[Godzilla]

I am excited to share some scoop about the new Himalayan 450 here.

I loved the Himalayan and only wondered what if it had slightly more high speed cruising power to munch miles in highways. It would be the perfect adventure bike for India. Here comes the new 450.

• Potential launch: 2023
• Brand new K1 platform
• 40-45 BHP
• Completely new design with cues from previous Himalayan

My thoughts on Royal Enfield:

Recently, I was looking for a new motorcyle for weekend fun within 2-4 Lakhs range and test rode the Himalayan, 650 twins and the KTM Adv 390 and the new KTM RC 200 (since the new 390 is yet to come). The bikes that I felt most happy on was the Adv 390 and the Himalayan. Although I loved the power on the 650 twins many things came short, the seats were too narrow, the bike felt heavy, the mediocre brakes and suspension and dynamics were not suited to my riding style. I understand RE are comfort oriented but I really wish they focus on better dynamics for their new bikes.

The Himalayan seat, foot peg and handlebar felt perfect. I could feel a sense of zen riding it, the only gripe was the low power. For me, I would need to be able to cruise atleast 120-140 on highways without stress. Hope this new 450 has the below

1. Highway cruising power (120-130 kmph)
2. Better dynamics (chassis, brakes and suspension)

https://youtu.be/85UfUtB1OC8

Mod Note: Our Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 Review has been taken live at this link. Please continue the discussion over on the new thread. Thanks!

[catchjyoti]

I am sure this must be a better bike in terms of engine and other characteristics compared to the current Himalayan. But I somehow like the shape of the current one more.

[ebonho]

Brilliant! Looking forward to this baby, with the quoted bhp figures.

Is it just my eyes or does it look a bit of a love child of a Himalayan mated with an Xpulse?!

Should be a good fight between this one and the Yezdi.

Cheers, Doc

[GreasyCarb55]

Originally Posted by ebonho

Brilliant! Looking forward to this baby, with the quoted bhp figures.

Should be a good fight between this one and the Yezdi.

Cheers, Doc

The sub 500cc adventure market has been heating up so I couldn't resist making this joke.

I've personally postponed my motorcycle plans to 2023-24 so this should be a good contender.

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by GreasyCarb55

The sub 500cc adventure market has been heating up so I couldn't resist making this joke.

I've personally postponed my motorcycle plans to 2023-24 so this should be a good contender.

It took RE a 650 cc twin to come up to the performance of a modern sub 400 cc single.

If they actually manage to pump 40 horses from a 450 cc engine, I'll stop making jokes about them for a while.

Cheers, Doc

[Cyborg]

Originally Posted by ebonho

If they actually manage to pump 40 horses from a 450 cc engine, I'll stop making jokes about them for a while.

The launch of the Himalayan came with its boatload of issues including the infamous chassis break. If they manage to get 40 bhp from a 450cc engine, I suspect we will witness spectacular engine blowouts

On a serious note, hope they manage to pull it off. However for those looking to use it only on tarmac, a similar 21 inch front wheel will never give it a nimble handling character with the extra power as a 17 inch front would. It will always be lazy to change direction or dip into a corner compared to a 17 inch front.

Cheers

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by Cyborg

The launch of the Himalayan came with its boatload of issues including the infamous chassis break. If they manage to get 40 bhp from a 450cc engine, I suspect we will witness spectacular engine blowouts

Cheers

In old Bullet circles we would say the piston would come out through the tank and into our ....

Make all your RE jokes quick. RE is going to rub our face in the mud soon.

Cheers, Doc

[neil.jericho]

Godzilla, a bigger and more capable Himalayan has been on all our wishlists for quite a while. That said, I think we shouldnt give any credence to the mumbo jumbo in the video because
- Royal Enfield succeeded (engineering wise, and sales wise) with the 650 twins because they gave the platform an unstressed engine that doesnt push its reliability into the danger zone.
- Will the same company pivot to a single 450 with a high compression engine that will put out 40 HP? I think not.

That rendering in the video is absolutely awful and my school going nephew could render something better with MS Paint. The rendered bike has none of the proportions of the Himalayan but instead looks like a stretched out Moto Guzzi V85 TT.

[AlQuazi]

Call me a conspiracy theorist, but this piece of news floating about with a badly done render this close to the Yezdi launch makes me wonder . . . . .

Generally a 'render' this bad would immediately be scoffed at. The fact that multiple media outlets have actually picked this one up despite its amateurishness is surprising!

My gut feel (which nobody asked for) - Irrespective of whether such a vehicle is in the works at RE UK, the timing of this 'leak' makes one think they just want to gate-crash the YEZDI party!

[saitvsk23]

Let's imagine now.

What if, our dear Royal Enfield is trying to pull off a Triumph-like situation here?

I'd love to see our homegrown manufacturer go to a global scale, which they're slowly establishing themselves as.

Imagine products such as the Tiger, Trident, and Daytona coming from Royal Enfield. They've already pulled off a Bonneville and a Thruxton.

Considering that they're retracting engineers from Triumph's R&D centres after buying out Harris Performance, they're on the right path I say. Would be one hell of a way to cement themselves as a premium reliable brand, and for the tales to tell over the time.

[Peri_patetic99]

Originally Posted by Godzilla

I loved the Himalayan and only wondered what if it had slightly more high speed cruising power to munch miles in highways. It would be the perfect adventure bike for India. Here comes the new 450.

• Potential launch: 2023
• Brand new K1 platform
• 40-45 BHP
• Completely new design with cues from previous Himalayan

I don't like the xpulse-ish rear end on this rumoured 450, imo the rear was never the issue with the Himalayan, but a slightly redesigned front end( like the thunderbird to the meteor) probably with led DRL's or an all- led headlight like the cb350 would make it a stunner on the roads.

On the other hand, is this an attempt by RE to crash the yezdi comeback ?

Also i find it a little hard to digest RE would put 40 horses or more in a 450cc engine, price-performance enthusiasts may go with the 450 instead of interceptor/ Conti GT series also considering the added comfort and go-anywhere ability. RE got 47 bhp from a 650cc parallel twin engine, i don't see how they will make 45 bhp( in the best case) from a 450cc engine without making the engine unreliable, or unless they're willing to step into the high-compression area

[shancz]

I had said in some other thread that the me and the Himalayan needs to gain some muscle and lose some fat

But going by their trend of increasing weight I am not very hopeful but I think its more probable than the Himalayan 650 which everyone seems to be "expecting". That engine on an ADV just doesn't fit, will skip further arguments against that.

On the render neil.jericho and ebonho are correct, its a render combining the XPulse, some liquid cooled motorcycle probably the Jawa ADV and the Himalayan and won't resemble the final product if/when it launches.

On the 450, IMO the biggest challenge would be to change the materials (and machining probably) RE have been using till date to lighter and stronger components.
This would mean some retooling of their production line for the 450. All these changes would mean that this motorcycle will be sold internationally, like the 650s and has to be competitive.
Now will the 450 be enough to appeal to markets who have experienced the KLR650/DR650 ? I think they can if they do it right.
Will they do it right ? I think they can, it won't be a scorcher in say the US markets but slightly more in EU, even more in SEA and definitely a hit at home.

The engine isn't a concern just hope that they don't lose their USP of comfortable low end push over say the 390Adv, chasing the horses.

Are they up for it ? I don't know but I hope so

[aargee]

Originally Posted by Godzilla

Although I loved the power on the 650 twins many things came short, the seats were too narrow, the bike felt heavy, the mediocre brakes and suspension and dynamics were not suited to my riding style

Just a small correction here - The brakes are absolutely fantastic, it does a great job at some unspeakable speeds. Only distress being, the brake has got a mind on its own (or perhaps I might even trying to understand). When the ABS kicks in the release from rear brake pedal & the front brake levers can be felt at the legs & fingers. And I'm not sure such a "feature" is existent with other motorcycles; atleast not with C250R.

What you say as dynamics, perhaps is what I would say, we just need to get used to the riding style of Interceptor; may be, I assume, it may be a differently engineered motorcycle. Other things like seat, not narrow, but to be thrown + the suspension is fantastic piece of metal that works like a wood!!

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by Peri_patetic99

On the other hand, is this an attempt by RE to crash the yezdi comeback ?

Royal Enfield does not really have any competition in India in terms of brand for what I call for want of a better phrase the "retro home-grown Indian" tug.

Yezdi and Rajdoot are its only two competitors in that segment.

Royal Enfield sells a history and lifestyle and community more than bikes to be honest.

If it only sold bikes then it would have gone out of business the day the 125 and 150 cc's entered the Indian market.

Royal Enfield will protect its turf. But it knows fully well what a cult and religion the Yezdi fanbase in India was.

That is as attractive a story and heritage as Royal Enfield is in the mind of a young Indian male wanting something rustic and home grown yet functionally (and electrically/electronically) modern.

Cheers, Doc

[i_rock098]

Originally Posted by ebonho

Royal Enfield does not really have any competition in India in terms of brand for what I call for want of a better phrase the "retro home-grown Indian" tug.

Yezdi and Rajdoot are its only two competitors in that segment.

Royal Enfield sells a history and lifestyle and community more than bikes to be honest.

If it only sold bikes then it would have gone out of business the day the 125 and 150 cc's entered the Indian market.

Royal Enfield will protect its turf. But it knows fully well what a cult and religion the Yezdi fanbase in India was.

That is as attractive a story and heritage as Royal Enfield is in the mind of a young Indian male wanting something rustic and home grown yet functionally (and electrically/electronically) modern.

Cheers, Doc

Thing is for most new gen riders who have never owned Yezdi or Jawa or even seen one will not have that nostalgia factor associated with the brand. Thanks to Royal Enfield being in continuations production it has a far greater brand recall value. Hence it is even attracting the young crowd which the revived Yezdi no matter how good will be able to match hence even now I don't think they will be worried.