“The mountains call us all. The only difference is what we say back”.
This is a powerful tagline for a brand which has been a heartthrob for the Indian youth in the past several years. The days for mileage and city rides for the bikes are gone now. The concept of cruiser bikes has been welcomed by the Indian travellors with enthusiasm and most of the makers are now considering to mark their positions in this segment.
Although, in the recent years, Royal Enfield bikes has got several complaints and the lack of quality when compared to their old models, it still remains one of the most popular models. The cruise model Thunderbird has already been a hit in the market . Many have selected this overpriced model because of its looks (adapted mostly from the Triumph Thunderbird storm), the stability and the comfort for long rides.
Now with the best time for cruiser models in the market, Royal Enfield has launched its most awaiting model for over an year, The Himalayan. The Royal Enfield Himalayan was announced some time back to be a game changer for the market and it certainly is one till now as the number of bookings is very much on the higher side. The company made it sure to follow a different path for its design, build, tests in different terrains and ofcourse its marketing.
Royal Enfield Himalayan vs Thunderbird 500
Features | Royal Enfield Himalayan | Royal Enfield Thunderbird 500 |
Engine Cc | 411.0 cc | 499.0 cc |
No Of Cylinder | 1 | 1 |
Max Power | 24.5 bhp @ 6500 rpm | 27.2 bhp @ 5250 rpm |
Max Torque | 32 Nm @ 4500 rpm | 41.3 Nm @ 4000 rpm |
Valves Per Cylinder | 2 | 2 |
Fuel Delivery | Carburettor with throttle position sensor | Keihin Electronic Fuel Injection |
Cooling System | Air Cooled | Air Cooled |
Starting Mechanism | Electric | Electric,kick |
Mileage | 45 kmpl | 32 kmpl |
Overall Riding Range | 675 km | 640 km |
No Of Gears | 5 | 5 |
Clutch | Wet, multi-plate | Wet, Multi-plate |
Design, Specs and Performance
As said already, you get most things pretty new in the new Royal Enfield Himalayan. The design is quite clean and raw looking. Following a naked model approach, the design shows what it is made for. The information console is very much advanced when compared to the other models with thermometer, digital compass and gear indicator..
The windscreen coming in for this model is a welcome one for long rides. The good thing is that it goes well with the designs as well. The headlamp is suited for the bike’s all terrain purpose with powerful 12V 60/55W bulbs while the tail lamp is a small and slim LED type.
The new and improved seats and the seating position is the best of its kind. For the first time, the company has offered a mono shock suspension which adds to the comfort of driving through all types of roads. The handle bars, which the company claims, is positioned to give a smooth ride for cities, highways and offroads. Most of the reviewers agreed to the same as well.
The Royal Enfield Himalayan comes with an all new 411CC, single cylinder, air-cooled engine which produces 24.5 bhp at 6500rpm and 32 nm at 4500 rpm. The company claims this to be the best for its class even though we can see other makers like Honda and bajaj moving to oil cooled engines for its high end models. The fuel injection is under consideration for future models as of now. Thus the Himalayan still uses a carburetor, which is designed to perform the same way from sea level upto 12000 feet.
The performance is better than most of the other models, particularly when compared to the Classic 350 and the Thunderbird 350. This has been due to both higher cubic capacity as well as the lower kerb weight (182 kgs). The company makes it clear that there will be lesser performance in the higher altitude but the engine will remain intact.
Wheels and Braking
Definitely the tyres are very crucial for the kind of bike Royal Enfield Himalayan is. Even for large potholes, the RE Himalayan gives a good response with the 21 inch front and 17 inch rear wheels. The Himalayan comes up with tubed CEAT gripp tyres in both front and rear with spoke wheels.
The Braking part has not seen much changes with both front and rear having discs as that in the Thunderbird. The front 300mm disc is the larger one while the rear disc is of 260 mm.
Pricing
With all the above new features, the Royal Enfield Himalayan has come with a very competitive price of 155000 INR, ex showroom delhi. The pricing has bee one of the key factor in the large number of bookings the Himalayan is getting. This is definitely going to be a game changer for the RE.
Royal Enfield Himalayan Pros
Some of the pros of the RE Himalayan are
Completely new design and looks
Best comfort for long riders with monoshock suspension
Plenty of Luggage space and factory made carrier.
Competitive pricing
Informational Instrument Console
Royal Enfield Himalayan Cons
RE is yet to move to Tubeless tyres which would be very useful for Long rides
No ABS.
Only electric starter is available.
All the reviews and ratings given to the RE Himalayan has been good and with minor negatives as mentioned above, the RE Himalayan is still a great option for Long riders. How the model stays in the market needs to be seen with time.
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