Long before there were adventure bikes, Royal Enfield motorcycles were already a fixture on the road less travelled. Whether it was competing in – and winning – some of the earliest off-road competitions, carrying adventurers around the world or traversing the most challenging terrains on the planet, Royal Enfield’s versatility helped forge its place in off-road riding and motorcycle history.
In 2016 Royal Enfield broke ranks from its Bullet focused lineup with the introduction their first dual sport motorcycle, the Himalayan. Where the adventure bikes dominating the market at the time bragged of industry leading technology and innovation, the Himalayan stayed true to Royal Enfield’s mantra of building motorcycles that offer riders everything they need and nothing that they don’t. This approach delivered an instant success, resulting in one of Royal Enfield’s most popular models with a dedicated global following of dual sport riders and adventurers.
Fast forward to 2024 and the Royal Enfield team has delivered a major update to the Himalayan legacy with the introduction of the all-new Himalayan 450. Purpose built from the ground up, the new Himalayan is the first model to be derived from the company’s Sherpa 450 platform, featuring a 452 cc water-cooled single-cylinder engine. In addition to introducing liquid cooling into the Royal Enfield lineup, the Himalayan 450 also features ride-by-wire throttle and selectable ride modes.
While the new powerplant provides a significant increase in performance compared to the original Himalayan (40 horsepower vs. 24 horsepower respectively), this new model also sees further upgrades with a six-speed transmission, Showa suspension and improved ground clearance of 230 mm (9.1 in), as well as the introduction of the company’s new TripperDash display and navigation system.
Still retaining its lightweight, manageable dimensions, the new Himalayan remains true to the original model’s goals of meeting the expectations of seasoned riders and requirements of diverse terrains, while also providing newer riders with the confidence to leave the paved world behind. And, it offers all of this at a starting MSRP of just $7,699.
With a goal of demonstrating their “Built for all roads. Built for no roads.” tagline, Royal Enfield invited North American moto journalists to join them in scenic Heber City, UT for a day of riding. Arriving at Daniel’s Summit Lodge, which serves as a launching point for all types of off-road and wintertime snowmobile adventures into the vast expanses of the Uinta National Forest, the rustic setting provided a precursor of the riding that awaited and also left me wondering how my limited off-road skills would fair when kickstands came up the following morning.
Astride the Himalayan 450 my first impression was how light and balanced it felt. With a wet weight of 196 kg (432 lb) the bike is already on the lighter side, but Royal Enfield’s focus on mass centralization and keeping weight as low as possible is evident from moment it comes off the kickstand. One caveat is that the side stand is too short and when on the stand the bike takes a bit of effort to get it upright. Not a big deal at the start of the day, but by the end of a long day, it would become increasingly noticeable.
The other notable first impression is how reachable the ground is from the saddle. During the pre-ride technical briefing the design team had highlighted that retaining an attainable reach to the ground for riders of all sizes was priority that involved moving the airbox forward to keep seat height low as well as a focus on maintaining a narrow profile along the seat and tank. The fact that I was able to move the standard seat, which is adjustable between 825 mm (32.5 in) and 845 mm (33.3 in), to its higher setting and still maintain solid contact with the ground, despite my vertically challenged 5-foot 8-inch height, confirms that these design efforts have been successful. For riders in search of lower options, a low 805 mm (31.7 in) seat adjustable to 825 (32.5 in) is also available. Taller riders need not despair as Royal Enfield’s accessory catalogue also includes higher seat options.
Another impossible to miss item was the new TripperDash display. The round 4-inch full-colour TFT display, positioned directly behind the windscreen, offers multiple display options on a stand-alone basis with speedometer, tachometer, gear indicator and variety other information. When connected to a smartphone loaded with the Royal Enfield app, the TripperDash provides comprehensive navigation as well access to phone, message and music, all of which are accessed with a joystick located near the left grip on the handlebar.
The first part of the ride saw us cover approximately 50 kilometres of asphalt along Hwy 40 and provided the opportunity to assess the Himalayan at high speed on asphalt and it did not disappoint. While the 21-inch front wheel and 17-inch rear reflect the motorcycle’s off-road intentions, the Himalayan responded well on the highway transitioning easily from side to side and providing a solid feel at full lean angles. While its response below 3,000 rpm is muted, above this level the 450 Sherpa powerplant pulls smoothly, comfortably maintaining speeds that would easily accommodate the pace of freeways and major highways with lots left over for passing.
Although our stint on the highway was short lived, it did offer insight into the ergonomics that someone doing a longer road trip would be working with. The placement of the footpegs left my knees in a very comfortable position that could easily be held for hours with no fatigue or discomfort. The wide handlebar was equally well placed within an easy reach that positions the rider in a straight upright position.
While it would be easy to dismiss the Himalayan 450 as being too small to be an effective touring machine, the combination of its impressive powerplant and comfortable ergonomics, not to mention available luggage accessories, left me daydreaming about taking a weekend trip through the Rockies back home in Alberta.
One of the most pleasant surprises during this highway stretch was the lack of vibration. Even with the rubber inserts removed from the footpegs in anticipation of the off-road portion of our ride, there was minimal vibration even as we stretched the tachometer to its highest reaches. For anyone planning on longer asphalt-focused rides, leaving the rubber inserts in place will likely negate any vibration at all.
No different than many adventure bikes on the market, for the majority of Himalayan 450 motorcycles sold in the coming months and years, off-road activity will likely be limited to occasional gravel roads. However, Royal Enfield’s agenda for this test ride was demonstrate the Himalayan’s full capabilities and that meant that we were heading off road, and, as it turned out, in a big way.
Leaving the highway behind, our route took us along a short stretch of asphalt occasionally covered in dirt and the remnants of the flash floods that frequent this area during heavy rains. As the next transition led our group beyond pavement and onto full dirt roads, it was time to get off the seat and up onto the footpegs – a position that fortunately proved to be both effective and comfortable (thanks in large part to the narrow tank design) as it turns out it would be maintained for the next several hours.
Following the tracking vehicle for a photoshoot along a canyon floor demonstrates the Himalayans responsiveness as it easily navigates around large rocks and other obstacles based on simply weighting one footpeg or the other. For the first time during the ride this terrain inspired me to switch the ABS system to shut off the rear, which is easily accomplished by cycling through the modes (throttle must be off).
With the photo stop behind us, as our route ascended up and out of the canyon the impact of recent rainfall is evident in the deteriorating surface and deep ruts and this is where the torque curve of the 450 Sherpa engine shines. With 90 percent of its torque available at just 3,500 rpm (maximum torque is 29.5 ft-lb at 5,500 rpm), it is was easy to let the Himalayan pull smoothly along at engine lower engine speeds and then rely on the impressive torque curve when required for navigating hills and obstacles.
In addition to multiple water crossings, our route encountered more mud holes than I could count. While the tires from CEAT mounted on our test bikes worked well on pavement and dry dirt, their bias towards pavement was very evident as we moved into challenging terrain. Anyone intending to spend the majority of their riding time off-road would definitely benefit from switching to tires with a more aggressive dirt focus.
Following a lunch break, our group started out on what would turn out to be some of the most challenging off-road riding I have ever imagined. As we made our way along the trails that would eventually take us up to an elevation of 3,000 metres, the grades got increasingly steeper, the mud holes at the bottom of each incline grew larger and the rain ruts that traversed along and across our path got deeper and deeper.
I must admit that as I paused to catch my breath after one of our guides had assisted me up a rather difficult muddy stretch, I was starting to question if Royal Enfield’s goal of the Himalayan promoting confidence in new and less experienced off-road riders was realistic. Then as if he was reading my mind, the same guide who had just helped me get up the last hill, suggested that I should follow him for a while so he could show me some lines through the next sections, which were certainly not getting any easier.
Without the challenge of having to figure out how to navigate through the obstacles, all that was left to do was ride the bike and this was when the Himalayan and I started to gel. As we climbed even steeper hills working around rocks and branches while criss-crossing over rain ruts that were deeper than the bike’s front wheel and made our way through and out of mud holes that came up well over my knees, the Himalayan absolutely inspired confidence. Its low centre of gravity, light weight and manageable size made it possible not only for me to handle this level of riding but also left me wanting to do more.
Taking a moment to rest at our peak elevation provided a moment to reflect on the Himalayan’s performance over the last few hours. In addition to accommodating the needs of less experienced off-road riders the Himalayan also had no issues being pushed. The 43 mm Showa fork on the front and rear mono-shock handled everything that had been thrown their way, providing a solid ride and never once bottoming out.
As basic theory of ‘what goes up, must come down,’ started to come into play, our descent back down into the valley put a focus on the brakes, with an emphasis on the rear 270 mm disc. At the suggestion of our guides, I had switched the full ABS back on in order to avoid locking up the rear wheel – probably best not to try and master every off-road skill in a single day – and as we came down the steep grades, the rear brake with the combination of a low gear and limited use of the front brake made for an uneventful trip.
After five hours of off-road adventures, our group made it back to the world of asphalt, where a spirited ride along some world-class Utah twisties reinforced that the Himalayan 450 is also a blast to ride on the road. It was great to be back on pavement but as we made our way to the lodge my thoughts were firmly focused on figuring out when I could get back off-road. I guess this goes to show you that Royal Enfield is also in the business of building riders.
2024 Royal Enfield Himalayan
- Suggested Retail: Starting at $7,699
- Colours: Kaza Brown, Slate Himalayan Salt, Slate Poppy Blue, Hanle Black, Kamet White
- Engine: Liquid-cooled single-cylinder DOHC
- Displacement: 452 cc
- Bore & Stroke: 84 x 81.5 mm
- Compression Ratio: 11.5:1
- Power: 40 hp at 8,000 rpm
- Torque: 29.5 ft-lb at 5,500 rpm
- Fuel Delivery: Fuel injected
- Final Drive: Chain
- Weight: 196 kg (432 lb), wet
- Transmission: Six-speed
- Frame: Twin spar tubular frame
- Wheelbase: 1,510 mm (59.5 in)
- Seat Height: 825 mm (32.5 in) adjustable to 845 mm (33.3 in); Low seat option: 805 mm (31.7 in) adjustable to 825 mm (32.5 in)
- Suspension (front): 43 mm Showa inverted fork (200 mm travel)
- Suspension (rear): Mono shock (200 mm travel)
- Tire (front): 90/90 21
- Tire (rear): 140/80 17
- Brakes (front): Single 320 mm disc with two-piston caliper
- Brakes (rear): 270 mm with single-piston caliper
- Fuel Capacity: 17 L
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