Royal Enfield Roadster 450 & Himalayan 450 New Video ...
YouTube·Bullet Guru·May 30, 2023
https://www.google.com/search?q=450+royal+enfield&rlz=1CANQDY_enUS1047&oq=450+royal+enfield+&aqs=chrome..69i57j0i512j69i59j0i22i30l2j69i60l3.18347j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:253b70d8,vid:6cmeQL0uWO05 Reasons Why the Upcoming Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 Could Be The Best Entry-Level ADV (And 5 Why It Won't)
BY UTKARSH SOOD, PUBLISHED 6 DAYS AGO
https://www.topspeed.com/5-reasons-why-the-upcoming-royal-enfield-himalayan-450-could-be-the-best-entry-level-adv-and-5-why-it-wont/If the truth be told, who would mind a lighter Himalayan? Perhaps, that has been the foremost scrutiny the motorcycle has had to face ever since it was launched. At 439 lbs of curb weight, it is way too heavy for an adventure motorcycle. While there are some hush-hush rumors that the newer Himalayan will be lighter, how much Royal Enfield can shed off remains to be seen.
In comparison, the KTM 390 is around 330 lbs. How Royal Enfield plan to match that, or even come close to is hard to imagine, especially when a bigger, more powerful engine is to be housed. Unless the bike manages to weigh around the 400 lbs mark, it’s too heavy an ADV for us.
It took time, but it is almost certain that we will be finally getting a liquid-cooled engine from Royal Enfield. Not only will it help to keep the engine far cooler than the current generation, but it will also be a far more powerful setup. Thanks to a host of spy shots all the way in India, we could get our eyes on the apparent 450cc single-cylinder mill. It seems to be blacked out on multiple test mules, but it does seem roughly the same size as the current 411 - meaning it shouldn’t be heavier. On the plus, the number estimations are said to be around 40 horses of peak power and 33 lb-ft of torque. This seems like a considerable update in power figures, which should make the Himalayan 450 a more sensible adventure touring option.
The one thing that the Indian brand has nailed with all its offerings is the pricing. Currently, the Himalayan retails at $5,449 in the country. Its two closest competitors - the KTM 390 Adventure and Versys X 300 retail at $7,399 and $5,899 respectively. Even after the significant upgrades, we expect the Himalayan 450 to come in at around $6,500 which would mean it would still undercut its closest rival, the KTM 390. As for the mini Versys or even the BMW G 310 GS, the bigger Himalayan 450 will just simply not be considered in the same segment anymore.
The Royal Enfield Himalayan does have some pretty good low and mid-range torque. It has, however, always struggled to be fast, topping out at a mere 87 mph mark on the speedo. That means you end up spending more time on the saddle of the bike on the highway to cover the same distance. Not to mention, the engine has always felt stressed in the higher rev range. If Enfield has to make good on Himalayan’s early anticipation, they have to match it with a capable, faster and more powerful bike than the current one. What the rumored 450c engine is capable of, only time will tell…
...one thing we are truly hoping for is a switch to the more convenient (and lighter) tubeless setup.
First things first - the Himalayan is a rather easy-going bike to ride. It handles okay and doesn’t ask for much in return. But sadly, it isn’t a hardcore adventure motorcycle as the company claims. Yes, it does have a few attributes that put it to the task like the 21-inch front wheel and the 8.6-inch ground clearance. But its heft and the shortage of power just do not help its cause. This means while it has fantastic ergonomics for the road, it doesn’t have the power for it, and while it has the hardware for off-road, it is too heavy for it.
Topic: 450 Himalayan (Read 20313 times)