Royal Enfield Himalayan 450
The Royal Enfield Himalayan has without doubt been a significant player in the adventure motorcycle market, mainly because of its rugged simplicity and affordability, when launched at under £4000. Now, the introduction of an all-new 450cc single-cylinder engine with water-cooling, ride-by-wire throttle, and double overhead camshafts – all firsts for the Indian manufacturer – represents a considerable advancement in terms of performance and technology. New features such as Showa suspension, riding modes, switchable ABS and a TFT dash with connectivity and navigation should also make the new Himalayan a more capable and versatile machine.
Despite this dramatic modernisation of its much-loved hard worker, Enfield’s commitment to retaining the simplicity and reliability of the original, 2016 model remains important. Attracting new customers with better performance and modern technology was clearly deemed essential by the Indian manufacturer, but so, too, was retaining the Himalayan’s appeal to traditional customers, the majority of whom come from outside the European and North American markets. It had to be sturdy, and the fact that Enfield chose the Himalayas as the venue for the new 450’s press launch, demonstrates the company’s confidence in the bike’s capabilities in challenging terrain.
We flew all the way to the spectacular mountain range for 48 hours of crazy testing at 11,000 feet (and
