About two months after its launch, the new Royal Enfield Himalayan won the coveted Indian Motorcycle of the Year (IMOTY) 2024 award. It became instantly evident that this is a motorcycle that has many surprises in store and we look forward to discovering all of them now that it has joined our long-term garage.
The Hanle Black paint scheme is the most expensive of the lot and, undoubtedly, the most handsome choice, too, because those golden wheels feature in every conversation someone has struck up about the motorcycle. The new instrument cluster is also a topic that has received mixed reactions from people. While there are those who prefer the conventional dials, some others also agree that the navigation feature does have its uses.
The motorcycle arrived with a few kilometres on the odometer and we have run it in diligently. The first service was due at 450 kilometres and that went well. Kings Auto at Baner, Pune, did it quickly and we expect to see them next at 4,900 km.
Despite its size, the Himalayan has not been difficult to ride within the city and the only time I am reminded of its heft is while trying to move it around. Long rides and exploring new trails are naturally among the things I have planned for this motorcycle. It would be great if Royal Enfield made those cross-spoke wheels available soon because the dependence on tubes inside its tyres seems to be the only significant chink in its armour at the moment.
Update: 10 May 2024
Ridden: 1,600 km
Like: Manoeuvrability, suspension
Dislike: Effort to get it off the side-stand
My first off-road experience with our Himalayan in Pune took place on a trail strewn with rocks, soft sand, and gravel.
On the rocky sections, the first couple of gears had their work cut out for them. That is where I appreciated the weight distribution of the motorcycle and the low-end grunt of its engine. It was not a lot of work to point the Himalayan along a path between the rocks and its weight was evident only when I had to slow down considerably. On the bits with gravel, it was happy to use up to fourth gear and just blaze along at good pace. The 21-inch wheel made short work of the imperfections and the long-travel suspension absorbed the shocks well. Unless I did something to provoke it on purpose, it was not easy to unsettle the Himalayan. Even when the tail slid a few times, it corrected itself without any input on my part.
The section with soft sand is what got me. It requires one to maintain momentum using the right technique, so that is something I will be looking forward to improving. After that, I parked the motorcycle on the side to catch my breath and the view made me realise something. There may be many scenic riding roads around the world but the peace and tranquillity offered by a location far removed from the road is unmatched. Fortunately, for as long as we have the Himalayan, those locations are well within reach.
Update: 10 June 2024
Ridden: 2,000 km
Like: Ground clearance, torque spread
Dislike: Console glitches
The Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 has been instrumental in developing my skill on the dirt. Learning with this motorcycle has improved my confidence when it comes to riding much larger ADVs off road. However, an unfortunate encounter between an under-inflated front tyre and a stubborn rock awarded the beautiful golden 21-inch front rim a small dent. It is on such rare occasions that one is thankful for tube-type tyres.
To forget about that escapade, more tarmac time was necessary and we saw an opportunity to fine-tune this motorcycle to our requirements. In stock form, this Royal Enfield is capable of achieving a top speed in excess of 150 km/h but that is a pace I rarely need. Quicker acceleration and the ability to run a higher gear in town, on the other hand, work well for me.
As an experiment, we lowered the gearing and it has brought the motorcycle closer to what we needed it to be. The kind of pace that once demanded nothing lower than third gear is now achievable with fourth. Some top speed had to be sacrificed but on a casual morning ride, we did see a little more than 140 km/h in sixth gear around 8,000 rpm; which is more than enough for me. Off the road also, things have become easier because now I have the option of running either first or second gear through some tight technical sections.
By the way, we have got our hands on a piece of after-market kit to further improve performance and refinement. More on that next time.
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