Royal Enfield Himalayan

How is the design of Royal Enfield Himalayan?

The Royal Enfield Himalayan has always impressed the market with its rugged and simple design. “Minimalistic” is perhaps the accurate word to describe the adventure bike’s design. The new colour palettes enhance Himalayan’s adventurous appeal, especially the Pine Green.
Even the new tan brown seat, which is coupled with the Mirage Grey, adds to the aesthetic appeal of the adventure bike.

The design is sturdy, stylish and retains the essence of the adventure bikes with its tyres and guards. However, you can observe a noticeable change in its sleek stance. The fuel tank has been modified to offer knee space to the tall riders who previously struggled with the BS-IV version.

Other noticeable changes include the upgrade in the ergonomics of the seat, the front rack, rear carrier and the windscreen, which enhances the touring experience of the riders.

The adventure bike retains the halogen headlamp along with the typical Royal Enfield tail lamp.
Other parts mostly remain the same and whereas other changes are inside the frame, which enhances the body and makes the body look beefed up. The switchgear also feels comfortable in terms of touch and feel. However, the plastic surrounding the instrument cluster could have been better.

Another disadvantage is that the buttons are not easily accessible. You require a decent amount of power to press them, just like with the clutch. But you can be sure of the ruggedness of the Himalayan as it is built for rough handling. Hence, even if you throw it around, the chances of the bike getting severely affected are slim.

In terms of appearance, the bike looks similar to the BS-IV model as it retains its robust design elements. Moreover, the new colour additions are notable as they enhance the adventurous appeal of the Himalayan.

How does the Royal Enfield Himalayan ride?

The Royal Enfield adventure bike has an impressive initial pick-up, irrespective of whether you’re on a city road or riding off-road. You’ll enjoy riding the bike even on the mid-range, which makes it potent and fun to ride.

The ideal height of 800 mm makes it possible for a rider with an average height to sit at a proper stance along with clear front visibility. While riding, this helps filter through the traffic, and your posture ensures you’re comfortable even after hours of riding.

The suspension, which includes a telescopic front paired with a mono-shock in the rear, ensures a smooth riding experience irrespective of the surface of the road.

Being a BS-VI compliant motorcycle, the Royal Enfield Himalayan’s power output was marginally reduced. Still, the decline in power has been compensated with an upgraded level of refinement that enhances the adventure bike’s ride quality.

Even the exhaust sounds a lot more refined now that it’s coupled with a fuel-injected motor. This also means that the engine is considerably stress-free even at top speed. However, as mentioned earlier, the weight does hinder the ride quality, especially at lower speeds.

How comfortable is the Royal Enfield Himalayan?

The Himalayan offers adequate comfort due to the ergonomically enhanced seat design. The rider’s seat height is measured at 800 mm, making the rider’s position reasonably straight and presents a commanding stance. It is also a preferred spot for Indian riders. The seat height is suitable for tall as well as average height riders.

The seating triangle is in perfect equilibrium with the stance, and hence, you can comfortably drive for long hours. Another nice touch that enhances touring is the neutrally set footpegs. The accurately placed handlebar further supports your seating stance.

Being an adventure bike, you will naturally expect it to sail through the off-roads, and the new Himalayan doesn’t disappoint. The stand-up ergonomics are nicely enhanced, which allows you to stand up comfortably while cruising. Furthermore, the grip offered by the fuel tank coupled with the height of the handlebar makes it ideal for standing while enjoying your off-road route.

One more applaudable aspect of the Royal Enfield adventure bike is its suspension setup which includes long-travel suspension units measuring a 41mm telescopic front along with a 200mm travel mated with a rear mono-shock with 180mm wheel travel. As a result, it takes on the baggage of the road and absorbs it effectively while letting you tour comfortably.

The adventure bike is most comfortable after it reaches 80 kmph. Moreover, the engine performs well during long drives, especially between the range of 100 kmph to 120 kmph. You hardly feel any vibration during this range which boasts the high power of the 411cc engine.

Although adding LED lightning and upgrades such as tubeless tyres are still missing. So you can imagine the discomfort if your bike gets punctured due to the current ‘tube’ tyres while you’re on a long ride.

2021 Himalayan also features a revised windscreen to minimise the windblast.

How is the tech in Royal Enfield Himalayan?

Royal Enfield has heard its consumer’s feedback and increased the level of tech, making the new Himalayan model ‘tech-friendly.’ Riders now have a choice of switching off the ABS, and the bike also incorporates fuel injection for a refined ride.

Being an adventure bike, Royal Enfield has equipped the Himalayan 2021 with the Tripper Navigation system. It is powered by Google Maps and works with the Royal Enfield app. This is an invaluable addition in terms of tech, as it can improve the touring experience if the rider is unaware of their location. It also feels inconvenient to halt and search for directions. Hence the Navigation system, which offers turn-by-turn directions to the riders, is a welcomed feature.

Royal Enfield has even considered small changes like the hazard warning button and a revised side stand that enhances the bike’s support. Other features like the semi-digital instrument cluster feature speed, odometer, rpm monitor, ambient temperature reader, and others retained from its predecessor. Although the current model, just like the BS-IV, misses out on an LED lighting system and an option of mobile charging, which is a necessity in a long drive.

How is the mileage of Royal Enfield Himalayan?

Royal Enfield claims to offer a mileage of 39.9 kmpl, whereas the riders have verified that the bike easily offers an ideal mileage of 35 kmpl. But if driven economically, you can expect a higher mileage than 35 kmpl, primarily due to the upgraded fuel injection.

The redesigned fuel tank sports a capacity of 15 litres. With a full tank, you can expect to cover nearly 450 kilometres target non-stop, which is pretty commendable, making it an ideal motorcycle for touring.

How is the performance of Royal Enfield Himalayan?

In terms of performance, the Himalayan, with its 411 cc BS6 engine, is at its best in the range of 100-120 kmph. You hardly feel any vibration, and the efficient torque gives you the ability to pull off clean overtakes. The braking system also supports well even at top speed, and the switchable dual-channel ABS doesn’t intrude unnecessarily.

The seating and stand-up ergonomics offer you the best of both worlds, where your sitting stance is relatively stiff and straight because of the knee position and grip due to the redesigned fuel tank. During long drives, if you feel strain while sitting, you can always switch to the stand-up stance to relieve the stress while comfortably continuing your ride.

One of the reasons why adventure bikes are expensive and have high value is because of the versatility they offer.

The bike should move easily to wherever you want to take it, irrespective of the surface.
The riding position should be supportive enough for a long journey, and the seat height should be adequate to ensure feet reach the ground comfortably.
Another essential criteria of an ideal adventure bike is adequate mileage. The engineer should be powerful enough to allow the rider to take on the city roads daily.

Royal Enfield has justified the versatile nature of the Himalayan as it meets all the above requirements. The adventure bike gives you the option to take it wherever you like, be it on the hills, across the rivers, filtering the city traffic or even through continuous potholes. Moreover, the performance is as robust as you would expect from a Royal Enfield motorcycle.

Is the Royal Enfield Himalayan a good value for money product?

At Rs. 2,08,520, the top variant of Royal Enfield Himalayan is one of the best budget adventure bikes in the market.

Whether you consider its design, performance, ergonomics or style, it stands out to be one of the most holistic bikes currently available in India.

The added colour palettes coupled with the finish gives the bike a premium feel. Even for the base variant, the combination of the tan-brown seat with mirage grey looks stunning.

When you also consider the notable features such as the dual-channel, switchable ABS, revised Side-stand, Tripper navigation system, the Royal Enfield Himalayan becomes an ideal buy that is comparatively more affordable and better in performance than its competitors.

Its 15-litre fuel tank and almost 40 kmpl mileage present it as an ideal adventure bike to enjoy touring. It is also one of the most pleasurable bikes to ride due to its enormous comfort. The 411cc single-cylinder engine is versatile and is ready for anywhere you want to explore. Considering all the above factors, the price of the Royal Enfield Himalayan 2021 is pretty accurate.