2024 Royal Enfield Himalayan - Top 5 Pros and 5 Cons Explained

Earlier this year, Royal Enfield updated its popular adventure bike Himalayan. The new-gen model gets a completely revised design, a new engine, and new hardware. The new Royal Enfield Himalayan is also the first bike from the brand which features the new 450cc platform. But, with the newly evolved version, there are a few ups and downs that you need to know. Read below the top 5 pros and 5 cons of the new Himalayan. Also, join our 91Wheels WhatsApp Channel to get the latest automotive updates regularly.

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Royal Enfield Himalayan - 5 Positives

Overall Improved Package

The new Himalayan is an improved package overall. With the new chassis and new design, it is now bigger than ever. The butch design is complemented with the improved build quality as well. The previous Himalayan was known for an underpowered engine and absence of the latest features; which is not the case with the new bike. At Rs 2.85 lakh, the Himalayan 450 surely feels like a big ADV motorcycle. The new chassis is amazing to ride and the feature list justifies its pricing aptly.

Superb Ride Quality

Being an adventure bike, the Himalayan is destined to get a tough and planted suspension. However, the new hardware setup is simply amazing. It gets SHOWA USD forks at the front and a preload adjustable monoshock at the rear. This combination offers an outstanding ride quality. May it be the highways where the bike is doing triple-digit speeds or the rough Himalayan roads at high altitudes, the new Himalayan 450 absorbs everything on the road. The ride quality remains planted even with a pillion or luggage boxes.

Long List of Features

To position the new Himalayan at the top in the segment, Royal Enfield has ensured to equip the first-in-segment features on the new bike. It gets a fully digital instrument console that also supports Google Maps integration via phone mirroring tech. Moreover, a joystick on the handlebar can be used to fiddle through different features like ride modes, Bluetooth connectivity, SMS/call alerts, fuel economy, tripmeters, and more. It also has a USB phone charging port. Moreover, the LED lights, block-pattern tyres, split seats, etc., make it a fully-loaded bike.

Powerful Engine

The new Sherpa 450 engine on the Himalayan is the highlight of it. The 452cc single-cylinder unit is the first-ever liquid-cooled engine made by the company. Its 39.5bhp of peak power and 40Nm of peak torque have eliminated the lack of power issue of the older model. The mid-range between 3,000-6,000 rpm on this new powertrain is enjoyable, as it can easily cruise between 110-130 kmph mark on the highway. Also, the 6-speed transmission with slipper clutch is slick to use along with the new engine.

Agile Handling and Balance

Despite the fact that it is a 196 kg bike, the handling of the new Himalayan is very agile. Once on the roll, the new chassis that uses the engine as a stress member, gives amazing confidence to lean the bike easily around the corners. The front wheel is 21 inches, and still, the chassis easily manages the big dimensions of it. If you are a fast rider who loves to wring the throttle, the new bike can be very rewarding, especially on broken roads.

Royal Enfield Himalayan - 5 Negatives

Vibrations

A very popular trait of the old Himalayan is somehow still present on the new bike as well. While the new engine is enjoyable to ride fast, it produces vibrations in the mid-range. During everyday use it will not bother you, but, on the highways it becomes irritating. The decent cruising range of 100 kmph has vibrations seeping through the handlebar and footpegs. Also, during hard acceleration, vibrations can be felt through the fuel tank as well. It is around 6,000 rpm where the vibrations exist. On the highway, vibrations suddenly taper off after the 100 kmph mark.

Feels Big To Use

Being true to its name, Himalayan is a bike that is best enjoyed on broken roads and at high altitude passes. However, the big dimensions and heavy kerb weight are felt during everyday use in the city. Making U-turns is hard due to the big turning radius and the width hinders the tight traffic manoeuvres. Additionally, its big front wheel and high ground clearance are not comfortable for short-height riders.

Inconsistent Quality

With the new Himalayan, Royal Enfield has surely stepped up in terms of overall build. However, it is still not the best-built bike in its segment. There have been multiple cases, regarding the quality, reported by new customers. In fact, a few cases have surfaced online where the chassis broke and the wiring harness got burnt. Also, one can sport poorly finished parts like the wiring and bolts underneath the instrument console. We believe that Royal Enfield is still a bit far from making a well-finished product.

Absence of Tubeless Tyres

A very silly negative that should not exist on a modern tourer bike, is the absence of tubeless tyres. The new Himalayan offered in India does not get tubeless rims and tyres. Ironically, the export models are fitted with the tubeless setup as standard. While the company claims that due to supplier homologation issues, it is not offering these in India, we suspect there is more to it. A similar case was observed with the Interceptor 650 and Continental GT 650, where the company promised to launch alloy wheels in 2018, but these were launched in 2023.

Expensive Than Ever

Royal Enfield offers the Himalayan 450 in four variants. All of these are differentiated only by their colours and graphics. The top model, Hanle Black, is priced at Rs 2.98 lakh ex-showroom. At this price point, the Himalayan 450 comes closer to the 650cc sibling bikes. Also, the rough finishing and issues like right-side pulling and chassis cracks, feel concerning for a premium ADV bike.

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