[malky]

The Himalayan unveil film is on YouTube.

[Richard230]

That is an interesting video:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMb_HSvGZyo

The press introduction of the Himalayan was not exactly up to BMW or Ducati standards (to say the least - it was out in the middle of nowhere and used a large background photo to simulate a Himalayan location), but it got the idea across.  I noted that there are no plans right now to export the Himalayan beyond India (which probably is a good idea with a brand new model).  The bike's price will not be announced until mid-March.  It is nice to see what appears to be a modern factory building the engine. Also the engine finally has a vibration balancer, no doubt a welcome addition to the design.  There was some mention of the instrument panel being able to provide a relatively wide range of information, such as a compass, but the display was not shown.

I was kind of taken aback when it was mentioned that RE had no idea how well the Himalayan would sell, as they felt it was going into an entirely new market category. They seemed to be saying that they felt that if they built it a new market would be established and it would sell, but they really have no idea in what volume. Kind of odd for a modern manufacturer of anything to make that statement. 

I really think the bike should do well in India as a practical vehicle (depending on the price), but they will have to keep building the Bullet to hang on to the traditionalists. I also got a kick out of one of the questions regarding RE's push for fancy boutique sales stores in India. The implication was that it might be going in the wrong direction for the typical India motorcycle customer. All in all an interesting and informative video. You can go to minute 30 and miss half an hour of hot air.   

[Kevin Mahoney]

I think Richard makes some very good points. RE is opening a new market in India. Remember they virtually own the leisure bike market which was a happy acccident of the emerging middle class along with an iconic brand. I think India is ready for this next phase. You are also right that it may be a long time before we see them here because the bike has a carburetor. Here is my take on it and it is only a partial examination of the launch

Been a lot posted around the net today about the official introduction of the Himalayan and thought we would post from this Indian trade magazine to put it all together.
As the former US distributor we have been involved with bike development with RE for over 16 years. The Himalayan is without a doubt the best planned and executed launch ever done by the company illustrating it's growing sophistication.
The GT was "introduced" and promised for three consecutive years with no product available. When they were finally available it was long after the "fever" had passed. RE did not do a total reveal of the Himalayan until it was ready and apparently within a month of product actually being available. The Himalayan took much longer to develop than RE expected and kudos to them for waiting and getting it right.
I think that Royal Enfield hit the nail squarely on the head in design, performance and execution for it's intended market. The price is really aggressive and will position them perfectly in the marketplace. I think this is their best new offering ever for many reasons and could be the beginning of a new chapter for RE.
Two thumbs up! - Kevin Mahoney
http://www.indianbikenews.com/…/royal-enfield-himalayan.html

[Richard230]

Motorcycle.com has picked up the story:

http://www.motorcycle.com/manufacturer/royal-enfield/2016-royal-enfield-himalayan-revealed.html

[Richard230]

More about the Himalayan. This time from RideApart:

https://rideapart.com/articles/royal-enfield-himalayan-update-world-announcement-details-photos

[ROVERMAN]

I loved the A-Holes that commented below the rideapart  article. What the hell is wrong with people?
Roverman.

[heloego]

   Other than the one that gives his reasons up front why he'd never own a RE, most all the rest don't seem to have a clue.
   Personally, the damned thing is growing on me.   
   I just can't reconcile the reasoning behind the two front mudguards, unless the upper is for deflecting splash from a creek or river.
   Or am I missing something?

[mattsz]

I loved the A-Holes that commented below the rideapart  article. What the hell is wrong with people?
Roverman.

Roverman - how many times have I told you (I know, probably none) - never read the comments...

[ace.cafe]

   Other than the one that gives his reasons up front why he'd never own a RE, most all the rest don't seem to have a clue.
   Personally, the damned thing is growing on me.   
   I just can't reconcile the reasoning behind the two front mudguards, unless the upper is for deflecting splash from a creek or river.
   Or am I missing something?

The other bikes in the category have high-mounted  front mudguard, so the Himalayan does too. Certain expected  styling accents are aimed at the category, regardless that the lower mudguard should do fine alone.

[motomataya]

If you have ever ridden in clay/mud with a low mounted fender you would understand. Your front wheel will stop spinning if there is enough clay involved. Of course that doesn't explain the dual front fender set up.

[Richard230]

If you have ever ridden in clay/mud with a low mounted fender you would understand. Your front wheel will stop spinning if there is enough clay involved. Of course that doesn't explain the dual front fender set up.

I think that is for looks.  I believe that BMW started the trend with their GS models and everyone else just followed the dual front fender "beak" styling when designing their ADV models. Now (I guess) dual front fenders are the mark of an dual-sport and ADV motorcycle design.     Apparently they don't seem to need them on true off-road motorcycles, though.   

[ace.cafe]

The Bullets which have been traversing the Himalayas for a half century all had regular mudguards. Suddenly a "need" for a faux high mudguard?

[Arizoni]

The upper "fender" is just a styling gimmick like the "spoiler" or "air dam" that was stuck on the back of unsporty cars to make them look sporty back in the '80's and 90's.

I suspect they started with the early ADV bikes and when they found the high mounted fender didn't work worth a damn except to deflect large rocks, they added a real fender down close to the wheel.

Of course by that time the high mounted fender had become "IT" and they couldn't take if off without spoiling the looks of the motorcycle.

[ROVERMAN]

Right on Mattsz, i was bored, won't happen again.

[mattsz]

 

[Richard230]

The May (already?) issue of Motorcyclist magazine, on page 10, contains a one-page article about the new Royal Enfield Himalayan. It has three nice photos of the bike and a couple of paragraphs that say pretty much what you already know.  The only new piece of "information" is that the magazine mentions Indian "estimates" of the bike's price as being $3,000 USD. However, the editors are not buying it and believe that $5,000 is more likely.  What isn't mentioned (I guess they didn't watch the entire introduction video) is that RE has no plans to export the Himalayan to the U.S., or anywhere else for that matter, at this time.

Oddly, they compare the size of the Himalayan to the Yamaha FZ-07. 

[Ice]

 Selling above MSRP due to demand exceeding supply, perhaps that may be what they are eluding to ?


 

[Arizoni]

There are many in India who are test riding the Himalayan and writing their views about it.

The current price to buy one including everything to get it on the road was given as 177,000 rupee's.

At todays exchange rate that would be $2666.47

That wouldn't be the price in the US if they decided to import it though.

It would need modifications to meet DOT and EPA requirements.
These would all raise the price some and then, one has to add the price of shipping it half way around the world.

[Ice]

 With the tighter control of the valves that overhead cams provide it could possibly make emissions standards here as a carb/cat design but today's consumer will expect EFI.
 In the official launch video Mr. Lal mentioned EFI and ABS for it being ready to go.

[meph1st0]

I took a short test ride of the motorcycle.
-It has very good ergonomics, motor is very tractable, seats comfortable, very easy to ride standing on pegs (Pegs are palced slightly behind compared to current offerings). Brakes felt adequate, disc brakes front and read with steel braided lines.
-Windscreen could have been of better quality, used to flutter a lot.
-Could hear a lot of engine clatter which was quite disturbing but this could be due to abuse on test ride motorcycle (some others who tested in other showrooms did not mention this)
-First gear can go all the way to 60kmph around 7000 rpm. Motor is vibration free even at higher rpm (found it smoother than my Harley Street 750). Couldn't check top end or highway speeds, will go for longer test ride once the initial rush subsides.
-Suspension is really nice, soaks bumps, potholes, road undulations effortlessly. Bash plate is of good quality.
-Overall fit and finish much better than all REs in the current stable.
-Himalayan is a BS3 compliant motorcycle and it cannot go for sale at all metros in India. It sure cannot be sold in US.
-EFI should be available at later part of year, ABS if government makes it mandatory.
-Overall a good bike, priced well (not many options in this category with Triumph tiger priced 6 to 7 times) and I might go for it

[Ice]

 I think you are the first member here to actually test ride a Himalayan.

 Thank you !

 If you do get one please be prepared for lots of questions 

[Bill Harris]

Check this out.  I like it and I think you'll like it too. 

http://www.motorcyclespecs.co.za/model/Royal%20Enfield/Royal_Enfield_Himalayan.htm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMb_HSvGZyo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aa-3xPJ1kGU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSdInyfUD8M
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Cip8c0o5Qs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVNThOAK9Vg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ib9eFlxFCNY

Royal Enfield people are good people

Cheers,
Bill

[Ice]

 Having a tough time deciding whether to get the flat black one or the gloss white one.

 Flat black doesn't care about dirt but white goes better with decals.

 

[Arizoni]

On a Indian forum, someone posted a few pages of the Himalayan Owners Manual which I found interesting.

A large number of people seem to think the recommended break in speeds given for the Royal Enfield 500's are too low and they are just a carry over from the days of the old Iron Barrel.
According to a table in the Himalayan's manual, they are not.

For those interested, here's the max recommended speeds for the first 500km (300 miles).

1st gear = 15 kmph (9 mph)
2nd gear = 25 kmph (16 mph)
3rd gear = 30 kmph (19 mph)
4th gear = 45 kmph (28 mph)
5th gear = 60 kmph (37 mph)

For 501-2000 km (311-1240 miles) the max break in speed recommended are:

1st gear = 20 kmph (12.4 mph)
2nd gear = 30 kmph (19 mph)
3rd gear = 40 kmph (25 mph)
4th gear = 55 kmph (34 mph)
5th gear = 80 kmph (50 mph)

If anything, these are more restrictive than the UCE break in.  At least the UCE manual said the break in period was done after 1000 Km or 600 miles.
 
Also, some of the things the manual recommends replacing seem rather odd to me:

Clutch plates = 15000 Km, 30000 Km and 45000 Km.

Front & rear brake pads, drive chain & sprocket set and Cush Drive rubber = 10000 Km, 20000 Km, 30000 Km, 40000 Km...

[Kevin Mahoney]

I can tell you with complete certainty that there is not much real science that has gone into RE's break in recommendations. Most of it is carry over from what was always done in the past. For example the rings in UCE engines don't really need to be seated but the factory made a purposeful decision not to bring that up to owners. That may change with the next iteration of engines since RE has hired some top notch engineers to work on the upcoming engines. The twin was pretty far along when they came onboard so it remains to be seen how much influence they have on that engine.

The Iron Barrels really did need to be broken in very carefully.All based on the dissipation or lack thereof of heat from the combustion process. An iron barrel can easily make more heat than it can dissipate when new. The alloy barrel in the AVL took care of that. The UCE engine is brilliant at getting rid of heat. I have copies of some thermal testing results that show the amount of effort that RE put into this.

My guess is that most Himalayan's  will not be used in the mountains where the clutch, brakes etc. will need to be replaced like the factory suggests. Like most 4WD vehicles, Dual Sport bikes etc.  in the US they will rarely if ever go off road. Here in southern AZ because there is no snow they commonly remind drivers to put their vehicles into 4WD a couple of times a year just to make sure it even works.

[DanKearney]

-Himalayan is a BS3 compliant motorcycle and it cannot go for sale at all metros in India.

What's that mean?


Cheers,


Dan K.

[Ice]

What's that mean?

Cheers,

Dan K.

  Baharat Stage 3 equates to Euro 3 for the most part.   
 
 The Himalayan was launched before the BS4 applicability date. The temporary sales ban in the City of New Delhi raised a few eyebrows.

http://www.ibtimes.co.in/royal-enfield-himalayan-will-not-be-available-buy-delhi-670971


 It didn't take long to resolve the issue.

http://www.news18.com/news/auto/royal-enfield-himalayan-goes-on-sale-in-new-delhi-1222987.html


 * that it runs BS3 clean with a carb and no cat is a testament IMHO to the superior valve control that is common to OHC designs.

 

[DanKearney]

Thanks for that explanation.


Cheers,


Dan K.

[Otto_Ing]

 * that it runs BS3 clean with a carb and no cat is a testament IMHO to the superior valve control that is common to OHC designs.

 

Personally I don't believe the OHC valve train has to do much with it at those low RPM's. But it could mean they employed some REAL engineers who have done their homework instead of the "politically correct" ones adding unnecessary things out of prejudice and hype.

[Kevin Mahoney]

What do you guys think? It is inevitable that the other big manufacturers in India are going to try and eat RE's lunch in that market. Not easy but interesting to watch.
http://www.oncars.in/bike-news/will-bajaj-pulsar-cs400-affect-royal-enfield-himalayan-sales/10320]
[url]http://www.oncars.in/bike-news/will-bajaj-pulsar-cs400-affect-royal-enfield-himalayan-sales/10320[/url]

[Otto_Ing]

What happened to: "Competition is good for business?" 

IMO and that is just opinion = not worth much. When it comes to the Himalayan I think they will! When it comes to the classic models they won't stand a chance. If I was RE i would try to eat the modern bikes lunch by improving their quality, performance and fuel economy to match those of the modern bikes and I would make it light weight. I would even think of a 250cc model in that market. If RE did it on their own it would be a lame slug however.

[ace.cafe]

I thought that the Bullet already owned the Himalayas. I don't see anyone else being able to take that away.
 

[Richard230]

What do you guys think? It is inevitable that the other big manufacturers in India are going to try and eat RE's lunch in that market. Not easy but interesting to watch.

[url]http://www.oncars.in/bike-news/will-bajaj-pulsar-cs400-affect-royal-enfield-himalayan-sales/10320]http://www.oncars.in/bike-news/will-bajaj-pulsar-cs400-affect-royal-enfield-himalayan-sales/10320]
[url]http://www.oncars.in/bike-news/will-bajaj-pulsar-cs400-affect-royal-enfield-himalayan-sales/10320[/url]

I think they will. Everyone seems to be on the ADV-style bandwagon now, which certainly makes perfect sense for third-world sales. BMW is said to be coming out with a G310GS model sometime this year and I think Triumph has been fooling around with a 250 single, too.  If there is money to be made, everyone will jump into the market until they suck it dry.  Then they will go on to the next fad.   

[Otto_Ing]

The modern junk won't stand much chance against the classic design of a bullet. Major factor in third world places is ease of maintenance. A buller can be maintained for generations but the junk goes to the yard. You can't even pass it to the poorer people than...so it won't even make the country richer in the long run. Look what happened in the west, the average household income shrank drastically which has been offset with cheaper and cheaper manufacturing methods....and now we can't even afford a proper mechanic. Job well done.

[malky]

but the junk goes to the yard. You can't even pass it to the poorer people

That's the whole idea of built in obsolescence, give it a predetermined lifespan, and make it too expensive to repair when it's past the sell by date, so the next generation of over complex "must have" can be sold to the next generation of sheep.

[Otto_Ing]

That's the whole idea of built in obsolescence, give it a predetermined lifespan, and make it too expensive to repair when it's past the sell by date, so the next generation of over complex "must have" can be sold to the next generation of sheep.

Ya, so the end goal is from the mfrg directly to the yard. Awesome!   

[Ice]

What do you guys think? It is inevitable that the other big manufacturers in India are going to try and eat RE's lunch in that market. Not easy but interesting to watch.

[url]http://www.oncars.in/bike-news/will-bajaj-pulsar-cs400-affect-royal-enfield-himalayan-sales/10320]http://www.oncars.in/bike-news/will-bajaj-pulsar-cs400-affect-royal-enfield-himalayan-sales/10320]
[url]http://www.oncars.in/bike-news/will-bajaj-pulsar-cs400-affect-royal-enfield-himalayan-sales/10320[/url]

 I think it will impact sales but by how much is anyone's guess.

[The_Rigger]

I WANT ONE!!!!

Err... Uh..  Ahem.

[Ice]

I WANT ONE!!!!

Err... Uh..  Ahem.

 I already called dibbs first !      and in Glacier White too.


 Do we need a Himalayan section here ?  
 

[Richard230]

I already called dibbs first !      and in Glacier White too.


 Do we need a Himalayan section here ?  
 

What we need is a Himalayan being exported to countries outside of India. (And a few more RE dealers in the U. S. wouldn't hurt.     ) Still holding my breath and turning a little blue.   

[The_Rigger]

I already called dibbs first!

I don't care who gets the first one... I JUST WANT ONE!!

Do we need a Himalayan section here?

Probably not for a couple of years...

[mattsz]

Yesterday's RENA Facebook post:

We just received the first two Himalayans in North America here at Headquarters! Are you excited??? We are!

... along with a photo I can't link to, but you all know what they look like...

[Narada]

I am excited! And if you believe the picture, they come with Saree-Guard guards!

I just hope they are the new and improved ones.

[mattsz]

I am excited! And if you believe the picture, they come with Saree-Guard guards!

I just hope they are the new and improved ones.

They're not for sale, though...

[Narada]

But they are "the first two" which implies that more are coming.

[mattsz]

But they are "the first two" which implies that more are coming.

For those not on Facebook, there are some comments in the post - only two have been replied to by RENA - one with an email address we're familiar with:

A member who, interestingly, lists himself as working works for Royal Enfield Sydney: "Are they carbureted?"
Royal Enfield North America "Yes. If they come to the States for sale purpose they will be converted to EFI"

Note the word, "if", Narada 

Another member: "I am going to be in Milwaukee next week on business travel from Canada. Is it possible to stop by and see them?"
Royal Enfield North America: "Yes. Please email me at breep@royalenfield.com to set up a time"

I wonder if they're going to "tour" them around the country at all?

[Narada]

It appears to me, that in this context the word "if" could be interchangeable with "when".  As in;

 If one sends a motorcycle to the US to be sold, it must have EFI.

Which could also be expressed as;

when one sends a motorcycle to the US to be sold it must have EFI.

Just sayin'...  I wouldn't bet the farm on either inerpretation but I remain optomistic 

[mattsz]

Well, I don't want to dampen your enthusiasm! 

Fingers crossed...

[Desi Bike]

Another member: "I am going to be in Milwaukee next week on business travel from Canada. Is it possible to stop by and see them?"
Royal Enfield North America: "Yes. Please email me at breep@royalenfield.com to set up a time"

[/quote]

That would be me Mattz... I'm going on Tuesday to see them.  Bree is quite nice to deal with and I'm looking forward to the meeting.

[mattsz]

Cool!  We expect a full report, of course...

[Narada]

With pictures, of course

[Desi Bike]

It's frigging awesome. The fit is just right for me. Ergonomics are spot on. Everything is where you would expect to find it.

Don't be shy to email Bree....
It's my understanding that there is an open house coming up on the new location in Milwaukee.... test rides....  and swag.
Check the RENA Facebook page and or Instagram for details in a few weeks.

[TwowheeledTash]

Great meeting you Craig! Next time bring some riding gear and we can go for a ride on the Himalayans.

Yes we have two here in the US. They are the India model spec motorcycles. We brought them over for a few reasons. Right now we are open to people coming to the Milwaukee area to take them for a test ride during a certain period of time. If anyone is planning a trip to Milwaukee please email me if you would like to set something up. This won't be going on for much more than the next two weeks.

We will not be doing a tour with these models. They will remain here in Milwaukee at headquarters and then be brought to various events that we will be displaying at. During those event times the models will not be available for a test ride though.

I can tell you they are a ton of fun to ride! So if you are close send me an email and try one out

[Arizoni]

Tash
Hopefully, you've got one that has had its rocker arm pivot updated to the latest fix.
The first production motorcycles make a lot of noise from the cylinder head and RE has created a longer pivot pin to fix the problem.

Although the old pins don't keep the engine from running there's no sense in putting a noisy motorcycle out there for the public to hear.

I'm sure RE would air freight the needed parts along with complete installation instructions to you.

[malky]

Great meeting you Craig! Next time bring some riding gear and we can go for a ride on the Himalayans.

Yes we have two here in the US. They are the India model spec motorcycles. We brought them over for a few reasons. Right now we are open to people coming to the Milwaukee area to take them for a test ride during a certain period of time. If anyone is planning a trip to Milwaukee please email me if you would like to set something up. This won't be going on for much more than the next two weeks.

We will not be doing a tour with these models. They will remain here in Milwaukee at headquarters and then be brought to various events that we will be displaying at. During those event times the models will not be available for a test ride though.

I can tell you they are a ton of fun to ride! So if you are close send me an email and try one out

You lucky lot!

[ace.cafe]

Nice to be showing the new model around, and rides at Milwaukee.

I am sure the exposure will help.

[TwowheeledTash]

Any of you are welcome to come and take one for a ride here in Milwaukee! All you need to do is shoot me an email!

Would love to get as much feedback as possible

[mattsz]

It's frigging awesome. The fit is just right for me. Ergonomics are spot on. Everything is where you would expect to find it.

Great meeting you Craig! Next time bring some riding gear and we can go for a ride on the Himalayans.

Wait just a dadburn minute... you got all the way there without any riding gear, and none could be scrounged up for you so you could take a spin?!?

Doh!   

[Desi Bike]

Mattsz...

I'll be back. I passby fairly often. I was already on the road in my tractor trailer when the offer was made.

The company requires full gear for a ride on a company bike. Its an insurance thing which i agree 100% with. Helmet, jacket and gloves are a minimum.
Assless chaps are optional. 
I had none of the gear in my truck during that stretch of my trip.

[mattsz]

Mattsz...

I'll be back. I passby fairly often. I was already on the road in my tractor trailer when the offer was made.

The company requires full gear for a ride on a company bike. Its an insurance thing which i agree 100% with. Helmet, jacket and gloves are a minimum.
Assless chaps are optional. 
I had none of the gear in my truck during that stretch of my trip.

Ok, then!  You've got a tremendous responsibility to this group if you're the first member to take a ride... 

Don't forget pics! (except of the assless chaps)

[malky]

Ok, then!  You've got a tremendous responsibility to this group if you're the first member to take a ride... 

Don't forget pics! (except of the assless chaps)

Assless chaps on a trailie, shudder.

[motomataya]

We took the Himalayn's on a nice little 100 mile ride on Sunday. Much thanks to our leader Bree and tour guide Brenda and everyone at RENA.
Some quick thoughts on the bike. Great guages, lots of info and easy to read. The bike has almost no vibration, at least compared to what I am used to riding. The motor feels very refined, flat power band, likes to be above 3K RPM. Little bit of valve tick, but at a reassuring, the valves aren't to tight level. Not loud valves save lives level.
The Chassis is great, comfortable. very stable. Shake the bars and it goes right back to straight with no fuss. The suspension has you looking for potholes, not avoiding them. Footpegs are in the right location for standing.
I would say excellent size for someone 5ft 3in to a little over 6 ft. I'm in the middle of that and it fits perfect. I find KLRs and the like to be to big for anything off the pavement.
Thats my take, any questions?

[mattsz]

We took the Himalayn's on a nice little 100 mile ride on Sunday.

Not your typical test ride; that's a day out!  Good on RENA...

[motomataya]

Not to mention it was on Sunday.

[TwowheeledTash]

That was a great day of riding! so glad you guys made the drive down and we could ride for that long! Next time we need to do some off roading on them!

[Darth Sid]

Wow, I'm surprised that the Himalayan is generating so much interest in the US! I have been lurking around on Instagram quite a bit and saw several pictures of folks riding the Himalayan and posting positive feedback about it. I mentioned this on an Indian forum and an Arizona based gentleman pointed me here. It's good to see that RE is marketing the Himalayan like this but then it should not be too surprising since this is RE's new baby and possibly a new turning point for their presence in an evolving market.

I thought I should post my experience of a test ride here as well. This is my first post here in about half a decade!

The test ride bike was one of those used on the first journalist ride (first lot without the corrections) to Himachal Pradesh organised by RE. It had a lot of scrapes and dents from all the action it had seen.

Physical inspection notes:
1. Very little corrosion on some nuts, bolts and some weld joints in the chassis. Not bad at all. Most RE's rust a lot and quickly.
2. Once seated, ground clearance is about average, not a lot, but quite adequate. I weigh about 90 kilos.
3. The rear shock mount extends below the line of the chassis when seated. This might be a problem as I will mention later.
4. Instrument console is really cluttered and could be better designed and arranged.
5. General build quality is pretty good. Something not expected of RE. A pleasant surprise.
6. Oil cooler location could be better. It was caked with fine mud.

The ride (with a 50 kilo salesman riding pillion):
1. Took a long time to start. Several cranks of the starter before there was any life.
2. Once started, it would not idle. Idling rpm had to be raised.
3. Did a brake check after starting off. Brakes do their job. Rear brake has a sharp bite while front required a bear-like vice grip.
4. Opened the taps. Engine revved very freely (after a looong warm up) and the bike pulled very nicely. Not a beast and more power is needed but it didn't feel underpowered at all.
5. Picked up speed quickly but I was riding it like I ride my KTM Duke 200. Changed gears at 6000 rpm and it felt nice and smooth even at the limit when I hit 100kmph in 3rd gear.
6. But it didn't sound smooth at all. It had a valve train clatter like a Bullet with worn out rockers and valve guides. I heard the new rocker shaft solved this.
7. Not once did I hit 5th gear. Engaged 4th gear only once just for the sake of it. Gear indicator in the console has a long delay before it realises that you have shifted.
8. Very easy to maneuver through traffic regardless of speed.
9. Once took a corner too fast which made the salesman clench up and made me rethink my approach. The bike carried the speed through the corner very gracefully without springing any surprise or expressing disagreement.
10. The handling dynamics are very neutral so it is very rider friendly. That sweet gem of a chassis!
11. The front 21" wheel makes its present felt in the way bike responds to inputs on the handlebar. Gyroscopic effect was quite prominent but not a problem. Maybe I'm used to 17" rims now.
12. Suspension is stiff enough to provide good feedback but supple enough to absorb irregularities.
13. Rode over a small speedbreaker at high speed and the bike was very composed.
14. Found an open ground nearby and rode the bike over the very average sized kerb that surrounded. My KTM Duke 200 would easily go over it. The Himalayan bottomed out! The metallic thud could have been the centre stand or it could have been the rear shock mount.
15. Rode the bike through 1-2 feet wide smoothly graded craters and even took a U-turn through them and it was so easy even with a pillion rider! Handlebar height helped too.
16. Locked the rear wheel (with pillion rider) intentionally to check bite again and turned the bike 90 degrees on returning to the showroom. Very composed stance.
17. Idling rpm went up to 2000+ when we stopped (pilot mixture a bit lean maybe?) as the engine was proper hot.

Bottomline:
I wanted to trade in my Duke for a Himalayan right away but will wait for the initial issues to be sorted out. One guy has returned from Leh on his Himalayan and had to replace the 125 main jet with a 110 to cut the black smoke after going past 12000 feet above sea level. Will wait for his detailed travelogue. I'm craving for that bike now, though!

[TwowheeledTash]

We invited Cycle World out a few weeks ago and this is what they had to say

http://www.cycleworld.com/royal-enfield-himalayan-adventure-bike-motorcycle-review-first-impression#page-10

[ROVERMAN]

I think that qualifies as a nice write up. I need to know if and when they will come to the States, decisions need to be made.
Roverman.

[TwowheeledTash]

We are hoping to let you know that soon. Hang tight

I think that qualifies as a nice write up. I need to know if and when they will come to the States, decisions need to be made.
Roverman.

[Narada]

I'm sure many of you have seen this commercial for the Himalayan, but I just found it and it's awesome!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oc0-Ndu_rzI

[Otto_Ing]

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/motorbikes/177285-royal-enfield-himalayan-comprehensive-review-desi-adventure-tourer-4.html#post4004749

...this is how a service is done on it.

[ace.cafe]

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/motorbikes/177285-royal-enfield-himalayan-comprehensive-review-desi-adventure-tourer-4.html#post4004749

...this is how a service is done on it.

Looks like the airbox cover is the same as the GT. I suspect that the Ace /Derottone airbox kit for the GT would bolt right on to it.
 

[Otto_Ing]

Looks like the airbox cover is the same as the GT. I suspect that the Ace /Derottone airbox kit for the GT would bolt right on to it.
 

...which is how I found this, searching for the Abx. I think it wont fit though unfortunatelly. It seams to be attached with only 3 bolts and the rain shield would be pointing backwards.

Anyway, it's the same crappy layout as the GT. Would be fun to make one Kit for this bike as well. I may order some Airbox atleast to look at, before the Himi comes to the EU market.

[Narada]

Interview with Sidartha Lal on Himalayan assembly line, Oragadam India.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3TGi_wQSYcQ&feature=em-subs_digest-vrecs

[Narada]

Your welcome firecaptp7!

 I only watched the first installment during my break at work so far.  I really enjoyed seeing the inside of the factory and watching the assembly processes, the lady interviewer was interesting too.  

The interview was mostly concerning Sidartha's personal life. It was interesting though that he states the Himalayan was not his idea, but rather the result of a number of people's contributions.