Royal Enfield will be launching the updated Himalayan adventure motorcycle on 7 November 2023. The excitement leading up to the launch is palpable among motorcycle enthusiasts, especially those looking at a mid-capacity motorcycle. In fact, of late the 400 cc – 650 cc segment is where the bulk of the action is, with recent launches like the Triumph Speed 400 and Scrambler 400 X, Harley Davidson X 440, and KTM 390 Duke.
In this new series of Cars, Bikes and Conversation, we explore the Himalayan 452:
The Himalayan created quite a buzz when it was first launched in early 2016. It was seen as the answer to all those looking to make the Ladakh pilgrimage, hitherto done on Classic 350s, 500s or the odd Bullet, kitted out with ungainly metal frames to carry extra fuel and baggage. So popular were Royal Enfield motorcycles on the Ladakh circuit, that the company just had to create a bike that paid homage to the territory – the Himalayan. And the 411 cc bike did not disappoint. It was the company’s first adventure tourer, complete with the requisite ground clearance, instrumentation, robust suspension and overall rugged build to tackle anything thrown at it yet keep the rider comfortable across varied terrain.
There were a few shortcomings. The 411 cc, long-stroke, air-oil cooled motor was just about adequate, but with competition from the KTM 390 Adventure to the Triumph Tiger or BMW GS series of bikes, as well as legendary names like Jawa and Yezdi, the Himalayan needed more power.
And that’s where the new Himalayan 452 (perhaps it will be called the 450), comes in. It is equipped with an all-new single-cylinder 452 cc fuel-injected motor that is completely liquid cooled. Liquid-cooling isn’t new to this segment – the KTMs, Bajaj Dominar, Jawas, Triumphs and even the Hero Karizma all have liquid-cooled motors. But it is new to Royal Enfield.
The liquid-cooled motor has much better thermal efficiency, allowing for higher tolerances and therefore more power! Leaked spec sheets suggest the Himalayan 450 will put out about 40 bhp of power (compared to 24 bhp on the 411 cc) and perhaps torque in the range of 40-45 Nm. Going by the power specs on the KTM 390 motors and the Triumph, this is par for the course. Mated to the motor will be a 6-speed gearbox (the Himalayan was a 5-speed earlier), giving the bike a better top-speed and better cruising ability, also improving efficiency.
The motor aside, the bike also likely gets an all-new chassis, revised suspension geometry and a whole lot of electronics that come with the package. Seen the spy shots is a multi-functional single-pod instrument panel that has in-built navigation, tacho, speedometer, gear shift indicator and more. Dual channel ABS is standard, which would perhaps be switchable as well.
Royal Enfield enthusiasts, we await your opinion of the motorcycle on November 7. Watch this space.
