Royal Enfield’s old Himalayan 411 hit differently. In a world where motorcycles are becoming increasingly more sophisticated, not to mention more expensive, the Himmy was as old school as they came. A 24bhp adventure bike powered by a simple two-valve air-cooled single cylinder motor, with rudimentary cycle parts, it came with a brief to be able to tackle anything the rough roads of its native India could throw at it. Designed to be dropped, picked up and repairable without the need to be hooked up to a fancy dealership’s diagnostic computer, it came with a very affordable price tag and gained a huge cult following. Who knew there would be a market for a cheap yet well built and practical motorcycle…?
Alas the original Himalayan’s chapter has come to a close. It’s not the end of this lovable mountain goat though, as there’s an ‘all-new’ version for 2024 – and we’ve been out and about to try it for ourselves.
The brief might be the same but the platform is completely new. The star of the show is the new Sherpa 450 single cylinder engine. It kicks out 40 bhp @ 8,000 rpm, and 40 Nm @ 5,500 rpm, which is a big step from the previous generation’s 411cc motor, and it’s very much for the best. The old bike was ok within its parameters, but this is now much more competent on modern European roads. Where the old one could struggle to cruise at motorway speeds, the new Himalayan is instantly a more adept tourer by virtue of its extra power.
Sure it’s no sports bike but, out on the road, it feels great. Although the company is headquartered in India, Royal Enfield’s R&D department is in Leicestershire and staffed largely by British design engineers and test riders. They know how to make a bike for the British Isles, and it shows.
With the slick six-speed gearbox you can now comfortably cruise at highway speeds and have some fun on the twisties too. It might be one of the least powerful ‘big’ bikes you can buy but the throttle response is still engaging, with the new ride-by-wire electronics a giving fantastic feel. Acceleration isn’t much to write home about, thanks in no small part to the claimed 196kg wet weight, but it gets the job done. The bike does feel weighty to push around, not helped by the fact that our test bike had been modified by having pretty much every accessory option fitted – something which no doubt added a dozen or two more kilos.
The standard adjustable seat height comes in at 825-845mm, with an optional low seat at 805-825mm. This makes it a fairly tall bike but, thanks to the narrow seat, most will be able to flat foot with relative ease. That said, as a beginner bike some might be a bit intimidated – not so much by the performance but by the physical size. On the flip side, it’s more substantial than most A2 bikes on the market and that’ll be a real win for some. Where a lot of small bikes can feel a touch weedy, you’ll never throw such an accusation at the Royal Enfield Himalayan 450.
And there’s not much out there like it. Sure there are other A2 category adventure bikes but despite what their websites and marketing brochures might say, not many have the genuine ruggedness of the Enfield. Competitors like the Honda NX500, KTM 390 Adventure and BMW G 310 GS are all playing the same ‘small capacity adventure bike’ game but none are really approaching it from the same angle. They’re arguably all more refined but none have the big spoked wheels, generous ground clearance or the hewn from granite feeling the Indian bike inspires. Physically it is one of the biggest ‘small’ bikes on the market and pretty comfortable to boot, with low pegs providing plenty of legroom – while the high and wide ‘bars give a commanding riding position.
The motor is easy going but not bland, with some fun to be had when you rev it out. For those stepping into the A2 category for the first time, it’ll feel powerful coming from a 125, while for those downsizing it still has enough about it to be fun and practical, in a way the old 411 could feel lacking. It’s not at its happiest on dual carriageways, but on the twisty B-roads it is a proper hoot.
And it certainly looks the part, with its engine guards, that 21” front wheel, high mudguard and wide bars. It comes in a variety of paint schemes, all with different prices, ranging from the Kaza Brown at £5,750 to Kamet White at £6,250 (at the time of writing). Our test bike, as seen in the video, came fully loaded and added almost £2,000 to the base price. It feels like a lot of extra money, and the Himalayan is no longer the bargain it once was, but you’re still getting a fair bit of bang for your buck. One thing that was a bit Marmite though were the decals on our Kamet White machine, which are designed to look like the paint is peeling away. It could be a plus for some rugged adventurers, or a bit off-putting depending on your point of view.
And as a simple adventure bike the Himalayan has its strengths. Suspension is provided by Showa, with non-adjustable forks up front and a preload adjustable shock on the rear. The bike did feel a bit slow to turn at times, with some dive on the front under heavy braking, but only when pushing on. In its comfort zones, the long travel suspension does a great job at soaking up bumps. It feels stable in the corners and comfortable on the potentially pothole ridden straights.
Brakes come in the form of a 320mm single disc with a two-piston caliper strapped up front to a 21” spoked wheel, and a 270mm disc at the 17” rear. The switchable ABS is not intrusive, only stepping in under seriously hard, emergency-level, braking. Overall, the brakes are very capable, if a tad spongy. You’ve got 230mm of ground clearance to play with and while you probably wouldn’t buy one to regularly take off-road, it should be able to handle most of what you can throw at it, especially with some more appropriate rubber fitted. India is home to some of the roughest roads in the world and Enfields have historically been able to take a drop or two. Although the 450 is much higher specced (and quite a bit more expensive) than the 411 it replaces, the DNA remains the same.
The extra spec can be seen immediately with the 4” TFT display upfront. It blends modern and classic, with a clean, clear display featuring phone connectivity, full map navigation provided by Google Maps, media controls and auto dimming. Its well-designed and looks great. There is a handy USB type C charger and LED lighting all round.
There are four rider modes to choose from: Performance, Performance ABS off, Eco, Eco ABS off, although it’s essentially two rider modes with switchable ABS on each. We did try Eco, which brings a lazier throttle response and benefits to fuel economy, but most riders are likely to spend their time in Performance.
We really did enjoy our time with the new Himalayan. It’s a unique bike offering something a little different to A2 riders, and a great option for those looking for a bike a little smaller than their GS type machine. It doesn’t win much in the performance stakes, but then it doesn’t need to. If you want a Himalayan, you’re going to buy one because of its utilitarian appeal and not in spite of it. At the entry point of £5,750 it feels like is a brilliant machine which offers excellent value, but fully loaded like ours the price comes in at closer to £8,000, which moves it into a different territory. In Ireland, the prices start from €7,299.
The bike supplied to us for review featured silver adventure panniers, pannier rails, top box, top box mount (adding up to £1,086), rally protection (£259), adventure rider and passenger seat (£218), touring mirrors (£144), adventure windscreen (£89), radiator guard (£69), and a rally handlebar pad (£29). To buy a bike of this spec, you’ll be paying nearly £2000 over the base price. This isn’t to say the accessories weren’t good, because they were. The panniers felt robust and the locking mechanisms were intuitive and solid. The rally spec engine and sump guard would save you a few quid in a spill. The mirrors? Probably a bit overpriced... In the end, if you want to kit one of these out, you’re going to do it anyway – and because they are accessories rather than factory fit options you can always buy the base machine and add the extra bits when you need or can afford them.
The old Himalayan gained a real cult following and the latest 450 brings the model up to date without losing too much of its original appeal. It’s not as simple or inexpensive as the old air-cooled model, but that was never going to be possible when faced with the need to meet the latest emissions regulations. On the plus side, the 450 is likely to have a more mainstream appeal, with its extra sophistication and top speed making it a more capable all-rounder than before. It will be interesting to see how these changes translate to sales, but for sure it’s a much more rounded motorcycle than the machine it replaced.
Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 specification
Price: £5,750 (UK)/€7,299 (Ireland)
Engine: 452cc, liquid-cooled, four-valve, single cylinder
Power: 40bhp @ 8,000rpm
Torque: 40Nm @ 5,500rpm
Suspension: 43mm telescopic upside down front fork. Linkage type rear monoshock.
Wheels: Spoked 21” front and 17” rear
Tyres: Tubeless, front 90/90-21, rear 140/80-17
Weight: 196kg (wet)
Seat height: 825-845mm
Fuel tank: 17 litres
Contact: www.royalenfield.com
