[Darth Sid]

Originally Posted by arulpeem

How did the bike behave:
-To begin with the engine noise seemed to be subdued.
-The clatter during acceleration is much less now
-At the end of the 900+Km journey there was no tappet noise. So the change has been effective
- The hill climbing was really easy and simple. After the 70+ hairpin bends I was not tired at all. That instills a lot of confidence in me for going on the Leh trip
-The GT turns in a little more easily, but is a bit twitchy whereas Himalayan is more forgiving and relatively strain less when descending.
Overall I am happy with it.
In the plains we were maintaining below 90 KMPH since one of the bikes was yet to be fully run in.

This is very interesting. I have test ridden one of the units that came back from the initial journalists' ride to Shimla and its valve-train clatter was similar to what you would hear from an old cast iron model after its rockers wear out and the valves start slapping about within their guides.

I have heard that after this replacement some riders have observed smoother and increased acceleration. Have you experienced that as well or is it just a psychological impression caused by the engine simply sounding smoother?

Your comparison to the GT (the only other RE I would buy today, besides the Himalayan) is what interests me the most. I have only had two test rides each of the GT and the Himalayan and found both to be pretty rider friendly. No twitch, shake or undue resistance when initiating and sustaining a leaned over position around a corner. But yes, the Himalayan does not seem to have any chassis flex and that's a landmark change for RE.

I have ridden a '79 Enfield India Bullet 350 Standard (before Eicher took hold and restored the "Royal" prefix) for 10 years. In 2010 I bought a Pulsar 220 and in 2012 a KTM Duke 200. Have sold the 220 just recently while my Duke is my primary motorcycle. I am preparing it for off road use but honestly I would prefer the Himalayan for all round daily use.

Your feedback after your upcoming Leh trip is something I will look forward to. I like the Himalayan for all its characteristics you have also seen plus all the luggage capacity and the simplicity of a carburetor. I am just waiting for all the niggles to be sorted out. Don't want to have to replace the engine like I had to in my Duke.

[arulpeem]

Originally Posted by Darth Sid

T
I have heard that after this replacement some riders have observed smoother and increased acceleration. Have you experienced that as well or is it just a psychological impression caused by the engine simply sounding smoother?
No twitch, shake or undue resistance when initiating and sustaining a leaned over position around a corner.

Definitely there was no increase in acceleration after the replacement.

The GT twitching was not when holding a steady and sharp lean or when riding fast. It is only when trying to change the course in hairpin bends either due to an oncoming vehicle, typically two wheelers hurtling down, or when trying to avoid a bad patch in the curves, I encountered a bit of a twitch. In essence when trying for a quick change when leaned over, I encountered it. And that could also be due to my slower reflexes too. May be the increased rake of the Himalayan is more forgiving in nature.

[Darth Sid]

Originally Posted by arulpeem

Definitely there was no increase in acceleration after the replacement.

In essence when trying for a quick change when leaned over, I encountered it. And that could also be due to my slower reflexes too. May be the increased rake of the Himalayan is more forgiving in nature.

I see. Then it is just the perceived smoothness that has made people think that there is an increase in performance.

I think it is not just the rake but also the large 21" front wheel that is prevents twitches mid corner. That big hoop is a large gyroscope and I could feel it affecting the Himalayan's handling characteristics. (Off topic) Also, did you know that the GT prototype showcased at the Auto Expo a couple of years back had a steering damper on it? You won't find pics of it on the internet. They let me into the pavilion to examine the bike and that's when I noticed it. It could be the rake too that led to your observation.

[ShellZee]

Went in for the first service a week or so back with a long list of complaints.
1. A coarse noise from the engine
2. Extremely hard gear shift, bordering on painful in soft upper shoes actually.
3. Oil leaks from two places on the engine block





4. Hard clutch
5. Faulty light switch. The dipper switch simply refuses to work
6. High idling note

The service lasted a good four hours which included the rocker arm replacement, my bike being from the first lot. It was sad seeing a brand new bike stripped open like that.



The new rocker arm was distinctly longer than the older part.





The clutch adjustment was carried out and the standard oil change and air filter cleaning completed the service.

The visiting RE engineer was there to have a look see and confirm the part replacement. He also explained the electric circuit and load capacity when I enquired about auxiliary lights. Post service there was absolutely no change in the effort required for the gear shift. The engineer told me to run it a couple of hundred more kilometres and it will smoothen out. The switch was ordered and a feedback taken on the overall ride experience.

Now for the good part. The bike sounds way more refined than before. The engine note is smooth and that makes the bike feel faster off the block.

I still feel the bike has a lot of promise though I could have done without the part replacement.

Rode from Chandigarh to Rishikesh the next day with a stop at Nahan and the ride was butter smooth. The acceleration while riding uphill is exhilarating and brakes do their job. I was able to reach 100 plus in short bursts while riding in the plains and the bike felt very stable and solid.

The adventure starts now though. Once the rains subside I plan to explore UK, the rationale behind getting the Himalayan even when I already owned the trusted RE TB500.

The grapevine is that new panniers are being outsourced to some Korean company to bring down the cost and a host of accessories are to be launched in the next two months including aux lights, engine guards and luggage all being designed to make the bike look butch.

[praful]

Originally Posted by praful

Any feed back on the Himalayan Rear tyre ?

How well does it hold up in wet, slush, and at higher speeds ?

As I have yet to pick up the tyre, any newer updates on the capabilities of the rear tyre ? Looking specifically at grip on wet tarmac.

[sdubey23]

Here's a small experiment with the mirrors on the Himalayan:

With reckless bus drivers, trucks & cabs zooming past us it is always good to know what's behind you on our roads. Unfortunately the stock mirrors are practically useless for touring specially on our highways. Hence, I was on the lookout for better mirrors and found it in Bajaj Avenger mirrors (black fiber mirror not chrome).

These mirrors are a straight fit for the Himalayan. Thanks to their design where the mirrors gets wider & broader towards the outer part thus giving you great visibility of what's behind you. It goes well with the overall looks and design of the Himalayan too! At least I feel it looks better than the stock ones. Check out the attached pic for reference. Its worth the investment.

[Darth Sid]

Originally Posted by ShellZee

The visiting RE engineer was there to have a look see and confirm the part replacement. He also explained the electric circuit and load capacity when I enquired about auxiliary lights.


The grapevine is that new panniers are being outsourced to some Korean company to bring down the cost and a host of accessories are to be launched in the next two months including aux lights, engine guards and luggage all being designed to make the bike look butch.

Did you go to Manmohan or Garg? Where did you buy the bike from?

A friend of mine was told at Manmohan's that the panniers would cost 40k. Still cheaper than what you get for KTM's and BMW's bikes but too expensive for a Himalayan.

What did you learn about the auxiliary light load capacity?

[ShellZee]

Originally Posted by Darth Sid

Did you go to Manmohan or Garg? Where did you buy the bike from?



A friend of mine was told at Manmohan's that the panniers would cost 40k. Still cheaper than what you get for KTM's and BMW's bikes but too expensive for a Himalayan.



What did you learn about the auxiliary light load capacity?

Hey.
The RE guy said that there were hardly any takers for the panniers at that price point so they have now outsourced the manufacture to another firm to bring down the price by at least 25%. And similarly their in house design team is working overtime to bring in certified durable accessories at a reasonable price point which shall include aux lights. That's the reason why he told me to wait out for a couple of months and not invest in locally sourced lights.

My go to dealer for everything RE is Manmohan.

The alternator and wiring he said could take the load of a pair of aux lights when sourced from the fuse box and a mobile charger unit easily. I had shown him a screenshot of the round aux lights available on NH4 rated at 27W apiece.

[dkaile]

Originally Posted by sdubey23

Here's a small experiment with the mirrors on the Himalayan:

Here's one with the Continental GT Mirrors. Excellent field of vision.

Originally Posted by ShellZee

I had shown him a screenshot of the round aux lights available on NH4 rated at 27W apiece.

I have the same ones attached as shown in the picture above but they costed me just 850 bucks for a pair from the local market here.

Cheers...

[Darth Sid]

Originally Posted by ShellZee

Hey.
The RE guy said that there were hardly any takers for the panniers at that price point so they have now outsourced the manufacture to another firm to bring down the price by at least 25%. And similarly their in house design team is working overtime to bring in certified durable accessories at a reasonable price point which shall include aux lights. That's the reason why he told me to wait out for a couple of months and not invest in locally sourced lights.

My go to dealer for everything RE is Manmohan.

The alternator and wiring he said could take the load of a pair of aux lights when sourced from the fuse box and a mobile charger unit easily. I had shown him a screenshot of the round aux lights available on NH4 rated at 27W apiece.

Attachment 1527958

25% means a difference of 10k. That's still 30k. Still might as well wait for RE to launch the new panniers. I'll let my friend know about this development. Had he not been transferred, he would have taken delivery of the first or second Himalayan from Manmohan. Instead, he has yet to take delivery.

If the RE engineer said the system can comfortably take the extra load of 54W, I'd say that's not bad. But "reasonable" by RE's standard would only mean "not exorbitant but definitely not cheap", judging by their general pricing.

[arulpeem]

The least they could do is bring out the sleek looking crash guard that is there in their marketing photos.
I have replaced the original mirrors with the TB mirrors and I find them to be good. They cost about Rs 700/-
Not such a good photo.

[ramvenky74]

Dear Arulpeem sir,

I own a Himalayan in chennai. Where can I get good set of accessories for it? Even the RE showrooms dont have them.

Regards,
Venky.

[aks_karthik]

Originally Posted by ramvenky74

Dear Arulpeem sir,

I own a Himalayan in chennai. Where can I get good set of accessories for it? Even the RE showrooms dont have them.

Regards,
Venky.

Hi Venky,

it's tough to get accessories for Himalayan now. worth waiting for official one.
I am also contemplating to buy Himalayan. started with Z800, Verysys 650.
Himalayan is a good buy for the money spend rather shelling out 8L more for Z800, Verysys 650.
mostly take another TD tomorrow and book it at once.

[Urban_Nomad]

^^ No offence meant but I can't begin to imagine how you can even think of comparing the bikes u have listed with the Himalayan

[mobike008]

Originally Posted by aks_karthik

Himalayan is a good buy for the money spend rather shelling out 8L more for Z800, Verysys 650.mostly take another TD tomorrow and book it at once.

That's an interesting shortlist

You have zeroed in on a Z800 (9 Lakhs), Versys 650 (8 Lakhs) and Himalayan (1.8 Lakhs)

Can you share your thought process for zeroing in on the above and why you think Himalayan is a better buy compared to Z800 and Versys 650?

It would be interesting to know your opinion? Hope it's not a straight forward price difference related decision