New Himalayan 450 now on U.S. website

Bring on the tough stuff.

 The enthusiastically praised Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 adventure motorcycle is featured now on the website of Royal Enfield North America. 

The website lists a Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) starting at $5,799. The current world of economic uncertainties suggests that this figure may go up soon.

The Himalayan 450 has been on sale for some time now in much of the rest of the world, and some aspects of the website seem dated. An inviting video linked to from the website is a year old, and shows only the previous model Himalayan, introduced in 2016.

The new Himalayan 450 packs a more powerful single-cylinder liquid cooled engine than the previous model, and is a new product with many entirely new features. 

Most noticeably, these include a prominent round Thin Film Transistor (TFT) screen to provide an instrument panel's worth of information, plus navigation. Ride modes. Smart phone connectivity. All the toys, as the salesman used to say. 

Big screen puts you in the picture.

The new Himalayan 450 has six speeds in the gearbox, one up over the earlier Himalayan. Some versions of the Himalayan 450 will offer tubeless tires.

Upside down front forks are another obvious upgrade, compared to the familiar Himalayan 411.

Royal Enfield advertises the Himalayan 450 as "just like the original, but more." In fact, according to the spec sheets, the curb weight of the new Himalayan actually is a few pounds (seven) lighter than the original.

The popular Himalayan 411 remains on the website. Also still on the website is its scrambler version, the Scram 411.

All told, Royal Enfield USA has 12 models on its website: five 650 twins, the three adventure bikes, and four 350s.

They are the Bear 650, Shotgun 650, Super Meteor 650, INT 650, Continental GT 650, Himalayan 450, Himalayan 411, Scram 411, Bullet 350, Hunter 350, Classic 350 and Meteor 350.

The 12 models are spread over "only" three types of motor, but when you multiply the models by the number of colors available on each... wow.

It would seem that Royal Enfield has thought of everything: retro classic Brit bikes, laid-back cruisers, edgy roadsters, adventure bikes, scramblers and a café racer.

Royal Enfield USA website offers something for everyone.

Still something missing?

Well, yes. I'm still waiting to feast my eyes on an actual Classic 650 twin, the powerful retro-Brit standard seemingly available everywhere in the world that I am not.

But I am sure it will not be long now.

In India, where Royal Enfields are made, the Classic 650 twin already appears on the website. So do three other models so far not offered in the U.S.

These are:

The Scram 440 (with a fourth motor size for Royal Enfield!).

The Guerilla 450 (roadster version of the Himalayan 450).

The Goan Classic 350 (a hipster version with ape hanger handle bars).

The website for India drops the Himalayan 411 and Scram 411, suggesting that these models will be on their way out in the U.S. too.

With all these products in the mix, the expression "see your dealer for details" is more true than ever.

Sizing up the new Himalayan 450

At 6-foot-2, with size 13 boots, Jalopnik's Bradley Brownell rode the new Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 all day.

 Royal Enfield officially unleashed its new Himalayan 450 adventure bike to the U.S. on trails near Park City, Utah. With an MSRP starting at $5,999, initial reviews were enthusiastic. Very. 

I've already featured Jonathon Klein's rave review in RideApart after he rode the Himalayan 450. 

Here are additional excerpts from those first reviews and from Royal Enfield's own announcement. 

"This is a machine that will fit right into any garage and onto any North American road or trail, combining rugged capability with refined design to ensure our riders don’t just conquer their journey—they’ll dominate it." Nathan Kolbe, Head of Marketing for the Americas Region, Royal Enfield

At 5' 4" Staci Wilt of Ride to Food found the Himalayan 450 fit her. 

"The Himalayan 450 is very approachable for shorter-statured riders like myself (I’m 5’4” with a 30” inseam), having a 32.5 – 33.3″ adjustable standard seat height. There’s also a low-seat option available, which I did not have the option to test out. I’m not flat-footed, but I can easily get one foot on the ground with the standard seat in the low position. The Himalayan 450’s seat is also quite narrow compared to the larger ADVs I’ve ridden, which does help." Staci Wilt, Ride to Food

"I liked this bike a lot, and I even liked the tires—but if I was planning to ride off-pavement with this machine, I’d replace them quickly, to avoid the rapidly-heading-one-direction–then-rapidly-heading-another-direction experience. Aside from that, the little niggles can mostly be forgiven because of the price tag of $5,799 in the U.S. At least, I think so. That price tag is in the same ballpark as the Honda CRF300 Rally, Kawasaki KLR650 and Suzuki DR650, and on paper, the Royal Enfield offers more than those machines—except years of reliability on the record." Zac, Adventure Rider

Rob Brooks of RoadDirt finds the Himalayan 450 "beautiful."

"What really impressed me was the confidence that this motorcycle instilled in me. We were ripping through some dirt trails at pretty high speeds. We even took on some technical sections of steep uphill and downhill riding. We crossed through mud that was as slippery as ice, and not once did the Himalayan feel unsettling, or unmanageable." Jared Solomon, TopSpeed

"The bike easily cruised at 75 mph as we rolled up on a tanker. I didn’t think the ride leader would pass the truck, seeing as our group was large, but away he went. A downshift to fifth was necessary, but the Himalayan eagerly accelerated to 85 mph, and the pass was stress-free. I would later discover that with my 5’11” frame at 161 pounds, the bike topped out at 96 mph." Seiji Ishii, Gear Junkie

Notice that the Himalayan 450 is doing this on street tires.

"Another major highlight of the new 450 is its full color Tripper dash, a 4-inch round TFT display that looks like it was pulled from a bike twice the Himalayan’s asking price. We felt the display did a great job of putting all the most important bits front and center (speed, tach, gear indicator, and fuel level) while removing any unnecessary info-clutter from the equation." Kurt Spurlock, Motorcyclist

"The Himalayan is just a touch over 400 pounds, while a new BMW R 1300 GS Adventure weighs in at 593! This is a light and manageable bike on the trail, and when you inevitably drop the damn thing in the muddy rain, you won’t need a helper to lift it back up." Bradley Brownell, Jalopnik

Here, from Big Rock Moto, is how the Royal Enfield Himalayan stacks up against single-cylinder adventure bikes from competitors:

A more comprehensive chart is on Big Rock Moto video.

Here, also from Big Rock Moto, is the most comprehensive U.S. YouTube review I found of the Himalayan 450. This video actually demonstrates how easy it is to pick up the Himalayan 450 after a fall!

He said THAT about the Himalayan 450?

One moto-journalist fell hard for the Himalayan 450 off-roader.

 Jorge Pullin was right. Telling potential customers they are "idiots" if they pass up the Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 is an unusual way to praise a motorcycle you tested. 

Jonathon Klein sampled the Himalayan 450 on treacherous trails in Utah, and concluded this: 

"Seriously, if you buy a new adventure motorcycle that isn't a Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 in the year of our dark lord 2024, you're a moron. It may just well be perfect. At least, that's how I feel after flogging the ever-living hell out of it and not finding a single flaw." 

His lengthy review appeared in RideApart. 

It is noteworthy because, as he relates, he at first doubted the Royal Enfield had much to offer adventure riders. 

"'It's a scrambler for folks that want to cosplay as adventurers,' I whispered to myself as I looked over the bike in the conference room. "

He then uses an expletive to admit how wrong he was about that.

A big reason from his opinion, Klein explains, is the Himalayan 450's price tag.

Royal Enfield formally introduced the Himalayan 450 in the U.S. on Aug. 25, 2024, in four different colors varying in MSRP from $5,799 to 6,099. Two more options, one including tubeless tires, will come later.

See your dealer for details. But, first, read Klein's rave review for inspiration.

Prefer riding a Royal Enfield on roads, or no roads?

I rolled my Royal Enfield Bullet back into the garage this morning, disgruntled.

"You know," I said to myself, "I think I finally understand the appeal of riding a motorcycle off road."

The appeal must be this: NO STOPLIGHTS.

I'd taken my 1999 Bullet for a spin shortly after dawn this Sunday morning, planning to enjoy roads empty of traffic.

They weren't empty of stop lights, however. Again and again I was stuck waiting at a light, although there was no cross traffic. Sure, I could have run the lights, and safely, too. But I was disgusted enough to just insist on stupidly sitting there.

I was overheating, even if the Bullet wasn't.

Naturally I attempted to "time" the lights, slowing down as I approached to avoid having to stop. 

Naturally, too, the car driver behind me reacted to my slowing by going around me to the right in a merge lane that briefly appeared there.

It wasn't a close call but, you know, closer than it needed to be.

I caught up to the guy at the red light and we sat there side-by-side. Waiting.

A few minutes earlier, while waiting under a sign reading "No Right Turn on Red," a cabbie swung completely around my left side and made his right turn.

He not only didn't stop for the turn, he didn't even slow down. I wasn't the only one out there this morning who felt like running red lights.

Last summer Richard Miller rode his Royal Enfield Himalayan in Britain on something called the Trans European Trail. He wrote about it on his blog, Red Devil Motors.

His wasn't a perfect trip (before riding do more planning, and drink less beer, he advised).

He and a friend on another Himalayan covered hundreds of miles mostly off road during a heat wave, and camped out. So his multi-day outing was far more of an adventure than my Sunday morning drive.

Yet his sounded so appealing in comparison.

No stop lights. Or, at least, he didn't mention any.

Gallery of photos of Royal Enfield Himalayan motorcycle

Looking like a motorcycle gang just hitting town, members of the press
go looking for trouble on the new Royal Enfield Himalayan adventure motorcycle.

Disclosure: Royal Enfield provided transportation, accommodation, food, entertainment and keepsakes to me at this product launch. The following opinions are my own.

Professional photographers stalked the launch of the Royal Enfield Himalayan last week, capturing official photos that showed the new adventure motorcycle in use on road and off.

I even turned up in two of the least exciting photos distributed by Royal Enfield North America. Better riders showed off what they — and the Himalayan — can do. Here's a selection of the images I liked best:

Hitting the tracks just right launches a Himalayan.

The Himalayan is capable on road.

Looks as though the inside foot and centerstand will touch down first.

Someone liked the mud puddle.

Off-road course was a winding pathway through woods.

Himalayan reaches for the sky.

Deeply rutted mud threatened to toss riders.

The mud puddle got more treacherous with each passing motorcycle.

Caked with mud.

Fighting to stay upright.

...and losing. Note the substantial skid pad under motor.

Blond hair gives away a rare woman rider.
Women should like the Himalayan's mid-size and low seat height.

My elderly eyes found the small instruments a bit busy.
Tach is at upper right, digital compass at lower right.

Royal Enfield Himalayan, looking a bit too clean.
The tight front fender is quickly removed for off-road work.

A closer look at the Royal Enfield Himalayan

Big barn doors slid open in Texas this week, unveiling the Royal Enfield Himalayan.
It comes in Granite, left, and Snow, right.

UPDATE: Royal Enfield North America released this list of accessories for the new Himalayan:

Waterproof Travel Bag (black) — Protects cargo in foul conditions. Air release valve to shrink after packing. $99.95 MSRP

Large Engine Guard (black) — Adds protection. Made from 22mm steel tube. Black powder coat finish. $99.95 MSRP

Each box has about a cubic foot capacity.

Aluminum Pannier Kit (shown) — 26-liter carrying capacity per box. Made from 2mm aluminum plate. Includes mounting rails and lockable lids. $729.95 MSRP

Aluminum Handlebar with Cross Brace — Steel crossbar adds strength while dampening vibration. $99.95 MSRP

Aluminum Handlebar End Weight Kit — Helps minimize vibration felt through handlebars. Machined from aluminum alloy with a brushed anodized finish. $49.95 MSRP.

(Royal Enfield says its Genuine Motorcycle Accessories team at the company’s UK Tech Center is  integrated into the vehicle development process. Himalayan accessories were designed for function, comfort, utility and price point, the company said.)

Pradeep Mathew, project leader for the new Royal Enfield Himalayan, took time to show me some of the features of Royal Enfield's new adventure motorcycle at the North American launch this week in Midlothian, Texas.

Disclosure: Royal Enfield provided transportation, accommodation, food, entertainment and keepsakes to me at this product launch. The following opinions are my own.

A young veteran of almost 13 years at Royal Enfield, Pradeep is a structural engineer with a master's in product design. He also served as technical chassis lead for the Royal Enfield Continental GT and the Thunderbird (the cruiser-style Royal Enfield sold in India).

I asked him about the Himalayan's LS410 motor, the new overhead camshaft single that appears so far only in the Himalayan.

Cut-away of the Himalayan's LS (for long stroke) 410 motor.

He told me that consideration was given to using an existing motor but, about 2012, it was decided a whole new platform was needed to provide the experience Royal Enfield wanted to offer. Why a new motor? His answer surprised me:

"Additional peace of mind for the consumer," he said. Specifically, the LS410 offers 10,000-kilometer service intervals (about 6,000 miles).

The motor's long stroke was chosen not just because it is historically characteristic of Royal Enfield motors. It improves the riding experience, and smoothness in traffic, Pradeep said.

It was the Himalayan's seating that again and again came up in the conversation with Pradeep. The point was to allow the average Asian man or woman to put his or her feet flat on the ground. The Himalayan's seat height is 31 1/2 inches.

The team didn't think so much in numbers, as of a typical person members referred to simply as "that guy," who had to be comfortable.

The press pack takes off on a ride to evaluate the Himalayan.
These riders didn't loaf along; I struggled to even keep them in sight.

Pradeep said the motivation, once again, was peace of mind, found in the ability to put your foot down, whether in traffic, or off road.

In traffic, in India, the rider faces many stops and tight maneuvers that require putting a foot down, said.

The team also had to consider that an off-road the rider would want to stand on the pegs as well as on the ground. They drew their plans for the motorcycle around an imaginary "ergonomic triangle" between the handlebars, the seat and the foot pegs.

The "design proposition" for the Himalayan, illustrated by a
word cloud shown during the presentation of the new motorcycle.

Other considerations Pradeep summed up in words such as "functional," "honest," "there to serve a purpose."

Walking me over to the Himalayan, Pradeep noted that the framework that holds the "Royal Enfield" branding on the side of the motorcycle isn't there just to hold the nameplate.

It's functional, with mounting points for luggage.

Seeing photos I had assumed the distinctive front framework was decorative.
It's not. A solid part of the frame, it can carry luggage.

It also carries the headlight, instrument panel and flyscreen. That surprised me: it's a  feature for off-road riding, meant to keep unsprung weight off the front wheel, but as a street rider it was new to me.

The Himalayan's look is "industrial" for sure. But there are niceties. Pradeep pointed out that from front to rear the bike is painted above the line of the frame; below that it is black, establishing a strong horizontal line, at least on the white bike.

I applauded the presence of the center stand, one of my favorite features of Royal Enfield motorcycles, and tried lifting the bike onto the stand. It lifted fairly easily. But it's not there just for convenience, Pradeep said.

The frame carries the headlight, instruments and screen
so the front suspension doesn't have to. Initially this
surprised me but I quickly got used to it.

"If you are alone, and you get a flat tire, the center stand makes it easier to remove the wheel," he said. I hadn't considered that a center stand could turn out to be a critical part on an adventure motorcycle.

What about that other Royal Enfield fixture, the kick start lever? The LS410 doesn't have one. Pradeep said that a capacitor system allows the motor to be bump started, even if the battery has been stolen.

He also said that the electric starter has been improved to the point that it is considered absolutely reliable — not always a certainty on older Royal Enfields.

Here are the Royal Enfield Himalayan specifications:

Engine	411cc Air-cooled 4-Stroke SOHC
Bore X Stroke	78mm X 86mm
Compression ratio	9.5 : 1
Maximum power	24.5 bhp @ 6,500 rpm
Maximum torque	23.6 ft/lbs @ 4,000-4,500 rpm
Gearbox	5-speed
Fuel supply	Electronic fuel injection
Engine start	Electric
Chassis	Half-duplex split cradle frame
Front suspension	200mm travel
Rear suspension	180mm travel monoshock
Wheelbase	58 in
Ground clearance	8.6 in
Length	86 in
Width	33 in
Seat height	31.5 in
Height	53 in (Flyscreen top)
Curb weight	421 lbs
Fuel capacity	4 gal
Front tire	21 in
Rear tire	17 in
Front brake	300mm disc
Rear brake	240mm disc

What it's like to ride the Royal Enfield Himalayan

The Royal Enfield Himalayan adventure motorcycle in action.

It probably wasn't necessary to fall down in the mud and let the motorcycle fall on me to properly evaluate the new Royal Enfield Himalayan.

Royal Enfield's new adventure motorcycle, soon to be available in the U.S., was introduced to the press this week in Midlothian, Texas. Mud in this region isn't sticky. It's slippery.

That's my excuse.

The Himalayan saved me repeatedly, its advanced suspension and 21-inch front wheel cheerfully bounding from pot hole to deep rut. Its immense low-rpm torque accepted lugging that would have stalled another motorcycle, enabling me to keep going without fear of spinning the rear wheel.

But the muddy, twisting, deeply rutted off-road course finally overwhelmed my brain and I got enough things wrong at the same time to bring us down. The motorcycle didn't even stop running. It was nice to have help picking it up: it weighs 421 pounds.

I'm grateful to our Royal Enfield guides for taking care of me, and to fellow moto-journalists who graciously waited for me to catch up without complaining that I was holding back the pack.

I have all new respect for this breed of rider who hops on an unknown motorcycle and gives it a full work out on unfamiliar roads. Some of these guys spent the afternoon repeatedly wading Himalayans through a muddy creek bed (I skipped this fun, but they loved it).

On the road the Himalayan was a comfortable companion, revving out without distress to accelerate to freeway speeds. The front-and-rear disk brakes (no ABS) are immensely capable and reassuring with no bad habits.

And — miracle of miracles for this owner of an old iron barrel Bullet — the five-speed gearbox was perfection, offering the chosen gear with never a false neutral.

It's a long-stroke single, so where is the vibration? This is a brand new motor design, "only" 411cc and sophisticated enough to be called smooth. There are even billet handlebar weights to cut vibration through your hands.

Was it a totally positive experience? Well, I had some nits to pick.

For one, the dual seat is firmly divided into driver/passenger places. At five-feet-ten I felt a bit cramped not being able to slide back a little from my assigned spot in the front seat. Whether this bothers you or not is going to depend on your height.

An experienced Himalayan rider, a six-footer himself, explained that he bungy cords his jacket to the seat and sits on it, in effect creating a level dual seat for his comfort.

And secondly (this really is a nit) I found the handgrips a bit small. Something larger and cushier would give me more meat to get a grip on. The aftermarket will take care of this, I am sure.

The consensus of moto-journalists I talked to at the launch seemed to be that the Himalayan is a heck of a nice motorcycle, at a very nice price.

Off on a Royal Enfield Himalayan adventure motorcycle

Royal Enfield Himalayan motorcycle being ridden a long way from Florida.

Disclosure: Royal Enfield will provide transportation, accommodation, food, entertainment and keepsakes to me at this product launch. The following opinions are my own.

Be sure to bring your riding gear, Royal Enfield informed writers bound to its U.S. introduction of the Himalayan adventure motorcycle this week. There will be plenty of opportunities to ride the Himalayan, mostly off road, the invitation informed me.

I was tremendously flattered to be invited to the introduction, as rubbing shoulders with the nation's legitimate moto-writers is far above my modest station.

Trouble is, I have little "riding gear." Look, I live in Florida.

My leather jacket was purchased more as a Halloween costume than anything I would attempt to wear in Florida's environment.

I bought my Royal Enfield to commute to work. I dressed for the office, not to go thrashing through some jungle or desert.

Boots? Mine were purchased for hiking, not biking. They will be ideal only if I somehow have to walk back from my ride on the Himalayan.

In Florida, people ride motorcycles like the Himalayan in T-shirts, shorts and flip-flops. Somehow I doubt this is what Royal Enfield means by "riding gear."

And what, after all, could readers hope to learn from me? I haven't ridden a motorcycle "off road" intentionally since — I think — 1975? I recall it was fun but, since then I have enjoyed the convenience of pavement, with pleasure.

As for whether the Himalayan is a good adventure motorcycle, I can tell you right now, unsampled, that it absolutely is.

Royal Enfield motorcycles of less pronounced "adventure" specification have been mounting the actual Himalayan mountains for many decades, and successfully. Far more modern in every respect, the Himalayan can only do better.

They designers have thought of everything. Trust me.

And trust all those better moto-writers whose articles about the Himalayan will begin to appear shortly.

Trust, yes. But verify.

I once asked an old B-17 pilot what was the best airplane to fly.

"Somebody else's airplane," he answered. Meaning any other airplane for which someone else was paying the bills.

The same is naturally true of motorcycles. I might baby mine, but I will joyfully thrash and dirty your motorcycle before handing it back to you with my thanks.

Royal Enfield is giving moto writers the fun opportunity to clobber the company's motorcycles at no price to the writers.

To this it adds the cost of transportation to the event, two nights in a hotel, meals, drinks and a chance to chat with cheerful Royal Enfield employees.

Naturally, you should be careful of the opinions the writers will express about the Himalayan. They will struggle to be objective, as they should, but will naturally feel compelled to be "fair" to their hosts.

No doubt the Himalayan is a splendid motorcycle and so there will be little or nothing to criticize.

But if so, this in itself can create inaccuracy.

I once bought a car because the auto magazine I trusted described it as the best handling American car. I was greatly influenced by this.

Only after the purchase did I realize that the writer had been reaching for something — anything at all — to compliment, as the car had absolutely no other redeeming quality.

Even so, I was so greatly influenced by that single mention in the magazine that when that lousy car wore out, I bought another one of the same type! Whatever the cost the car company endured in influencing that particular magazine writer to be "fair," I alone paid off.

The reverse will likely be true in the case of the Himalayan. Writers may reach to find things to criticize. Don't be put off. Would adventure be so fulfilling if everything was perfect?

Royal Enfield Himalayan, an all-around look

When Royal Enfield launched its Himalayan adventure motorcycle Feb. 2, Aditya Phadke of Motonomous advertising agency in Mumbai manged to get an hour alone with the motorcycle.

"Though I didn't get to ride the Himalayan, I was able to shoot a 360 spin video, showcasing the bike in great detail," he wrote me.

His "spin" is an amusing and blessedly fast paced look that tells you most of what you need to know about the Himalayan.

Meanwhile, Royal Enfield itself posted a fun, steerable 360 ride video that gives a bit of the feel of riding a washed-out road on the Himalayan. You can't see the motorcycle very well, but you can almost feel the bumps.

Royal Enfield Himalayan best looking of adventure bikes

Royal Enfield Himalayan photo from Indian Autos Blog.

Royal Enfield motorcycles are so well known for conquering the highest mountains in the world (the Himalayas) that it's natural that Royal Enfield will offer a dedicated adventure motorcycle.

Named, probably, the Himalayan.

Adventure bikes, The Wall Street Journal reports, are now "one of the motorcycle market's hottest segments." The article doesn't mention the upcoming Royal Enfield, but it does describe BMW, Ducati, Honda and Triumph adventure bikes.

To me, they're similar in appearance, and similarly unpleasant looking, although no doubt capable.

In the case of the Royal Enfield Himalayan, its reportedly modern engine and suspension and improved luggage capacity will make getting to out-of-the-way corners of the world easier.

How have I lived all these years without a standard compass on the dashboard? Well, I live in Florida. But you know what I mean.

It's worth noting that "ordinary" Royal Enfield motorcycles had been getting to those out-of-the-way places as it was.

No one is building any higher mountains for improved Royal Enfields to conquer.

Nevertheless, a dedicated adventure motorcycle of its own is a marketing opportunity for Royal Enfield. The Himalayan will be more advanced in many ways than its classic models.

The Himalayan gives Royal Enfield a route out of continuing to largely make retro motorcycles that not only look like antiques but share some antique characteristics with the push-rod motorcycles of the past.

Still, these vintage-like machines are the reason I like Royal Enfields and I'm certainly not alone.

Like all the existing adventure motorcycles highligthed by The Journal, spy shots show the appearance of the Royal Enfield Himalayan to feature sharp edges and visible everything.

At least the Royal Enfield Himalayan doesn't look as bad as, say, the Triumph Tiger Explorer XC shown in The Journal.

On the Triumph some parts seem intentionally out sized and out of place. The overall look is of a Transformer creature after its transformation.

It is muscular looking, I will give it that. I just want to say to the Triumph, "put your shirt on."