm just 172cms, with the ASPIDA riding pant on, but being flexible with the limbs really helped). Amazed to see how much flexible it is with the monoschock on side-stand, sometimes I just push it while on side stand to climb comfortably.
Waiting to get it done with proper run-in, going to build a list of places I can go for bikepacking.

[bblost]

Originally Posted by thedragonreborn

Agreed about the tall stance being a hindrance to swing your leg over; and I measure in a bit over 6' 1". But the same tall stance makes it easier for me to load up the bags on to the panniers.

My colleague decided to sit on this new bike and see how it feels.
It took him 3-4 attempts to get down. He has not ridden a bike in a long long time. But is a very fit guy and regularly does half marathons.

Originally Posted by Ketan

As someone mentioned long back, its an SUV of the motorcycle.

Perfectly sums up The Himalayan.

[thedragonreborn]

Originally Posted by bblost

All that is forgotten the minute you sit on it and take off. There are no speed breakers for this bike. The ride makes you feel everything is worth it.

I need to plan out a decent long distance run to fully enjoy it.

These pictures are from the last time she stepped out on to the highway and stretched her rather long legs You can very easily settle down to long stroke burbling away at full throat for hours without end. I wish the brakes had a tad more bite, but have gotten used to them now.

Ambled up and down the badlands and hills of Anjineri and Igatpuri.

The tank bag and the pannier empocher are my faithful companions when nipping down to Citylight market for the weekly bushels of green. In these pics, they served to cart essentials for a couple of days on the trot.