[on2wheels]

Originally Posted by lionell

I have been quoted 26k for Zero Dep insurance by Big Wing Goa. So I think this price is good. Any one else quoting above 30k is just making a heavy margin.

I checked with Oriental; they quoted 35k. Magna Insurance quoted 24.5k but I don't trust them. Went ahead with ICICI Lombard directly and paid 29k instead of 33k quoted by the showroom guys.

[pankajbhoir46]

Originally Posted by dinesh_redhawk

4) First one is 1000/1month and then 6k kms/6 months. All Paid service as this is a CBU unit.

Mumbai sales guy conveyed service intervals as 1000km/1 month & then 10k kms/1 year. Can you please confirm if 6k kms/6 months is what mentioned in owners manual ?

Mumbai dealer seems to have no information regarding delivery schedule, all they tell is they can confirm only when shipment is on its way to India. No information on Extended warranty or availability/pricing details of accessories. Strange that dealers are just collecting bookings and have no information whatsoever. Curious to know if this is common for all Honda premium bikes.

Such helpless situation will surely kill the excitement of getting a new bike & eventually many will give up on this frustrating waiting game & buy something else.

[Indraneel Bhat]

Originally Posted by true_sedan

But my brain tells me that you can buy two Himalayans for the price of one NX.

Only Ajay Devgan will be able to ride both your Himalayans simultaneously
Read GTOs thread on why buying an expensive car can work out cheaper. The logic is sound even with motorcycles:

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/buyin...to-longer.html (How a more expensive car can work out cheaper (if you hold onto it for longer))

I haven't done a cost analysis myself, though.

Secondly test ride them and see which bikes talks to you. Then the brand and other things don't matter.

[lionell]

Originally Posted by pankajbhoir46

Mumbai dealer seems to have no information regarding delivery schedule, all they tell is they can confirm only when shipment is on its way to India.

Maybe not the case with all dealers. The dealer here in Goa is very clear about Honda not having any accessories for the time being for this side of the region which includes Maharasthra as well.

He also mentioned that the shipment will be on its way only in April for the white as per the circular sent by Honda. Delivery of Black and Red are to happen throug Feb-Mar-Apr based on the bookings.

[Sebring]

Even the dealer in Bengaluru is very clear, keeps me updated on the shipments etc. The Honda Bigwing service also rocks!

[RiderS]

Thanks for the detailed review!

I have booked one, yet to test drive as the bike in my place is yet to get RTO clearance.
My usage would be as a tourer and main considerations given are parallel twin engine, a good handler and Honda build quality.

[Cyborg]

Originally Posted by true_sedan

My heart tells me to buy the NX500. But my brain tells me that you can buy two Himalayans for the price of one NX.

In the case of the Himalayan you might need two because one would always be at the service centre for something or the other

Kidding, but surely a Honda big bike will always be in a different league in every way (reliability, smoothness etc etc) to anything that Royal Enfield brings out, especially a completely new or first time endeavour.

One always gets what one pays for. For me if peace of mind is a factor and I have the budget then it has to be Honda.

Cheers

[true_sedan]

Originally Posted by Cyborg

In the case of the Himalayan you might need two because one would always be at the service centre for something or the other
Kidding, but surely a Honda big bike will always be in a different league in every way (reliability, smoothness etc etc) to anything that Royal Enfield brings out, especially a completely new or first time endeavour.

RE Himalayan 450 ain't that bad. That's what confuses me big time. I've driven it in Ladakh for over 1000 kilometres. Albeit a half decent rented bike. The biggest advantage RE has over honda is the suspension(best in class), all terrain capability, scope for innumerous modifications according to ones' liking and the expansive service network. The only area i would consider the honda to be superior is the twin cylinder engine that's vibration free. Otherwise the differences are thin between the two.
Honda BigWing Coimbatore is clueless as to when the test drive bikes would arrive, if at all they do. As per my recent communication with them they have 14 bookings for the bike with the red color in high demand. It would be of tremendous help, if anyone who has test driven both in other cities could elaborate in the vibrations between the two.

[Cyborg]

Originally Posted by true_sedan

The only area i would consider the honda to be superior is the twin cylinder engine that's vibration free. Otherwise the differences are thin between the two.

It would be of tremendous help, if anyone who has test driven both in other cities could elaborate in the vibrations between the two.

I haven’t ridden this particular Honda but I have ridden the new Himalayan.

I found the Himalayan to be not bad at all for the price it’s offered at. But realistically speaking there can never be a comparison between a single and twin in vibrations, it’s really an unfair contest.

Secondly - a vibration test between any Royal Enfield and a Honda there can never be any winner other than Honda. Clean vibration free bikes are Honda’s strength and vibrations are Royal Enfield’s strength which is normally passed off as character by the faithful.

As I mentioned earlier if I would have the budget and am thinking of a peaceful (generally) ownership experience I would blindly pick the Honda.

Cheers

[amyntor]

Originally Posted by true_sedan

Excellent point by point review. I'm curious to know why you dropped the Himalayan 450 from consideration? I'm in the same boat as you. My heart tells me to buy the NX500. But my brain tells me that you can buy two Himalayans for the price of one NX.

I can share my perspective here.

I test road the new Himalayan recently. I wasn't originally planning on doing it but the other day I passed the Royal Enfield dealer near my home and I saw the Kaza Brown Himalayan parked outside. Figured I'd see what all the hype was about.

First off, the bike looks solid. The paint, the finish, and that big bike vibe it has going on? Spot on. It's a looker, no doubt about it. I spoke with the SA and asked for a test ride. He immediately agreed and handed over the keys but mentioned that a mechanic would tag along for the ride.

So I went off around on small town roads with the odd pothole here and there, covering a total of 4 kilometers. As someone who's been riding a Honda CB350, here are my observations.

Pros:
1. Although the Himmy 450 felt heavy when I sat on it and lifted it off the side stand, all that weight slowly disappeared as I started it and got moving.
2. Being 5'10", I could easily touch the ground with both feet - a big plus.
3. The suspension is top-notch, definitely a cut above the rest in this price range.
3. Didn't feel any heat from the engine, though it might just be because the bike's still new.
4. Helpful console with all the information you would need.
5. Excellent brakes, much much better than the old Himmy's.
6. Pulls cleanly from slower speeds albeit feeling slightly lethargic.

Cons:
1. I liked the cycle part but the motor? Not so much. The engine felt very crude and unrefined.
2. There is a noticeable buzz in the handlebars across the entire rev range that could get annoying or worse, uncomfortable, on longer rides.
3. Not suited for slow and sedate rides. It starts knocking if you are in the 3rd gear doing 30 kmph or less.
4. Vibrations, when they begin, spread everywhere. To the handlebars, tank, seat, and footpegs.
5. Heard some rattling from the front end. The mechanic said it might be the wiring.

Might seem a bit harsh judging it with just 183 km on the odo and before its first service, but that was my take.

Jumping back on my CB350 after the test ride, the difference was night and day. The CB350 felt smoother, the clutch lighter, and overall, a more refined ride compared to the Himalayan. It felt like coming home, if you get what I mean.

[on2wheels]

Originally Posted by true_sedan

RE Himalayan 450 ain't that bad. That's what confuses me big time. I've driven it in Ladakh for over 1000 kilometres. Albeit a half decent rented bike. The biggest advantage RE has over honda is the suspension(best in class), all terrain capability, scope for innumerous modifications according to ones' liking and the expansive service network. The only area i would consider the honda to be superior is the twin cylinder engine that's vibration free. Otherwise the differences are thin between the two.
Honda BigWing Coimbatore is clueless as to when the test drive bikes would arrive, if at all they do. As per my recent communication with them they have 14 bookings for the bike with the red color in high demand. It would be of tremendous help, if anyone who has test driven both in other cities could elaborate in the vibrations between the two.

Apologies for a very long response. Not sure how helpful it'll be, but here's my opinion. I own and still ride a 2016 BS3 (first lot) Himalayan. I was on the lookout for a bike to upgrade. I rode the KTM 390 Adventure x, Scrambler 400x, and the Himalayan 450.

I had booked the Scrambler in June right after its global unveiling, but had my heart set on the Himalayan. Came October and I rode the Scrambler and was mighty impressed with how easy to ride it was and that beautiful engine, at least in the low to mid rev range. I was also surprised by how well the suspension has been tuned to absorb anything on your way, despite the considerably less suspension/wheel travel than my Himalayan.

I then went to test ride the Himalayan with unreasonably high expectations. The minute I straddled it, I thought this was the bike for me. It had the big bike feeling I was looking for and the sense of sitting IN the bike and not ON it that I'm used to, something missing on the Scrambler. I didn't get the same feeling of the bike being 'top-heavy', as a lot of influencers would have you believe. The suspension is probably the best in the segment by miles. I didn't even feel any 'vibrations' up to the 90-100 kmph speeds I was able to reach in the fairly short 15 minute ride. What put me off completely were two things - the engine and the exhaust note.

This might be completely personal, but that Sherpa 450 is not a very tractable engine. The Scrambler was able to pull clean from 25 kmph in 5th gear while the Himalayan threw tantrums even at 45 kmph in 5th. Again, you may get used to or learn to ride it in city in lower speeds, but I am spoilt by the old Himalayan's tractor-like engine, as well as the Scrambler. And I'm not a fan of the exhaust note either and this is something I hold more important than most other aspects of a bike. You should be able to hear that 'music' while riding but I didn't enjoy the music Himalayan was playing.

I immediately struck it out of my list. Trust on RE was another major factor in coming to this decision. No doubt they've come a long way in the 8 years since the first Himalayan, I wasn't feeling too adventurous to take the risk again. For reference, I've had the entire chassis replaced on my Himalayan 3 days before leaving for Ladakh.

And right when I was planning to take the delivery of the Scrambler came the news of Honda planning to launch the NX500. I had always liked the CB500x but it was out of budget when it was selling in India. I ran some calculations and figured I could afford it this time around. I booked the Red color but later changed to Black. Since I wanted BH registration, which is still not available to private sector employees in Bangalore, I got it from Delhi. My brother took the delivery this past Wednesday and rode it to Dehradun. Already done 372 km in 2 days. He was not in favor of spending this much on a bike, but was all smiles after the ride. Can't wait to go home and ride it back to Bangalore.

Hope you are able to make up your mind and buy the bike your heart and pocket tell you to. Good luck!

[Sebring]

The influencers were also raving about the 'buzz free engine' before launch. Now everyone is doing a U turn

Originally Posted by on2wheels

I didn't get the same feeling of the bike being 'top-heavy', as a lot of influencers would have you believe.

[Red Liner]

Originally Posted by Sebring

The influencers were also raving about the 'buzz free engine' before launch. Now everyone is doing a U turn

That is precisely why I advised everyone who spoke to me about this bike - DO NOT rush and do anything until you get a test ride bike for a half day. And yeah wait 6 months for the hype to die off.

[Sebring]

And you know I always value your advice. But touch-wood, no complaints so far with my 450

Originally Posted by Red Liner

That is precisely why I advised everyone who spoke to me about this bike - DO NOT rush and do anything until you get a test ride bike for a half day. And yeah wait 6 months for the hype to die off.

[on2wheels]

Originally Posted by on2wheels

My brother took the delivery this past Wednesday and rode it to Dehradun. Already done 372 km in 2 days.

Sharing a few pictures here.