[klgiridhar]

Exceptional review Sir. Took me a lot of time to go through all of it but it is well worth it. Anyone looking for a BS6 Himalayan need not go anywhere else.

I have a question regarding the aftermarket headlights. Is it legal to replace the stock with LED units like these ( they definitely look very good and improve the visibility though)? Won't we have problems with the cops? One of my friends was recently stopped in Bangalore for using an aftermarket headlight on his classic 350.

[suhas_raj]

Great review again Karthik. I was blown away by your interceptor review & then this comes along! Probably the most comprehensive review out there on Himalayan BS6. Keep updating the thread & keep us glued in!

[drrajasaravanan]

Hi,
That was one of the best reviews I had read in this forum and is right up my alley. I am in the market for a bike after a hiatus of 7 years. I have been recommended both the pulse and Himalayan. Since the budget is not an issue I will be riding both for decision. I have a clear idea of what to expect before even my test ride from your extensive and insightful review. Pillion support is of high consideration and may swing the vote towards Himalayan. I hope to do the test rides soon and take a call. Thank you for the review.

[KarthikK]

Originally Posted by mohansrides

STUNNING!!

That’s the word for this review.

Mind you, I don’t say that lightly. Because I am not a kind man. Far from it, in fact. Typically, compliments from me are rarer than Chennai winters. But, the good thing about being that fastidious is that when I finally get impressed, it sticks.

Here is the thing. This is my overarching impression of the Himalayan -
...
This is a brand new Himalayan whose crank case they had to open in the middle of nowhere. In the video above, the comment at 2:42 couldn’t have been more blunt. I was convinced that everyone needed a competent mechanic to ride alongside when one is on a Himalayan.

My disgust for REs was a function of many things. But it was fueled in big measures due to the botched Himalayan launch. I was waiting for the Himalayan to come out ever since I read about it as a prospect. So, for it to be the stuff of nightmares when it came out made me feel disappointed, distressed, and thoroughly angry at Eicher for taking customers for the proverbial ride.

Now it has taken your review to shake me out of my deep-rooted hostility for all things RE. So, when I say that this review is stunning, you can be sure that I am not paying lip service.

Coming back to the motorcycle, it is heartening to see that RE got it right in the BS6 update. But, to think that it took them some 3 odd years (and thousands of unwitting customers) to get it right boggles the mind in some ways.
...
I think a 55 to 60 bhp Himalayan would suffice to fulfil all requirements - adequate cruising speed on the highway to ensure decent average speeds on long tours; and torquey low end for the rough stuff.

Time for another Himalayan test ride, I think.

I am at a loss for words, thank you so much for your kind words and for being so candid about the entire Himalayan saga as well - it went from a completely botched up product to something acceptable and it has taken them 4 years to get there, which is quite shameful for a company with RE's level of capabilities. Hope they build on their strengths from now on, and bring in more reliable products like the 650 twins and the Himalayan BS6, which seem to be doing pretty well on the reliability front so far.

Like you mentioned, a 50 bhp Himalayan may be all the tourer + commuter do-it-all package one needs, but it doesn't look like RE is interested in bringing out that unicorn concept anytime soon.

Originally Posted by ast.ggn

Excellent review as always KarthikK, wonderful read. I hope it serves you well for a long time. Red and Black colour combo and those LED headlight looks smashing.

Since you already have enough firepower in your garage, it was a good decision to go with Himalayan.

Thanks a lot ast.ggn! Glad you liked it!

Only real negative with the bike while touring are the tube type tyres. If you are unlucky and have a puncture, good luck pushing it even 10 mtrs. I experienced it during my Spiti trip middle of nowhere, luckily my wife was on a Duke and I was able to use her help. For two up riding, Xpulse is definitely a bad choice.

Oh yeah, I read about your experience. Tube tyres are a pain when touring, especially with this weight. RSA will be the only option if on a tour and some puncture happens. I have been reading about this product called FormulaX sealant which seems to work even with tube tyres. Any idea on this? The videos seem promising but I'd like to wait for some real experiences on the forum / within riding circles before putting that into the tubes.

KTM messed it up a bit with Adv 390. They should have gone for touring friendly seats, little work with engine/ gearing, better ergonomics etc. They took ages to launch a bike with half baked effort. It is still an excellent bike for highways.

Well said. I think it makes an excellent case for a solo tourer who mostly does tarmac but also wants to be able to moderately offroad when need be, which is what most people will end up using it like. That is where its strengths come in. Then again, maybe a Duke will do 90% of all that at a lesser price point and of course with some compromises in ergonomics and ground clearance.

It was little surprising that you found stock ceat to be inadequate on road. Xpulse also carries same front tyre, rear is a size bigger though. I felt that they were good enough for road use. I believe additional weight of Himlayan plays a negative role here. Now since I am so used to Xpulse in traffic, riding a Himalayan looks like a task. I took Himalayan to my office for 2 days recently and I was struggling to manoeuvre it in city and little bit of engine heat.

I think I have probably been spoilt by the stellar grip levels on the Pirelli phantom sportscomp tyres on the Interceptor, and that comparison might be creating this bias, lol!

Originally Posted by shashank.nk

Congrats on the Himalayan Karthik! The level of detail in this and the Ninja 1000 review is simply outstanding. As a newbie to bikes, it helped me understand more about accessories and riding gear needed for these type of bikes. Looking forward to reading more of your reviews and travelogues. Wish you a enjoyable ownership period.

Thank you so much shashank.nk, glad you liked both the reviews and they helped you with the bonus info on the accessories and gear. Usually that part comes to 15-20% of the vehicle cost and is invisible. Most riders (me included) learn the added expenses around purchase time, and find out they cannot be postponed, lol!

Originally Posted by rakesh_r

Congratulations on the Himalayan, excellent and in depth review.
Regarding the hard clutch, i faced severe issues and in some instances ended up with a painful wrist (I have a BS4), replaced the stock clutch cable with one from Pro Spec when I visited RM 2018 and what a difference. Now I don't face any issues while riding in the city.

Thank you so much for the kind words.
Thanks for posting about the clutch cable, it would be really helpful for other Himalayan owners as well.

Regarding the mirrors, i replaced the stock mirrors with the one from Avenger which are not only wide but also vibrate less. The RE touring ones are no doubt, very good but found to be a tad expensive with the risk of it getting flicked.
Happy riding and do update the thread.

Interesting. I've been using the touring mirrors on and off with both the Interceptor and the Himalayan, but since I mostly tour on it and don't park in city, etc, they haven't been flicked yet. You're right though - they are on the pricier side, came to INR 4000 for a pair. Very solid build, anti-glare and they don't vibrate as much at higher revs, I guess to the heavier weight, so no blurry mirrors at high speeds.

Originally Posted by nitinkbhaskar

That was a great write-up KarthikK.
But then it was expected from you (considering your previous reviews)
If anyone is stuck with Himalayan BS6, he/she should head over here and rest assured all their doubts would be clarified.

On hard clutch and braking performance - I am sure you would be able to sort them out with after market fitments.

Thank you for taking out time and sharing this with us. Mighty congratulations on the new steed and hope it takes you & missus safely across known and unknown territories safely !!

Thank you so much for your kind words nitinkbhaskar, glad to hear you liked going through it.

Originally Posted by PatienceWins

Congrats for the himalayan. It is a great bike, I used it for 2 weeks last year during the manalai - leh - kashmir tour. The low end torque and ride quality makes it great for hilly terrains.

Great review, gives tough competition to the official team-bhp reviews. I envy prospective himalayan owners as your thread will serve them well.

I like the way you have compared the bikes and selected Himalayan, which meets most of your core requirements, for a garage with multiple bikes.

You have covered the negatives of the KTM adventure for "adventure" purpose very well. How the bike performed in the hands of media during the launch event gave a hint of the drawbacks (low end torque, suspension travel compared to competitors etc). I think KTM adventure would do well for someone doing touring solo mostly on highways, but you already have other bikes for that.

Looking forward to updates on the thread with more usage. All the best.

Thank you so much PatienceWins for all the nice things you said ! Nice to hear about your experience with the Himalayan, I presume you hired the bikes and took the rental bikes on the circuit. How was your experience with the way these rented Himalayans had aged over constant abuse?

Originally Posted by surjaonwheelz

This is insane, you're buying bikes like shoes for every occasion! Mods, how can I block updates from this user?

Damage was already done over the past 2+ years, the skeletons are tumbling out of the (forum) closet one by one now, lol!

Congratulations!
I guessed you would get the Xpulse + much lighter Motocross (MX) gear. But pillion comfort is far better on the Himalayan.
Just remove those rubber inserts from the footpegs.

Enjoy your new ride and we will cherish your ownership review!

Thank you so much Surja sir! I would have loved to get the Xpulse, but for the pillion comfort and the expressway average speeds which would both be limited. Problem for us Bangaloreans - the hills are at least 200 km of expressway riding on all directions, sigh!

Originally Posted by Nilesh5417

Great review - I think you have covered everything and its very unbiased / balanced. I really enjoyed reading it E2E. Wish you many miles of happy riding!

Thank you so much Nilesh5417, glad to hear you enjoyed reading this writeup

2 questions -
1. Does the fuel gauge work accurately esp. the range you get when the Trip F gets activated? With no physical reserve apparatus, it better be. You have an Inty too and I heard the fuel gauge on Inty is way off the mark.
2. Is there a way to shave off some weight? Its a spartan / purpose built bike so from the looks of it, not much to get rid off in terms of panels etc.

1. The fuel gauge is analog in this bike, so the drops are gradual and noticeable. The needle does drop a little quicker in the lower half of the tank than the upper half of the tank, but that is common on most bikes due to the tapered tank shape. The reading variation is not as erratic as on the Interceptor where there are sensors and 7 bars on the digital display. The tank shape on the Interceptor could also be the reason for the weird behaviour. All in all, no complaints on the fuel gauge as such. The Trip F is spot on with estimation of fuel though. Whenever I refilled with Trip F activated, 10+ litres went in, so it had indeed activated when there were 5 litres in the tank.

2. I have no clue on this, like you said already the bike is pretty barebones. I will have to observe some of the dirt track Himalayans for inspiration to answer this question I guess. Big rock dirt park here in Bangalore (they offer dirt and adv riding courses) has a few Himalayans in their trainer fleet, it would be interesting to see what they have done on their bikes.

Originally Posted by GrandTourer

Amazing review Karthik. I knew it was going to be amazing the moment I saw who's written it. Your Interceptor thread was one of the major reason why I decided on it. Rated both 5 stars.

Thank you for your kind words GrandTourer! Happy to know you liked both the reviews, hope you are enjoying riding the Interceptor, how has your experience been so far with the bike?

QQ: Where did you get the Maddog light (both headlight and Aux) fitted from? I met a chap during my service visit this weekend who runs a workshop in Electronic City called Dash Motor Works, who had a similar setup on his INT650.

Also, does this fitment void the warranty? The BTM RE Store manager has led me to believe that if I don't mess about the wiring (shave or cut it), warranty shouldn't be an issue.

I purchased the headlights and the aux lights from and got it fitted at a place called Gear Gear motorcycles, they deal with premium bikes' service and accessories and are located in Wilson garden. Even the Interceptor maddog light was purchased from them. I think Maddog is available for purchase online on their own site, plus it was also listed on Amazon.

There is no wire splicing as such, so warranty is not affected. The headlight is a plug and play replacement, and itself comes with 2 years warranty. I've been a happy user for ~2 years now on the Interceptor.

Originally Posted by kondath

Hi Karthik,

Superb review very detailed and nicely done. I too own a Himalayan but the BS 4 version. Wanted to understand if you would have any idea if the Maddog FR 70 LED lamp can be put on the BS4 Himalayan? if yes where is it readily available, would be of grrat help if you could reply, Thanks

Kailash

Thank you so much kondath!
Glad to know you already own a BS4 Himalayan. The headlamp is compatible with BS4 bikes as well. I use a similar unit on my Interceptor which is a BS4 bike. I purchased it from Gear gear motorcycles, but I believe it is available online on maddog's website and Amazon as well.

Originally Posted by ahaltore

An excellent review. You have covered all aspects including the decision making process to buy the Himalayan. No doubt on new paradigm in reviews. Thanks a ton.

Thank you for your kind words ahaltore!

Originally Posted by ebmrajesh

Excellent review and writeup Karthik. You have outdone your other reviews. I like the way you maintained the flow in the narration and clearly highlighting not just the good but the bad part too without any bias. Congrats again!

Thanks a lot Rajesh sir! Glad you liked the review.

Originally Posted by deepfreak15

Amazing review of a very logical choice. I still remember those pre launch A390 days where you were so enamoured by a yet to be launched bike and I was the only one rooting for the Himalayan. I have always been an RE fanboy and felt the Himalayan was very similar to the Africa Twin - Purposeful. Its built to perform a certain role and makes no pretences. Wishing you many lovely journeys on this.
I enjoyed our photo shoot sessions and had as much fun as you did or maybe more. Spamming your thread with some pictures just to prove a point - All bikes are capable of one thing irrespective of the class or category, to keep you entertained and thrilled, no matter what your choice. Its up to the rider to decide if he/she wants to go out and have fun or to sit at home with a technical sheet in front and argue on social media (I like to do both by the way )

Absolutely, and well said! Thank you once again for all the photo sessions, all of us had a lot of fun, and that is what matters at the end of the day, like you said!

Originally Posted by aghate

What a stonker of an Intro Karthik! It was for me like 'Read the intro = SOLD!!'

Congratulations on the Himalayan and needless to say you have got a great garage. I was hooked on this read and I believe I have read almost 80% of it if not all.

Top notch with every nook and cranny covered in a exhaustive detailed review. Rated a full fat 5 Stars.

You are too kind sir!
Thank you for the warm wishes and really glad you liked the review and the 'masala' intro so much

Originally Posted by bblost

Awesome review and rated a well deserved 5*.

The bike is beautiful and I love the Red color. The headlight upgrade looks very interesting. I will think about this for my bike for some future upgrade when that itch starts.

Thanks a lot for this thread.

Thank you so much for your kind words bblost! The headlight updgrade did make a lot of difference in visibility and confidence riding at night.

Originally Posted by neil.jericho

My goodness, what an utterly comprehensive review! In terms of breadth and depth of content covered for a new motorcycle ownership thread, this is easily number 1 anywhere in the country. And it beats the previous best thread which was, (checks notes), your Interceptor thread on the forum. Which in turn, beat the previous best (checks notes again), your Ninja 1000 thread on the forum.

I couldn't help but chuckle at the last statement, you really do have a way with words Neil sir! Thank you for your kind words and for all the information and tips you sent my way (and still do even after purchase) about the Himalayan and RE things in general.

This thread is the one stop shop for anyone looking at the BS6 Himalayan or an adventure tourer in the Indian market. Your feedback on the Xpulse and Adv 390 was interesting, for your usage you certainly did pick the right motorcycle and you have spruced it up with some interesting accessories. Do keep this thread updated continuously so that we can all enjoy your adventures on and off the road in the years to come.

Thank you once again, I'll definitely keep it up to date.

I liked the fact that RE provides 4 keys for the panniers, had they provided only 2, I am sure that I would have complained that 3 or 4 would have been more appropriate!

RE being RE I guess!

Special mention to your ace photographer and director for all the fantastic shots that accompanied the written text. Whenever I do plan a Bangalore visit next, I must ask them to take some flattering shots of me on my Continental GT 535!

You need to book an appointment for his photoshoots in advance. He seems to be honing up his track skills in a hurry, gearing up to enter MotoGP very soon it seems. lol!

I believe that this is due to a slight gap in the back of the console. I remember someone from Royal Enfield telling me that this is the reason that the console on the Continental GT 535 also fogs up rarely. I am surprised that they havent eliminated this problem completely by now.

The standard answer for this query was - "Saar this happens on all Himalayans, it will go away on its own! If it still persists we can change it under warranty". Strangely though it seems to be almost gone on its own after 4-5 months. Maybe the trapped moisture eventually came out on its own. Good riddance!

[/quote]
Royal Enfield doing Royal Enfield things! You will only find such nuggets of information on the forum. [/quote]
Indeed! Lol!

Speedmonks in Delhi has recently become the official importer of TEC parts and you should be able to get a pair of adjustable levers from them soon. Pricing might be premium but I feel it is worth it for sure. I have plans to get them on my Continental GT 535. On your bike, since you have the Royal Enfield hand guards, maybe even affordable imitation ones should be fine as they offer the same functionality.

Thanks for this useful reference, it will help Himalayan owners

I almost stopped reading the thread after coming across such blasphemy, but I am a forgiving man!

Somehow I don't want to own multiple vehicles from the same brand, but at times when there is no other option in those segments, the inevitable happens. Happened with Linea and Punto too, for me some years ago. Few months after I bought the Punto, Polo GT TDI came out with 1.6 litre engine, lol!

P.S - I notice that you dont own an easy going, laid back cruiser to take you and your wife to Goa or Coorg or Kodaikanal or Munnar and back. I think there is space in your garage for a Meteor 350. Ginger looks like she will certainly approve of it, as will we!

Next one won't be anytime soon, and if it happens will be a track bike and supersport hopefully *winks*

Originally Posted by ku69rd

Hi Karthik,
Fantastic thread, fully agree with your thoughts and happy that I could spend some time during your process. Am sure you will make good use of this ride.

Thanks a lot Mahesh sir for all the guidance and pre-purchase tips, they were really helpful, coming from a veteran.

However I felt that the headlight was one of the best in stock trim, during my seven sisters ride was able to manage without any need for additional lights. But understandably the road conditions never let us ride above 30 at the maximum. Even in the highway rides, was happy but then you know how good the headlights were on the Yamaha RD with the points ignition setup.

The headlights were quite weak in comparison to what I am used to I guess. I've got used to white light too on the other 2 bikes at home, and the fantastic throw on the Ninja's lights have spoilt me probably. But the Himalayan's halogen lights are very very ordinary for anything beyond 50 kmph in my experience. I don't think I could have been able to cruise at 90-100 kmph with those candles

Rekindled memories of my Himalayan, posting the picture of its last glance. Had put up an additional cable for the clutch possibly something that you can do to save the hassle. In extreme conditions you will use the clutch a bit more than normal riding.

Lovely picture and you must have had magical memories with the bike especially after those special trips you had done with it.

Originally Posted by klgiridhar

Exceptional review Sir. Took me a lot of time to go through all of it but it is well worth it. Anyone looking for a BS6 Himalayan need not go anywhere else.

Thank you for your kind words klgiridhar sir! Glad you liked it so much.

I have a question regarding the aftermarket headlights. Is it legal to replace the stock with LED units like these ( they definitely look very good and improve the visibility though)? Won't we have problems with the cops? One of my friends was recently stopped in Bangalore for using an aftermarket headlight on his classic 350.

I guess it falls within the ambit of all other modifications related to bikes or cars with regard to legality. The authorities might object to it anytime as they please, and that risk remains. That said, most vehicles nowadays come with white LED headlights stock and headlights are always on in the daytime, so they don't notice anything bizarre (so many 2-wheelers moving around with white lights in the front) and so far, I have never been stopped for the headlights. The aux lights are more of a trouble with cops even if they are switched off, coz they stick out of the bike as such and can be noticed.

Originally Posted by suhas_raj

Great review again Karthik. I was blown away by your interceptor review & then this comes along! Probably the most comprehensive review out there on Himalayan BS6. Keep updating the thread & keep us glued in!

Thank you so much for your kind words suhas_raj! Glad you enjoyed both the Interceptor thread and this thread! Will definitely do my best to keep the review as up-to-date as possible *grins*

Originally Posted by drrajasaravanan

Hi,
That was one of the best reviews I had read in this forum and is right up my alley. I am in the market for a bike after a hiatus of 7 years. I have been recommended both the pulse and Himalayan. Since the budget is not an issue I will be riding both for decision. I have a clear idea of what to expect before even my test ride from your extensive and insightful review. Pillion support is of high consideration and may swing the vote towards Himalayan. I hope to do the test rides soon and take a call. Thank you for the review.

Thanks a lot drrajasaravanan sir! If budget is not a constraint and the pillion seat is important for you, the Himalayan makes more sense. Good luck with your test rides. If you are okay with upping the budget some more, you can even take a look at the G310 GS. There were also reports of a bigger Xpulse coming out (perhaps 300??) soon, not sure when though.

[KPR]

Stop writing more like this man! It may burn hole in my pocket. I still remember your red Punto. Great write up. Great bike. I always loved Impulse, this Himalayan and later Xpulse. Himalayan the name itself is seducing for me. But considering city rides I had to choose a TB500 which was appealing at that time. Now that it's time I should call RE stores.

[PatienceWins]

Originally Posted by KarthikK

Thank you so much PatienceWins for all the nice things you said ! Nice to hear about your experience with the Himalayan, I presume you hired the bikes and took the rental bikes on the circuit. How was your experience with the way these rented Himalayans had aged over constant abuse?

I went with a tour company and they had a support vehicle with mechanic. We were a group of six riding solo on himalayan. The bikes were owned by the tour company and atleast a couple of years old. There were minor issues like fork seal leakage, clogged air filters, lack of power/ sputtering on high elevation (Carb vehicles), chain issues etc amongst the vehicles. So it is always good to know the basic maintenance or have a mechanic on support on terrains like ladakh. Hope the reliability is better for solo riding in such terrains with the new BS6 version.

We got different bikes with ABS in Leh because of the rule that himachal rental bikes are not allowed in Leh. They were new bikes with ABS (ABS was just launched) and more reliable than the tour company bikes.

The vehicle is perfect for such terrains with good low end torque, suspension and comfortable riding posture (sitting and standing).

[aarnav_b]

Many congratulations on the Himalayan sir !
The jealousy grows day by day..
Jokes aside, I really aspire to write atleast one such detailed writeup/review of my bike whenever I earn and buy it and your reviews are amongst the best ones here, serving the same purpose as the official T BHP reviews, but for bikes.
The accessories you have fitted contribute very well to increase the overall usefulness of the bike, especially the mad dog lights.
Thank you for inspiring and contributing so much.

[rajshenoy]

Wow, very informative review covering every aspect in such detail. One more purpose built weapon in your garage and can't help but to sit back and envy you

[VijayAnand1]

Karthik, gotta admit, a wonderful show there. Being owning one, I can still haven't lost the ghost for the ride reviews and the reviews this bike has to garner. More is never enough for this bike. One thing I would see as a welcome change is the fuel gauge red zone, graciously reduced to a meagre dot-ish mark. The older Himmas had a reserve just after half a tank and it was ridiculous lousy one at that. Love the cool blue lit backlight too.

All in, great pix, lovely points. Wish you more miles on all your steeds.

Ride safe!

Cheers!
VJ

[ndnesh]

Karthik! Take a bow for an exhaustive, wonderful, clever, incisive & well written review.
If any review had to stir my heart again for RE, then this was it. I still want the Himalayan to have a little bit more power than it currently has so that its easier for those overtaking maneuvers as mentioned, but I was hard pressed to not immediately call up RE for a booking of this bike, in this very same color.

I am very glad that all apparent issues seem sorted on this BS6 Himalayan. Seems to me that it is a good indicator of the direction of the company and maybe, just maybe, the Meteor 350 and the other quarterly launches that they have planned are as well made.

Cheers, and wish you and your better half many happy and safe miles on this beauty.

[bj96]

Great review Karthik. Lot of insights godsend for me. I'm also looking for an entry/mid category adv to complement my heavy Iron barrel cruisers. Himalayan is one shortlisted and your detail has helped me understand the product better. Waiting for year end discounts to start in the market :-)

Cheers,
-BJ

[shyamg28]

A very "intelligent" review if I might add, one that I'll be hooked to for updates from time to time, since I'm an owner of the BSIV non-ABS model myself.
You've absolutely nailed it for the value proposition that it is, and also pointed out in what ways it could be a more complete package.

With regards to the clutch being hard complaint, as someone already pointed out above, the Pro-Spec EasyClutch is really a boon. Here's the thread for that: https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/motor...tch-lever.html (Easy Clutch by Pro-Spec: Reduces effort to operate clutch lever!)
@Ashwinprakas has also pointed out a simpler way by which the effort could be reduced, within the same thread.

I've had Maddog Scout-X in mind for a while now and I simply love your lights setup. More importantly, I'm looking for cheap and yet effective spot lights, and these seem to be highly recommended in that regard.
A simple note from you w.r.t. the stock headlamps with these aux lights in place would help.

I'm quite surprised that you have no complaints about wind blast with the stock visor. I've had to add a clip-on visor, being 5'11 myself, and only in it's highest setting do I feel secure in the "cockpit". Then again, to each his own.

The itch to stand and ride will grow, anywhere, everywhere, even in the city where you may (not) find "beautifully-laid" tar road, that is a guarantee
Overall, lovely ownership review you got here

[KarthikK]

Originally Posted by KPR

Stop writing more like this man! It may burn hole in my pocket. I still remember your red Punto. Great write up. Great bike. I always loved Impulse, this Himalayan and later Xpulse. Himalayan the name itself is seducing for me. But considering city rides I had to choose a TB500 which was appealing at that time. Now that it's time I should call RE stores.

Haha I hope that itch is scratched soon *winks*

Originally Posted by PatienceWins

I went with a tour company and they had a support vehicle with mechanic. We were a group of six riding solo on himalayan. The bikes were owned by the tour company and atleast a couple of years old. There were minor issues like fork seal leakage, clogged air filters, lack of power/ sputtering on high elevation (Carb vehicles), chain issues etc amongst the vehicles. So it is always good to know the basic maintenance or have a mechanic on support on terrains like ladakh. Hope the reliability is better for solo riding in such terrains with the new BS6 version.

We got different bikes with ABS in Leh because of the rule that himachal rental bikes are not allowed in Leh. They were new bikes with ABS (ABS was just launched) and more reliable than the tour company bikes.

The vehicle is perfect for such terrains with good low end torque, suspension and comfortable riding posture (sitting and standing).

Thanks for all the information provided PatienceWins, really helpful to have this information handy in case of touring in those regions.

Originally Posted by aarnav_b

Many congratulations on the Himalayan sir !
The jealousy grows day by day..
Jokes aside, I really aspire to write atleast one such detailed writeup/review of my bike whenever I earn and buy it and your reviews are amongst the best ones here, serving the same purpose as the official T BHP reviews, but for bikes.
The accessories you have fitted contribute very well to increase the overall usefulness of the bike, especially the mad dog lights.
Thank you for inspiring and contributing so much.

Thank you for your kind words aarnav_b, glad you enjoyed the writeups. Looking forward to the time you get your dream steed and write your ownership thread here, hope it happens soon

Originally Posted by rajshenoy

Wow, very informative review covering every aspect in such detail. One more purpose built weapon in your garage and can't help but to sit back and envy you

Thanks a lot rajshenoy for the kind words!

Originally Posted by VijayAnand1

Karthik, gotta admit, a wonderful show there. Being owning one, I can still haven't lost the ghost for the ride reviews and the reviews this bike has to garner. More is never enough for this bike. One thing I would see as a welcome change is the fuel gauge red zone, graciously reduced to a meagre dot-ish mark. The older Himmas had a reserve just after half a tank and it was ridiculous lousy one at that. Love the cool blue lit backlight too.

All in, great pix, lovely points. Wish you more miles on all your steeds.

Thank you VijayAnand1, means a lot coming from Himalayan veteran owners like you. I agree on the fuel gauge bit (had read about that on the older ones). I wish I had got the blue backlight one - some breath of fresh air, but alas, wasn't meant to be, lol!

Originally Posted by ndnesh

Karthik! Take a bow for an exhaustive, wonderful, clever, incisive & well written review.
If any review had to stir my heart again for RE, then this was it. I still want the Himalayan to have a little bit more power than it currently has so that its easier for those overtaking maneuvers as mentioned, but I was hard pressed to not immediately call up RE for a booking of this bike, in this very same color.

I am very glad that all apparent issues seem sorted on this BS6 Himalayan. Seems to me that it is a good indicator of the direction of the company and maybe, just maybe, the Meteor 350 and the other quarterly launches that they have planned are as well made.

Cheers, and wish you and your better half many happy and safe miles on this beauty.

Thank you so much for your kind words ndnesh! Glad you liked reading through the review. As you rightly said, if this bike had to be one-weapon-for-everything, a bit more power is all it needs (with stellar reliability of course), it would have been able to perform on all fronts.

As you also said, the 650 twins and the Himalayan BS6 seem to be good steps by RE in the direction towards decent levels of reliability. I hope their future products keep up the trend and stay niggle free.

Originally Posted by bj96

Great review Karthik. Lot of insights godsend for me. I'm also looking for an entry/mid category adv to complement my heavy Iron barrel cruisers. Himalayan is one shortlisted and your detail has helped me understand the product better. Waiting for year end discounts to start in the market :-)

Cheers,
-BJ

Thanks a lot bj96! Apart from being able to serve as a sole-tourer in the garage, I loved how this bike can complement bigger bikes (if one has other bikes) and extend the reach to be able to tour freely anywhere and everywhere. You must test ride the other options as well, to narrow down to what suits your needs better. Good luck with your purchase, and do let us know when you decide and buy one!

Originally Posted by shyamg28

A very "intelligent" review if I might add, one that I'll be hooked to for updates from time to time, since I'm an owner of the BSIV non-ABS model myself.
You've absolutely nailed it for the value proposition that it is, and also pointed out in what ways it could be a more complete package.

Thank you so much for your kind words shyamg28! It really does mean a lot coming from a veteran Himalayan owner such as you I have read your updates and travelogues with your Himalayan, how has your journey been so far with regard to long term ownership?

With regards to the clutch being hard complaint, as someone already pointed out above, the Pro-Spec EasyClutch is really a boon. Here's the thread for that: https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/motor...tch-lever.html (Easy Clutch by Pro-Spec: Reduces effort to operate clutch lever!)
@Ashwinprakas has also pointed out a simpler way by which the effort could be reduced, within the same thread.

I'll definitely look into this option in future, many thanks for the suggestions offered.

I've had Maddog Scout-X in mind for a while now and I simply love your lights setup. More importantly, I'm looking for cheap and yet effective spot lights, and these seem to be highly recommended in that regard.
A simple note from you w.r.t. the stock headlamps with these aux lights in place would help.

I got both the headlamps and the aux lights added on the same day from the same place, so I never got to try the aux lights with the halogen stock lights combo. However, I don't think that will make much of a difference because the scout-X is very powerful by itself. Only thing is it may look awkward with yellow stock headlights and white aux lights (these are 5000K), but even that may not matter so much since aux is not used all the time.

I'm quite surprised that you have no complaints about wind blast with the stock visor. I've had to add a clip-on visor, being 5'11 myself, and only in it's highest setting do I feel secure in the "cockpit". Then again, to each his own.

I find it quite acceptable in stock setting even for my height. My dual sport helmet in fact has always-open vents and despite that it is quite okay. I rarely cross triple digits though when cruising, maybe that is also a factor which is influencing this opinion.

Also, compared to my naked Interceptor (zero windblast protection) and the Ninja 1000 which is again low slung, the Himalayan comes across as offering adequate wind deflection. Even within the Adv bikes I tried out, Xpulse and 390 Adv were similar in this regard. Not sure if I am incorrectly judging by adv standards (still new to this world), lol!

The itch to stand and ride will grow, anywhere, everywhere, even in the city where you may (not) find "beautifully-laid" tar road, that is a guarantee
Overall, lovely ownership review you got here

Thank you once again, hoping to do more rides in the coming days.

[shyamg28]

Originally Posted by KarthikK

...how has your journey been so far with regard to long term ownership?

Loaded question I tell you

Let me put it this way: any negative thoughts I have about its shortcomings, only arise when I'm off the bike, on TBHP (specifically the Adventure 390 forum or reading about the V-Strom 650 XT, though a little less ever since this gem you created, right here).
Once I'm on the saddle, man, it never once fails to plaster a smile on my face.

In terms of issues so far:
1. Clutch cable broken at around 18k kms. So I always carry a spare since then.
2. Minor engine oil leakage. As @VijayAnand mentioned, a quick gasket replacement and done.
3. The moisture seepage in the console is common with me too but I wait for the sun to get rid of it, doesn't bother me.
4. The speedo console vibrates severely at 100kph. I just added some tape across the circumference for now.
5. Rear tyre wore off at around 17k kms I think. Replaced with MRF Metor-M, stock size.
6. Replaced front tyre at 23k kms. Same as above.
7. Broke my clutch lever when someone rear-ended me. Replaced that with Pulsar lever. Works for now, but I plan to install the RE handguards next when I take it RE service center.
8. Funnily enough, the day I bought the bike, I had a puncture. After that, nada (touching wood as I type this).
9. Mud splatter at the rear. Wife absolutely hates it. I see you noticed too. If you come up with a solution, be sure to update here, so that I can copy the solution from you.
10. Engine heating initially was new to me, coming from liquid cooled Pulsar AS200. Had me looking at the console for temperature every 2 minutes in city. Now I don't care one bit.

My mods are quite simple and can be found in a short review here (Coastal Trip on a Royal Enfield Himalayan).

Originally Posted by KarthikK

I got both the headlamps and the aux lights added on the same day from the same place, so I never got to try the aux lights with the halogen stock lights combo. However, I don't think that will make much of a difference because the scout-X is very powerful by itself. Only thing is it may look awkward with yellow stock headlights and white aux lights (these are 5000K), but even that may not matter so much since aux is not used all the time.

That is good to hear. Thank you!

Originally Posted by KarthikK

I find it quite acceptable in stock setting even for my height. My dual sport helmet in fact has always-open vents and despite that it is quite okay. I rarely cross triple digits though when cruising, maybe that is also a factor which is influencing this opinion. Also, compared to my naked Interceptor (zero windblast protection) and the Ninja 1000 which is again low slung, the Himalayan comes across as offering adequate wind deflection. Even within the Adv bikes I tried out, Xpulse and 390 Adv were similar in this regard. Not sure if I am incorrectly judging by adv standards (still new to this world), lol!

Silly of me to forget that you have such a variety of contexts

You're absolutely right, some deflection is better than no deflection. Anyhow, over time if you do need to upgrade, you could think about the Pro-Spec Easy Ride clip on, adjustable visor.

[Fan@Automotive]

As always, one more 5 starrer from you Karthik.

Very detailed and insightful. I appreciate your consistency, with each of your threads. The effort put in, in capturing the Photos and details is no less than any professional would.

It's always good to have options in one's garage, if at all, one intends to have them and has the patience to take care of them. I am not a one machine, fit for all person.

Good to read people being happy with newer and better RE products. However, I am done with RE, owning a 2007 Machismo 350 and 2010 Standard 350. They are keepers and will be kept.

Having ridden KTM's, Duke 200 and 390 fairly, was a little inclined towards the Adventure 390. First impressions after test drives from aspirants is slowly and surely influencing me to look for options.

Having had enough of 300ish CC rides and lack of impressive options in the half liter bike segment, next one will be a mile munching big bike. Might go the Ninja way. With your permission, will PM you for inputs once I decide.

I have no words to describe your craze (if I may say so) for a wardrobe with bike specific riding gears. Could you please let us know the cost of your gear, this time around as you have done previously? It would be of help.

Happy and Safe riding.