As people are maturing, so is the adventure-bike segment. Call it a trend or being sensible, manufacturers are contesting even in lower-displacement machines. This renewed interest is bringing all the positives to the manufacturer into cultivating young riders to brand loyalty.

After dominating back home in India, the post-British brand has been relentlessly expanding for half a decade and have increased exports to 93% this year compared to last year. And for 2018, they have no plans for slowing down. Their dual-sport enduro is making its way to our shores.

Called the "Himalayan", an adage to the mighty mountain range, it brings a lot of new things to the table – an all-new engine, all-new chassis, all-new design language, and most importantly, all new functionality of performing on both on and off-road terrains with equal ease.

STYLING

We must make you aware that the Royal Enfield Himalayan is not designed to win any beauty pageant. The bare-bones philosophy adopted here, in fact, does more good than harm for the Himalayan’s non-cosmetic appeal.

Though it uses contemporary components, features and powertrain, the Himalayan does not shy away from carrying a retro flair with a rough personality. The tall front stature is courtesy of the high mounted body colored fender, although RE has given it a conventional mudguard. The visible tubular frame, trapezoidal blackened side body panels with ‘Himalayan’ embossed on it and the non-existence of rear body panels enhance its functionality.

The high-placed swept up exhaust unit gives the Himalayan an unprecedented capability to clear high water levels and deeper river crossings. It comes with easy accessible mounting points for those aluminum panniers, soft luggage, jerry cans, and the lot at the front and the rear of the motorcycle.

The (still yet) halogen round headlamp unit sits high atop the fuel tank to throw light onto larger surfaces lighting up everything you need to see. The small fly-screen does a better job at protecting the rider from the elements than you think. Then there is the tread patterned Himalayan logo parched across the length of the bike on the fenders and the tank.

The instrument console of the Himalayan is easily the most comprehensive among all the Royal Enfield motorcycles put together. It gets analog dials for speedometer, tachometer and fuel gauge, with the unit of speedometer encasing an LCD screen for digital readouts of the 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.

Overall Dimension

POWERTRAIN

Unlike the 350cc and 499cc engines which Royal Enfield has been using for all of its motorcycles till date, the Himalayan has been blessed with an all-new long stroke motor that is an all-new experience for Royal Enfield, especially when it comes to the exhaust notes.

The Himalayan runs on a fuel injected engine, which has been christened as LS410, is a single cylinder, air and oil cooled, 411cc motor that can churn out a maximum power output of 25 hp and maximum torque output of 25.6 lb-ft. Not a lot but Royal Enfield says that it will be more than sufficient to surpass obstacles while riding at lower revs.

Mated to a five-speed transmission, the engine is tuned for strong low-end torque and is bolted onto a duplex split cradle frame designed and developed by UK-based Harris Performance. A robust 3-piece construction shaft is combined with a counterbalancer that takes the rider away from what a Royal Enfield used to be before, a violently vibrating toy. No pun intended.

Engine Specification

RIDE AND HANDLING

The Himalayan gets bolted onto a half-duplex split cradle frame designed and developed by UK-based Harris Performance. The suspension setup includes 41mm telescopic front forks and a linked hydraulic monoshock at the rear, with much longer suspension travels of 200mm and 180mm. This is the first Enfield to have a monoshock at the rear.

The 4-gallon fuel tank will take the Himalayan for approximately 280 - 300 miles and the upright riding position along with the optimized handlebar, low seat and grippy footpeg positioning compliments stress-free long strides. The tank is narrow enough to help give the rider a confident tuck-in during the long stints or shift side-to-side or sit-and-stand riding positions as terrains demand.

Having a 220mm ground clearance gives it sufficient gateways to wade through deeper rivers or bigger rocks. Braking will be handled by 300mm front disc brake on a 21" spoked wheel and a 240mm rear disc brake with ABS on a 17" spoked wheel. Moreover, the knobby tires won't make you run out of traction on loose surfaces.

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.

Chassis Specifications

PRICE

The Himalayan will be in available in Graphite and Snow paint job and will be here in the summer of 2018. The model will retail for $4,499. Hopefully, fit and finish is up to the mark, unlike what its other models were infamously known for.

The Himalayan will come in Snow and Granite color options.

COMPETITION

Kawasaki Versys-X 300

There is no mistaking this motorcycle with any other genre but the adventure tourer. Tall stance and a narrow body are designed to mean equal parts functional and stylish. High subframe and mudguard allow enough room to move over the biggest of boulders (unless you haven’t fallen off already). A tall windscreen offers plenty of wind deflection, which is a must though.

The liquid-cooled, 4-valve, parallel twin, 296 cc mill in the “X” is a variant of the mill that drives the Ninja 300 range. Power figures are not out yet but expect a similar 39 bhp of peak power and 15.5 lb-ft of peak torque. The engine will nevertheless be tuned for delivering an enhanced low to mid-range performance to create optimal power when negotiating a trail or commuting to work. It will also include lightweight pistons, optimized air box intake and other changes to aim efficiency and refinement.

True to its adventure figure, the X-300 fancies an upright riding position with wide handlebars to maneuver yourself out of any situation. The chassis is in an effort to strike a balance between strength and weight. A tubular steel frame with lightening holes and thin-walled brackets keep the weight in check, and the engine itself acts as a stressed component.

Suspension duties are taken over by the straight forward issue right-way-up front forks sporting a large 41mm non-adjustable Showa fork tubes and a centrally mounted charged monoshock with obligatory preload adjustments and is beefed up for more rigidity. Sufficient but not exactly sophisticated. Braking issues are handled by single 290mm petal-style rotor with a dual-piston caliper at the front, borrowing from the Ninja 300. Rear braking is with a 220mm rotor with its own dual-piston caliper. ABS is an optional package but not at a premium for sure.

BMW G310 GS

BMW Motorrad’s entry level dual sports motorcycle BMW G310 GS made its debut at the 2017 EICMA motorcycle show. It is based on their streetfighter G 310 R but carries the GS nameplate which is used for BMW’s touring and off-roading motorcycle initials.

This motorcycle will be BMW’s second sub 500 cc offering in the world market after the naked streetfighter G 310R. As far as the powertrain is concerned, it is powered by the same 313 cc water-cooled, single-cylinder engine which is capable of producing about 34 hp of peak power at 9,500 rpm and 20.6 lb-ft of torque at 7,500 rpm. The EU-IV complaint engine is paired to a 6-speed gearbox.

The motorcycle uses 41 mm travel suspension setup towards the front and monoshock setup towards the rear. For stopping it relies on disc brakes on both its front as well as the rear wheels which also come equipped with dual channel ABS setup as standard. As far as the styling is concerned the dual sports motorcycle gets a bigger and longer beak towards the front while the GS initials can be found on the fuel tank. The rest of the motorcycle’s styling remains the same with that of the G 310 R Streetfighter.

The motorcycle will be manufactured at the TVS-BMW manufacturing plant in Hosur, India.

VERDICT

The self-attested “oldest motorcycle company in continuous production in the world” has been making the right moves to be heard the world over. And their recent project seems to have gained a lot of traction at the recently concluded EICMA show: The 650cc retro twins running on brand new twin-cylinder engines.

With the Himalayan, Royal Enfield has opened up an all-new chapter in its glorious book of functional motorcycles, with the overall appeal of the motorcycle being drastically different from its rest of the other stablemates. The overall design of the Himalayan may not be an eye-pleasing one, and may not command a second glance, but the fact that it is designed for a purpose seals the deal.

Coming in a space made by the Kawasaki Versys-X 300, and the recent entrant, the BMW G 310 GS, Royal Enfield has a pretty damn tall order. Hopefully, fit and finish is up to the mark, unlike what its other models were infamously known for.

Comparing with what all engines Royal Enfield has in its other motorcycles, the Himalayan’s LS410 motor remains vibe free for most of the times and is easily the best engine Royal Enfield has ever made, thus showing a huge improvement Royal Enfield has undergone in this particular department. Adding the killer price tag, the Royal Enfield Himalayan is surely a fresh change in the motorcycling world and is destined only to increase the popularity and brand appeal of Royal Enfield.