Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 Review: Revolution, not Evolution! | TOI Auto
Royal Enfield Himalayan 450: Design changes
The new Himalayan 450 has changed a lot when it comes to the design language. Gone is the boxy and utilitarian design of the original ADV and now you have a more modern and curvy look. I was initially sceptical about the looks of the new bike but I can assure you that it looks much better in person than in pictures.
At the front is an LED headlamp that replaces the halogen unit on the old bike. We have seen this same unit in the 650 bikes and its performance on those motorcycles is average. However, I will reserve my judgment about the lights until I get to test myself at a later date. Above the new headlamp is a familiar-looking windscreen that is good for deflecting some of the windblast at higher speeds. My favourite visual change has to be the sleek LED turn indicators that look modern and are easily visible too. An interesting design choice at the rear is the lack of a tail lamp….well a conventional one at least. To increase the wheel travel at the rear, Royal Enfield did away with a conventional tail lamp and instead integrated that functionality in the rear turn indicators. So, you now have two stoplights effectively. The exhaust on the Himalayan 450 is shorter and flatter so that it does not come in contact with any obstacles or objects in the environment on a narrow trail.
Overall, the new Himalayan looks much more modern and has a forward-facing design stance which does grow on you as time goes by. People who were fans of the rough and rugged design of the old one will probably not be too happy about the new look.
Royal Enfield Himalayan 450: New instrument cluster
Another change that might draw divided opinions among the masses is the new 4-inch digital instrument cluster. This digital display replaces the multi-dial design of the old Himalayan. Even I was a fan of the old console and how it had a mix of analogue gauges and digital ones too. The new display itself is rather good and easily visible even under harsh sunlight. It even gets light and dark mode options that can be toggled automatically or manually.
The main highlight of the display is the fact that users can pair their smartphones to the bike and get navigation and music controls on it. If you use the Royal Enfield app, you can set a route and the instrument cluster will display a proper map just like it would on your phone. These maps are powered by Google Maps so the accuracy is great. It also shows turn-by-turn navigation in case you do not want your screen to be dominated just by the map. Royal Enfield is on the right track with the new display but could do with a few tweaks to make it more intuitive.
If you are using navigation then you have to lock the phone screen by tapping on a button in the Royal Enfield app and not lock the phone like we normally do. If you lock it using the lock button, the on-screen map function is not available and you can only see turn-by-turn navigation. The new joystick used to navigate through the menus is good for the most part but I feel it is a little too sensitive to inputs right now. Especially while riding, I found myself accidentally pushing it left or right when I actually meant to click it in.
Royal Enfield Himalayan 450: Ergonomics
The new design has resulted in some major changes when it comes to how you sit on the motorcycles. The standard seat has been raised from 800 mm to 825 mm. This seat can be raised up by another 20 mm without the use of any tools. It is great that Royal Enfield is making the process easier and a great news for taller riders too. I, being 6 feet tall, could not completely have both my feet flat on the ground. This is also due to the increased width of the seat and the motorcycle in general. For shorter riders, the company has a low seat height option reducing the figure down to 805 mm. This seat too can be raised up by 20 mm. Despite this, the new Himalayan 450 is going to be a bit more cumbersome to manage than the older one.
The new split seat setup provides enough room for one to sit and is plenty comfortable too. I spent most of my time standing on the pegs and the motorcycle felt easy to manage in that position too. I really liked the position of the gear lever as it was never an issue getting my foot under or over it for a quick gear change. When seated, you have a nice and neutral riding position which is ideal for long rides on highways.
The handlebar is wide and the switches on it have been placed well within reach. While the quality levels all around are good, the dials for the lights and engine kill switch are made out of visibly cheap plastic.
Royal Enfield Himalayan 450: Engine performance
The moment I started riding the bike, I was surprised….a lot. This does not feel like a Royal Enfield at all. It is not harsh or vibey and it even stops very well!
The new 452 cc, single-cylinder engine gets dual overhead camshafts and liquid cooling. It even comes with a ride-by-wire system Not only does this new Sherpa 450 engine produce more power, it also revs higher. Now, the Himalayan produces 39.6 hp and 40 Nm, making the power figure almost double what the previous model produced. Even the torque has also gone up by a healthy 8 Nm. Now, I cannot comment much on how powerful the bike feels because we are in the Himalayas where air is at a premium and the bike was actually only producing around 28 hp. What I can say is that there is plenty of torque lower in the rev range which is what you would want from an ADV. Even as you pull on the accelerator on an open highway stretch, the engine feels a lot happier than the previous bike. The weight has gone down by 3 kg and with the higher power output, I would love to see what it can do at sea level.
The refinement of the engine is also commendable. You can easily cruise at triple-digit speed without feeling any vibes and that is also partially due to the new 6-speed gearbox. The additional gear gives the bike long legs. Even the gear shifts are buttery smooth and the slip and assist clutch makes the clutch operation effortless. This bike does not fight with you when you change gears. Once you cross the 4,500 rpm mark, the vibrations start to kick in but I did not mind them much through the mountain twisties. New to the bike are riding modes and you get four in total – Eco ABS On, Eco ABS Off, Performance ABS On, and Performance ABS Off. The Eco mode does not limit the power and torque but does make the throttle response more gentle. While I did try the Eco mode, I feel that most people would just be better off keeping the bike in Performance mode.
Royal Enfield Himalayan 450: Ride and handling
There is a new 43 mm USD fork at the front of the new Himalayan and the suspension has been tuned by Showa. The suspension along with the tyres makes this a beast when you go off-road. You still get a 21-inch tyre at the front and a 17-inch at the rear, however, there is a radial tyre at the rear now. This makes the bike a lot more agile and confidence-inspiring on the road. I was surprised at how much I could push and lean around corners on this ADV. Coming back to off-road riding, the bike was able to slash through gravel and sand without much fuss. The terrain threw very big rocks in our way and even threw some tight turns but the suspension was adeptly dealing with all the undulations. With the Himalayan 450, Royal Enfield is offering tubless spoked rims. These were fitted onto our test units but the bikes will not be sporting them at launch due to homologation reasons. Once the technology is available, it will be a great option to get for people who do not want to deal with the hassles of a tyre with tubes.
Royal Enfields were infamous for having weak brakes in the past. While that has changed for the better with the recent bikes, the Himalayan takes it to the next level. The front brake has good progression and enough stopping power. Out on the road, I relied heavily on the front brake to bring me down to a manageable speed as I slowed down to enter a tight hairpin. The rear brake also has a sharp bite, however, I did find that it is a bit too sharp. Even a relatively light tap on the brake lever can generate a lot of stopping force. Once you switch off the rear ABS, it becomes very easy to lock the rear wheel. So, the rear brake could definitely do with a more gentle tuning.
Royal Enfield Himalayan 450: Verdict
The Himalayan 450 feels like a product of love and has stepped up the game significantly. It is lighter, more powerful, has more tech and is more beginner-friendly. While the prices for the new model will be revealed on November 24, I do know that it will be a bit more expensive than the outgoing model for obvious reasons. However, knowing Royal Enfield, it will still be priced very competitively and cause a headache for the competition. If priced right, the Himalayan 450 will be an instant recommendation for anyone looking to explore not just the Himalayas but the entire country on two wheels.
