Special Thanks For - Vignesh Motors( Royal Enfield) kumaranchavadi.
hi guys, finally here's my first ride review of the Royal Enfield Himalayan 450, the Himalayan 411, the new 450 is sensational. where I talk about every detail that you need to know about this perfect sequel to the legendary Himalayan.The new Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 impresses, surprises, and tempts. It reminds us of the ‘Thar’ transformation. Remember how Mahindra Thar evolved into this modern, better-engineered, immensely likeable and liveable vehicle from a rudimentary 4x4? Well, the new Himalayan has turned out just like that. Compared to the older, slightly crude, past-its-prime, slow-chugging 411, the new one is a revelation. It defines RE’s current engineering prowess, surpassing our expectations.We mentioned that in our first ride report. But now we have spent another 1300km riding it through sometimes fast, sometimes winding, and sometimes broken down Konkan roads in Maharashtra and Goa. We also put in a couple of hundred kilometres on the Himalayan 450 commuting in peak hour Mumbai traffic. After a week of living with the motorcycle, we have drawn up a list of things we like and don’t, about the new motorcycle. Here are our findings.Seating ergos are comfy, connected, and feel completely natural. The seat height is accessible. I am 5’ 8”, and I never struggled to get my foot down properly.
The ride quality is outstanding! The long travel suspension is beautifully sprung and damped. This helps crush everything in its path without upsetting the rider. In fact, we rode sitting down through most of the badly broken sections courtesy of the motorcycle’s rear suspension refraining from kicking us in the back.The controls - clutch, throttle, gearshifts, brakes, and even moving the handlebar - feel light. It takes away from the fatigue of riding or moving the bike around. Moreover, it makes the bike feel lighter than it is.
The engine’s performance - not just compared to the older Himalayan 411, but also considering the competition at hand - is strong, friendly, and enjoyable. This is especially true for the mid and top-range performance. The power and torque delivery are also delightfully useable and friendly, without ever feeling underwhelming.
Finally, given its wide berth of abilities from transporting the rider in comfort and at speed, to over dusty trails and winding tarmac, even a price tag of Rs 2.69 lakh for the Himalayan 450 seems like good value.
The engine might have strong mid- and top-range performance, but it is vibey as well. Not vibey enough to irritate you, but keep at it beyond 4,000rpm, and it can leave you with buzzing hands after a day-long ride. What’s more, the vibes seem omnipresent, even when you are taking things easy.
Fork flex under braking is apparent on the new Himalayan. The motorcycle is quick. And courtesy of good brakes, one tends to brake later and harder on the 450. But when you do, there's a hint of lateral flex in the forks. It should be fine for experienced riders, but it could also rob newbie riders of their confidence.On paper, the new motorcycle produces 40 horses. But in the real world, these don’t seem like the most alert or raring-to-go 40 horses. Maybe it is the motorcycle’s weight. Maybe it is the tune. Or maybe it is the mechanical losses from the engine to the wheel. Having said that, the H450 is still pretty quick and entertaining. Just not 40bhp entertaining.
It can feel a tad cumbersome at crawling speed when riding in peak-hour traffic given its top-heavy nature. And, one can feel the heat from the engine in slow-moving traffic. So skip the shorts and the chinos when you are aboard the 450.
Lastly, the Himalayan might be stable and forgiving off-road, but it is not the most playful or easy to hoon with on dirt; unless you add speed or lean. That means you either need skill or bravery to look like a hero riding the H450 off-road.
Also, the engine, gearbox, seats, and design are all nice but are more on the acceptable end of the scale than outstanding or noteworthy.
#himalayan450