Royal Enfield Himalayan: BUILT FOR NO ROADS
Why Himalayan?
It takes a certain amount of courage to break
convention. So, what does a company over 100 years old do when it realizes that
it has an opportunity to give the world something completely new and yet unattempted
? Adventure bikes have to be big, heavy and have a massive ground clearance
with the provision to pack days of luggage. And that's what Royal Enfield has
demonstrated with its all-new motorcycle.
Why Himalayan?
Royal
Enfields are still the choice in India when it comes to touring. The 'Bullets'
did a great job, but with other motorcycles having advanced technology making
their way into the Indian market, the Bullets suddenly saw a hindrance. Also,
many who own Royal Enfields, always want to visit the Mecca of the motorcycling
world, the Himalayas. The Bullets
suffer up in the mountains, mainly due to lack of ground clearance and their
weight, to overcome these problems Royal Enfield
built, go anywhere Motorcycle for Indian Market. The perfect Adventure touring for which suits to anywhere like Himalayas, Off Road, Western Ghats and Off course High ways.
built, go anywhere Motorcycle for Indian Market. The perfect Adventure touring for which suits to anywhere like Himalayas, Off Road, Western Ghats and Off course High ways.
Look:
We
must make you aware that the Royal Enfield Himalayan is not designed to win any
beauty pageant, but to make you sure that you have bought this motorcycle for a
purpose – a fact which it successfully manages to instill in your mind the
moment you see it. The bare bones philosophy which Royal Enfield has adopted
for this motorcycle goes well for the Himalayan.
The Royal Enfield Himalayan features
a traditional adventure motorcycle design. It has an upright, relaxed riding
posture, with long travel suspension. The Tank is well sculpted to accommodate
the rider's legs. One good look and you will immediately understand the purpose
of the Himalayan, which is to be ridden off-road and feel comfortable on and
off the road.
Instrument Console:
The
instrument console of the Himalayan is easily the most comprehensive among all the Royal Enfield
motorcycles put together, with the complete panel having analog dials for
speedometer, tachometer and fuel gauge, with the unit of speedometer encasing
an LCD screen for digital readouts of odometer, trip meters, gear indicator,
clock and engine temperature. The console also consists of a digital compass
besides the fuel gauge, something which is missing in all the motorcycles at or
around its price point.
Engine:
The Enfield Himalayan is powered by
a LS400 oil-cooled, 4-stroke single-cylinder engine. The engine produces 24bhp,
which is adequate power, taking into consideration that Enfields produce a good
amount of torque. The Himalayan produces good low-end torque, which is what off
roaders and tourers need.
The engine is very different in feel as compared to the rest of the engines of Royal Enfield, something which you can feel the moment you push the self-starter button. The engine has a different snarl, unlike the ‘dug dug’ exhaust note the Royal Enfields are reminiscent of. Mated to a five speed transmission, the engine is tuned for a strong low end torque, which Royal Enfield says that it will be more than sufficient always to clear obstacles while riding at lower revs.
The engine is very different in feel as compared to the rest of the engines of Royal Enfield, something which you can feel the moment you push the self-starter button. The engine has a different snarl, unlike the ‘dug dug’ exhaust note the Royal Enfields are reminiscent of. Mated to a five speed transmission, the engine is tuned for a strong low end torque, which Royal Enfield says that it will be more than sufficient always to clear obstacles while riding at lower revs.
Ride and Handling:
Enfield have always been good
handling motorcycles, if one gets the hang of it since they have a great Centre
of gravity. The Himalayan may not handle like the good-old Standard 350, since
the motorcycle is high. But that is what happens when you design a motorcycle to
be ridden off-road. You do lose a bit of that foot peg scraping cornering
ability, but one can't expect everything in a motorcycle.
The 21-inch front wheel and 17-inch rear wheel are basically spoke wheels here, which are quite more beneficiary while tackling rough sections of tarmac. The overall ride setup is stiff for the city riding, but once you hit the off-road terrains, the Himalayan comes in an altogether different element, and surprises you with its generous abilities.
The 21-inch front wheel and 17-inch rear wheel are basically spoke wheels here, which are quite more beneficiary while tackling rough sections of tarmac. The overall ride setup is stiff for the city riding, but once you hit the off-road terrains, the Himalayan comes in an altogether different element, and surprises you with its generous abilities.
Brakes and Suspension:
The
Himalayan is equipped with 300mm front disc brake and a 240mm rear disc brake,
which sadly, don’t get ABS.
The
suspension setup includes 41mm telescopic front forks and a linked hydraulic
monoshock, with much longer suspension travels of 200mm and 180mm.
What you will like:
- Long Telescopic Suspension
- Higher ground clearance – 180m which is a very good feature when you are riding on water streams, off road and rocky terrain.
- 17 inch rear tyre & 21 inch front tyre with Ceat grip XL dual sports, give better traction with highways & gravel roads
- Seating position and Handle bars are perfectly made for Long rides
- New digital meter with Fuel indicator, Compass, Trip Meters,Clock and Temperature display
- Long service Intervals (For about 10000km)
What you won't:
- A bigger fuel tank would have helped for Touring purpose
- A little low of power
- Adjustable seats would have added advantageFuel injection system would have helped
Verdict:
So,
is the Royal Enfield Himalayan worth it? Well, the motorcycle does not have
the thump as the old ones, looks nothing like the old ones, has an oil service interval of 10,000km, spark plug change interval at every 25,000km, and is light. Having ridden extensively in the Himalayas on every Enfield that is sold in India, I would say Royal Enfield Himalayan is the right machine for adventure now.
the thump as the old ones, looks nothing like the old ones, has an oil service interval of 10,000km, spark plug change interval at every 25,000km, and is light. Having ridden extensively in the Himalayas on every Enfield that is sold in India, I would say Royal Enfield Himalayan is the right machine for adventure now.
Technical Specifications:
Article written and edited by : Vinay ck
Source :
Google.com, royalenfield.com
Image
Credits : Google image search, royalenfield.com,
technwheelz.com, overdrive.in
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E-mail : vinayck.vinay@gmail.com
E-mail : vinayck.vinay@gmail.com
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