QUICK SPIN: Royal Enfield Himalayan
The Himalayan precedes the Interceptor and Continental models by a few years (in original Indian spec, a year earlier for the UK spec, Euro4 model). What it is, is a clever positioning; an adventure bike not 10-feet tall or weighing tonnes. Smaller, lighter, lower, it fits with Enfield’s target of the ‘middle market’ between small-capacity and top-end machinery.
Give me some spec
A 410cc single-cylinder air-cooled engine putting out 24bhp with 23.6ft-lb torque resides in a half-duplex split-cradle frame. Seat height is 800mm, and the Himalayan weighs in at a svelte 185kg. Stopping power comes from a single 300mm, 2-piston caliper front disc with a 240mm single piston floating caliper rear.
Any updates from last year?
The original (not for the UK) model was carbureted. UK spec features fuel injection, Euro4 compliant catalytic converter and ABS.
So what is it like to ride?
The Himalayan has done well in test rides on home soil. But how about UK roads in October?
There is a choke (younger readers ask your grandparents), but I didn’t need it on a crisp,
Autumn morning. Starting first press of the button, it rumbled away agreeably (very top of the rev range it sounds rattly… so don’t go there!). The Himalayan looks ready for adventure, thanks to the 21-inch front and 17inch rear. It’s shorter than it looks; 800mm seat height aided by being so narrow, I could get both heels on the floor. On the bike you’re sat upright, pegs centrally placed to allow for up on the heels when off-roading.
On the road the Himalayan’s 410cc single heads to 30mph quickly and it’ll pick up to 40 in 2nd easily. In town it's a gem. Easy to balance, you’ll find yourself doing Doogie Lampkin impersonations at the lights. On major A-roads, I wondered how a mere 24.5 horses would cope. Running through the gears, the Enfield build speed well enough – you’ll want to plan overtakes, but they’re possible. Buoyed by this, I moved to the motorway, where the Himalayan sat at 70mph. Even in this environment I was comfortable pulling out and past slower traffic.
B-roads are where the Himalayan is most fun. Those wide bars, huge opposite lock and semi-knobbly tyres that grip more than you’d imagine allow you to lean the little Enfield with confidence. I didn’t take it off-road, but deliberately aiming for lumps, bumps and crests, the Himalayan’s generous travel soaked up everything thrown at it.