Royal Enfield’s Himalayan finally unvieled

Technically, this motorcycle was announced a day before the Expo opened even for the media, and Royal Enfield chose not to participate in the Expo itself. They didn’t need to. The Himalayan is one of the most anticipated bikes of the year, and RE have played along with a clever campaign of spy shots and sightings in recent months. The bike itself came as a gentle surprise, in that it was revealed almost exactly as it has been spotted by keen-eyed photographers previously.

The Himalayan is Royal Enfield’s homage to the traditional stomping grounds of the Royal Enfield range of motorcycles: the hills. It’s almost a rite of passage for the RE owner to get up to Ladakh, drape the prayer flags across the wide, aftermarket handlebars and return triumphant in having earned, well, something. Perhaps it’s the fact that there are few bikes less suited to such a journey than the average Enfield, and making a journey with one is a task in itself. We’re glad the storied company decided to do something about it.

The Himalayan is a soft-core enduro bike. It’s spartan, flexible and comes with a brand-new 410cc OHC motor that develops 25hp. Service intervals are at 10,000km, so RE seems confident in the engine’s reliability. The frame is also new and sports Royal Enfield’s first-ever monoshock. The clearance, stance and practicality make it far more suited for long, mountainous journeys. Curiously however, the Himalayan is carbureted not fuel-injected, which isn’t too good for changing altitudes.

We’re reliably informed that there will be only one variant of the Himalayan, with a massive range of accessories available to kit it out for your particular kind of road trip. Prices and availability next month.