Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 spotted testing ahead of launch [Video]

Royal Enfield is working on a more powerful version of the Himalayan adventure tourer. It is expected to be called the Himalayan 450 and will be launched by next year. Royal Enfield has started testing the Himalayan 450 on our Indian roads. This is the second time the new motorcycle has been spotted.

The video and pictures are shared on Akshai’s Instagram page. The new motorcycle is expected to launch by the end of this year or early next year. Considering the semiconductor shortage that the world is facing, the Himalayan 450 can get delayed.

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In the video, we can see the Himalayan 450 cruising down the highway at a high speed. There are also some pictures, in which we can see that the Himalayan 450 looks like a proper adventure tourer but it still follows function over form design philosophy.

At first glance, it looks like an entirely new motorcycle but you would be able to spot some design elements from the existing Himalayan 411. For instance, the exoskeleton-like frame around the fuel tank and the headlight are still there. The frame protects the motorcycle in case of a fall and you would also be able to mount jerry cans on it when you are going on long rides. There is also a beak-like mudguard along with the regular mudguard.

There is a circular headlamp in the front and a windscreen that is surprisingly smaller than the Himalayan 411’s windshield. We can see a circular instrument cluster that does look similar to the one found on Scram 411 and the Meteor 350. However, according to media reports, the Himalayan 450 will get a new TFT screen. There would also be three riding modes on offer. There will be road, rain and off-road. In the off-road mode, the ABS on the rear wheel will be switched off automatically. On the Himalayan 411, there is a button that you need to press to do the same. In rain mode, the ABS will be slightly more intrusive because of the slippery roads.

The handlebar is tall and wide which should give enough leverage to the rider. The footpegs are centre set which means that the riding triangle would be comfortable. It also gets split seats and considering that the Himalayan 411 and Scram have one of the most comfortable seats for touring, we expect that Royal Enfield will nail the seating comfort on the Himalayan 450 as well.

The front wheel measures 21-inches in size while the rear one measures 17-inches. It is still running spoked wheels but Royal Enfield is working with Ceat to make a special rubber compound that can perform equally on the tarmac as well as off-road. The Himalayan 411’s tyres are 70 percent tarmac oriented and 30 percent off-road. So, the new tyres on the 450 will have deeper treads.

At the rear, we can see a luggage rack that will have a capacity of 15 kgs. The fuel tank will measure 20 litres. Suspension duties will be taken care of by up-side down forks in the front and a mono-shock at the rear. Being a Royal Enfield there will be plenty of accessories to choose from.

The biggest highlight of the Himalayan 450 will be its new engine. As the name suggests, it will be a 450 cc unit that will be liquid-cooled. The power output will be 40 PS and the peak torque output will be 45 Nm. It will come mated to a 6-speed gearbox.

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