The Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 is a popular adventure motorcycle among enthusiasts, offering a powerful liquid-cooled engine and ideal for long-distance touring on a budget. Here are three reasons to consider purchasing the Himalayan 450:
Powerful Engine: The 452cc liquid-cooled engine produces 40hp at 8,000 rpm and 40Nm of peak torque at 5,500 rpm, providing potent performance and tractability. In tests, the bike accelerated from 0-100kph in 6.35 seconds.
Excellent Ride Quality and Cornering: The Himalayan 450 features Showa suspension, which handles undulations, bad roads, and off-road trails with ease. The 21-inch front wheel enhances its capabilities in off-road conditions, and the bike is surprisingly fun to corner, requiring only a little effort to tip it over.
Tubeless Spoked Wheels: The option to equip the Himalayan 450 with tubeless spoked wheels makes life easier in case of a puncture. Although expensive, these wheels can be added through the Royal Enfield configurator for Rs 11,000 at the time of purchase.
However, there are two reasons to consider looking elsewhere:
Hefty Weight: The Himalayan 450 has a heavy kerb weight of 196 kg, which may intimidate newer riders. While experienced riders may not mind the weight, beginners will take some time to get used to it, particularly when making U-turns or handling the bike at a standstill.
Vibrations and No Quickshifter: The engine produces noticeable vibrations between 5,000 rpm and 6,000 rpm, which can be annoying on long distances. Additionally, the bike lacks a quickshifter, which would enhance the riding experience, especially with the heavier clutch action that can be troublesome in stop-go traffic.
Overall, the Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 is a capable adventure motorcycle that offers excellent performance, ride quality, and cornering abilities. However, its weight and lack of features like a quickshifter may be drawbacks for some potential buyers.