[trailsndirt]

Originally Posted by TheTourer23

Hello Guys,

Yesterday after washing my bike, I took the bike to fill up petrol. As soon as I opened the lid, to my horror the water is the sides rushed into the tank (20-30 ml I guess). I immediately cleaned the remaining water with a cloth and took the bike home. Upon inspection I found out that the drain hole was clogged. I sprayed some WD40 and it seemed to unclog the hole. The bike started normally today morning & seems running fine (commuted to office ~ 22 kms). What do you suggest I do? Do I need to take it take to service center for a thorough check up?

Lessons learnt: Before a wash check the water drain hole in the tank first!

One other thing to note, the drain hole seems to be to the side of the tank. If the bike is parked on the center stand, water if gets in will not empty out of the drain hole. It seems to have to be kept on the sidestand.

[VijayAnand1]

Originally Posted by IamAsHter

Regarding Handlebar - Stem Fasteners Replacement Kit

Does anyone feel that the handlebar is a little flexing in the new batches (including GRR 450). I observed these changes after the Stem Bolts were replaced during the service. This came as a default entry in the job card. So guess RE is replacing it for all the initial models.

This has been the case right from first gen 411s, there is significant amount of flex in the handlebars when rotating them left and right on the move. One simple trick is to install a handlebar brace which helps reduce handlebar flex and provide precise feel.

Originally Posted by Shur'tugal

Anyone got the joystick replaced under warranty yet? Mines been increasingly hit or miss, and today it seems to have finally completely conked off.

I sincerely am finding it funny the dash reading "Joystick Failure, for best experience service now" I am totally not in the know whether RE already knew this issue or just pushed it off as a factor over form for the sake of it. Either-way, joystick failures with subtle part replacements during service leaves a lot of be desired.

I know a person in Chennai who had replaced his joystick owing to intermittent operation of the joystick along with Triple Tree washer from the factory to arrest the stem making "khat" noise. He'd also replaced the complete engine head assy under warranty owing to unnatural sounds, which was investigated by RE and replaced under warranty.

Good luck.

Cheers!
VJ

[IamAsHter]

Originally Posted by VijayAnand1

This has been the case right from first gen 411s, there is significant amount of flex in the handlebars when rotating them left and right on the move. One simple trick is to install a handlebar brace which helps reduce handlebar flex and provide precise feel.

I have done my own modification with the help of a local mechanic. Have shaved off about 2mm from the metal bushes (inside the rubber ones). Now, the handlebar is tightened and absolutely accurate in feel and feedback from the front end, gives the impression of better control and flickability while saddling.

[TheTourer23]

Originally Posted by trailsndirt

One other thing to note, the drain hole seems to be to the side of the tank. If the bike is parked on the center stand, water if gets in will not empty out of the drain hole. It seems to have to be kept on the sidestand.

Yes, noticed this. However, even on side stand the water was not getting in due to blockage. It also looks like drain hole is too small for the water to easily get in.

[rishi.roger]

Has anyone here tried PowerTronics V4 PiggyBack ECU with any of the maps from them with their Himalayan 450 ?
Also, anyone who may have tried both ECU and FuelX together ?
I am getting it done by EoW but eager to hear from others who may have done it before.
I also got 49T sprockets but Unfortunately the Chain didn't have enough slack so I have to wait for next 5k plus on the Odo to try again!

[Nilesh5417]

Has anyone felt a numbing pain in moving their right thumb after a long ride on the H450? I did a 200km ride 3-4 weeks ago, felt a persistent pain in my right thumb halfway and then had a stiff thumb that hurt on movement for 2-3 weeks. I simply could not figure out what caused this but feel it's probably the vibes in the accelerator that hit the thumb.

[ExOblivione]

Originally Posted by Nilesh5417

Has anyone felt a numbing pain in moving their right thumb after a long ride on the H450? I did a 200km ride 3-4 weeks ago, felt a persistent pain in my right thumb halfway and then had a stiff thumb that hurt on movement for 2-3 weeks. I simply could not figure out what caused this but feel it's probably the vibes in the accelerator that hit the thumb.

While I don’t have a H450, I am familiar with this syndrome. It’s not because of the vibes (though that might make it worse).

This happens because you are gripping the accelerator too tightly, and the thumb joint is digging into the hard accelerator grip. Sustained pressure there will cause pain after some time.


There are four things you can do, and I recommend doing all 4:

1) Get in the habit of gripping the handlebar lightly. You really don’t need to grip hard. Motorcycle in motion is self-balancing, and you only need a light touch for steering input. You can see a thousand videos by experts explaining this in detail.

2) During deceleration, grip the tank with your knees/thighs, whether it’s using the brakes or engine braking. Your inertia throws you forward during braking, and if you take the weight on the hands, it will put pressure on your palms and fingers (and your shoulders and back, tiring you quickly).

3) Get foam grips. Something like Grip Puppies (on the high-end, and much cheaper generic ones are available). They will give a softer point of contact to your palm and finger joints. The increased thickness feels strange for the first ride, but then will feel natural quickly.

4) Get a throttle assist. You might have seen these, they look like a pedal on the accelerator, where you can rest your palm. This helps using a very light touch to keep the throttle open, since you don’t really need to even actually grip the accelerator. A real boon for all-day rides. I have been using “BYKE'IT! Throttle Assist” from Bikenbiker(no affiliation with product or site) for almost 1 year. Cost 500, and so far it has not broken. There are cheaper, generic ones available, but quality is uncertain.


I have personally done all 4 of these things, consciously making effort to ride correctly (had to create habit for the second point), and they are really good for avoiding undue stress on your hands during long rides.

I would suggest implementing these ASAP, because, while the thumb ache is a common symptom, the fact that pain persisted for 2-3 weeks is abnormal, pointing to significant damage/inflammation. Repeated stresses and injuries to the same area have a tendency to become chronic/permanent.


EDIT: I saw, after posting, that you have been riding for sometime and are likely familiar with all this (newbie advice), so perhaps this post was unnecessary. I will leave it up anyway, in case it helps someone else.

[b16h22]

Originally Posted by Nilesh5417

Has anyone felt a numbing pain in moving their right thumb after a long ride on the H450? I did a 200km ride 3-4 weeks ago, felt a persistent pain in my right thumb halfway and then had a stiff thumb that hurt on movement for 2-3 weeks. I simply could not figure out what caused this but feel it's probably the vibes in the accelerator that hit the thumb.

Do you have any health issues like carpal tunnel? Some vibey big singles can give you numb fingers after a long ride. But different riders have different tolerances.

[true_sedan]

Originally Posted by Nilesh5417

Has anyone felt a numbing pain in moving their right thumb after a long ride on the H450? I did a 200km ride 3-4 weeks ago, felt a persistent pain in my right thumb halfway and then had a stiff thumb that hurt on movement for 2-3 weeks. I simply could not figure out what caused this but feel it's probably the vibes in the accelerator that hit the thumb.

I concur with ExObliviones logic here. I agree with his solution too. Gripping the handlebar too tight may cause this. Grip your motorcycle with your thighs, lean forward slightly and relax your grip on the handlebar. That is not only the solution but also the correct way to ride any motorcycle irrespective of the speed, distance covered and time taken.

[bhansali_hardik]

I still wonder where did these guys use 500ml of lube and cleaner for my second service!

Absolute ASS the only reason why I used to stay away from RE after my first RE!

1.5 decades later the ASS is still stuck at the same place!

[RaviSk]

Originally Posted by RaviSk

I took my vehicle to the service center again. They checked the error code (three errors were showing) and performed a reset. The error disappeared, but I wasn’t entirely convinced since the same procedure had been done before. After scheduling a video call with the technical team, the local service checked every port and sensor while still on the video call. This process took nearly three hours, but no issues were found; everything seemed okay. They kept my vehicle overnight, and the next day, they took it for a 75 km test drive, but no errors appeared. The technical team advised the service center to replace the entire wiring, so one was ordered. I’ve driven my vehicle for 500 km since then, and no errors have appeared.

I’m now unsure whether to replace the wiring or not. I plan to take my vehicle for a stress test soon and will decide based on the results. I suspect that while they were checking the ports and wiring of the vehicle, they might have fixed a loose wire or another minor, causing the issue.

Originally Posted by RaviSk

Update after a long ride on 1600km : seems like "APS error" gone as of now. bike performed fluently. I still dont know what caused the error and what made it go away.

Update : vehicle is at 7800 km and APS sensor failure appeared again. will take my vehicle to service center once again.

[true_sedan]

Himalayan 450 3000 kilometre update:

Mods done: FuelX pro+, way2speed air filter
Oil change: Liquid gun semi synthetic @ 500 kilometres, amsoil 10w40 fully synthetic @ 2400 kilometres.

Impressions:
1) The big 450cc single puts a smile on my face everytime I wring it on the highway. The infamous buzz was not that bad to begin with but now is reduced significantly by 75% with the above upgrades. The pull in the 3rd, 4th and 5th gears are amazing and addictive. Gear shifts are slick and smooth.
2) No words to say about the suspension. Eats up potholes and undulations in a breath.
3) Rear brakes are excellent compared to the front ones. This is a surprise as most motorcycles have it the other way around.
4) Have switched to the 845mm seat height after 3000 kilometres. My knees are now at the correct height to grip the tank properly. Won't be going back to 825mm seat height. I'm 5'9".
5) The stock tyres are alright. Will switch to something better when the current ones wear out.
6) The instrument cluster works fine most of the times but the fuel reading and mode change function have a mind of its own. The fuel reading is stuck at full for a long time and starts to drop quite rapidly after the first bar. I just refuel on a hunch. Haven't updated the IC with OTA updates after hearing numerous horror stories. Just going by - "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." Will update at the service center during periodic service.
7) Adjusted the clutch free play - Mine came stock with a whopping 35mm of freeplay which is well beyond the normal range of 9-11mm (as per user manual). During REs test ride event I got the chance to check the freeplay in other Himalayans and found them to be well over the limit. QC issue or User Manual mistake? No clue.
8) FE has never been a concern. Gives 33-35 kmpl on highways and 30-32 kmpl in the city at setting 8 and 6 on fuelX respectively.

Overall it has been a fantastic experience riding, upgrading and maintaining the bike.

Our mischievous scratcher-in-chief just loves the gold rims:

[hikozaru]

Originally Posted by Nilesh5417

Has anyone felt a numbing pain in moving their right thumb after a long ride on the H450? I did a 200km ride 3-4 weeks ago, felt a persistent pain in my right thumb halfway and then had a stiff thumb that hurt on movement for 2-3 weeks. I simply could not figure out what caused this but feel it's probably the vibes in the accelerator that hit the thumb.

I get this from bikes that have a long reach to the brake lever and sometimes due to weird posture when rev matching. Unfortunately I permanently damaged my left hand this way with the clutch lever before I figured it out. I have no idea what OEMs are smoking because I use a XL size glove on most brands including international ones and if I have trouble reaching the levers, god help people with smaller hands. I strongly recommend adjusting the lever angle and trying out different hand positions first and if that does not work get adjustable levers or master cylinders.

[heinrici]

Originally Posted by hikozaru

I use a XL size glove on most brands including international ones and if I have trouble reaching the levers, god help people with smaller hands. I strongly recommend adjusting the lever angle and trying out different hand positions first and if that does not work get adjustable levers or master cylinders.

I have exactly the same issue. I use M size gloves and feel the the himalayan 450s clutch lever to be way out. Its much more than other bikes. It feels more than the himalayan 411 too. Operating the clutch with just two fingers puts too much strain on the hand. Have been searching online for adjustable levers but nothing to be found - it's still early days. I did see online videos where people have bent stock levers by heating with blowtorch but I suspect I may destroy the lever if I experiment with the blow torch.

[Sebring]

Check YouTuber Abhinav. He just got it installed

Originally Posted by rishi.roger

Also, anyone who may have tried both ECU and FuelX together ?