NEW Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 Review | The END of Adventure Bikes? On & Off Road
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Royal Enfield kindly invited me out to Sardinia, Italy to review the New Himalayan 450, It's safe to say this bike was even better than I expected, It's very capable off-road, as well as great fun on the twisty mountain roads too.
I go into detail on what the new sherpa 450 single cylinder engine is like. compared to the old 411 Himalayan and scram, and also the new triumph scrambler 400 x. How does it handle, stopping power, acceleration, suspension and more...
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Thanks to MotoFilmer Alex Rollings for a few of the shots in this video! @TheClassicMotorcycleChannel
I own the old 411 Himalayan, and I have no doubt that the new 450 is a better bike in just about every way. However, with all the electronics and a less do-it-yourself-friendly liquid cooled DOHC engine it has also lost the simplicity that I really like about the 411. I wish Royal Enfield all the best with the new 450, but it's a shame that they have cancelled the 411, there ought to be room in the market for both, there are so few simple bikes left. And I prefer the look of the old one too, that tractor style of the 411 just has much more charisma.
Ya know Simplicity is a big factor with me as well on my 650, actually a bit part of the 650 for me is the simplicity.
in reality the new engine is still vety simple all it has its the liquid cooling
@@nonsononessunooko4066 It also has electronic ride-by-wire, ride modes, traction control, electronic TFT screen, just a lot more that can go wrong. Plus, I can easily do valve adjustment on my single cam 411, I would feel a lot less confident about trying it on the 450 with it's double cams and shims. I'm sure some can do it themselves, but it's definitely more complicated than on the 411.
@@olethorhermansen5696 sure
Would like to see you compair it with the scrambler. I have that one and my brother is now looking for a bike and is more set on the himalayan. I send hem this video 😁 already
Having to keep the phone screen on while casting maps etc completely defeats the purpose. Battery drain, phone overheating. Hopefully this can be fixed in a software update. Great bike though!
I hope so too
Might as well just have a phone mount built in
That and the no dedicated taillight are weird choices.
I’m sure it’s just a setting, probably dependent on the phone rather than the bike
Phone shmone. Get a Garmin and ride baby! 😀
The tank has grown on me. Now it looks new and cool and different. This is a great bike. And will prove to be a great bike.
I think it looks beautiful, much better than the old bike. The tank reminds me of the 80's Honda XL's, I like it.
My thought exactly. Many moons ago I owned a Honda XL500 and this bike gives off similar vibes.
I can’t wait for the second hand market to be populated with pre-loved Himalayans ;)
I said that about Interceptor 650, and it didn't happen in the uk for the first 3 to 4 years, as the price stayed up?
Same here in US. No one is getting rid of them.@@jimmyjam8795
#metoo .... I'll have a bargain 411 over the new one any day... 😂 *Crap Game* 🎉
They hold their value a little too well, it's always been smarter to just buy a new one.
Keep in contact with your dealer network and they'll reach out if they get trade-ins... have been doing this for years and have been able to pick up some great bargains over the years
A comparison between 400x and 450 Himalayan would be great!
And the CFMOTO 450MT…
@@malcolmeunson5543 Please no Chinese crap on this Channel its all stolen tech and they politically are a world problem, please do not promote the Chinese crap and drive their economy.
Yeah, we want to know if helping fund the Chinese concentration camps for uyghurs is justified..compared the bike that helps pay for the Chinese Communist party to do literal Nazi stuff!
KAAVIR :- ALMIGHTY:- GOD❤
Yes please
As someone with zero off-road skills, I think this is the bike I'd choose. It seems ever so forgiving in terms of handling, robust in a drop, and with plenty of potential to keep me happy as green-laning skills grow. I think Enfield have their marketing just right: nothing outrageous, just dependable and fun. As to Enfield in general, their approach to European and American markets is coming completely left of field and in complete rejection of mc fashion and latest trends, innovations, etc. Their astronomic rise in the market place must have the other major manufacturers scratching their heads as to how the could have gotten Western markets so wrong.
all the innovation you need underpinned by decades of tradition and lineage.... that sums up India as a whole to be fair. I love winter vacations there
Really enjoyed this, great riding shots, this bike is definitely going to sell well. Looks nice in the orange colour ❤ Sardinia looks very pretty and I also love the new merch 👍🏼👍🏼
Eeeeek watching this at work, can’t wait to see how your guys ride was! ❤🎉
😁hope you enjoy!
Great review, I've seen the black and gold in the flesh, really beautiful bike, better than the last 🎉
Sardinia is a fabulous place. Lucky you riding the new bike there!!
Was absolutely beautiful 🤩
@MrDarcy-OlMan 👍 Great food, local wines, cheeses etc. Lovely beaches and everywhere is so much quieter than on the mainland. Where were you based?
I knew you would like the bike. You're right about the weight. It doesn't feel as heavy as the specifications suggest!
Another Royal Enfield I must get to test this season! And I agree, the design grows on you. Perhaps this could be "the one bike" if you ask me, but I will let you know after I have got the chance to ride it. 👍😎
Looks great even the exhaust looks ok hope my local dealer gets one in soon
Fingers crossed!
Excellent review as always, but you did leave out what i consider to be important. The spoked tubeless wheels. I so wish they were on my 400x.
Yes I completely forgot about those! Although they are an optional extra not standard
Good honest review.
Friends of mine are R&D guys for different manufacturers. Last weekend at the pub, the conversation was about suspensions and how three major companies, Gabriel, Endurance and Showa have suddenly gotten really good. The real reason for that is statistics and data. In the last decade, testing tracks have become more accessible and technologically advanced. Latest news is that electronic suspension and their viability is being put to test and results for the moment are still in favour of normal suspension systems, heck adjustability is considered a premium. I am seriously looking forward to seeing inexpensive simplified electronic suspension being manufactured here in India. Hopefully soon. Great review Darcy ! Thanks
Great review, great bike. Thanks!
My pleasure!
Food for thought, my 411 is 3 years old soon 😊
Thanks for this great review! (Yes, if you don't mind and if not hassle, would like to see a comparo with the Triumph 400 Scrambler.)
Sure thing!
Himmy smashes it off road. Triumph the all round better bike probably.. Though I'll have an old himmy 411 over both of them any day.. *Crap Game* 🎉
Excellent video 👌 you really sold the bike. I would never have considered one before watching but I’ll definitely be considering one in the future. Congrats on the channel as well. It just keeps getting better and better
Thank you 😊
I see to many flaws, I have a 411 with 22000km. It has more than enough shoddy electronics on one bike for me, the new one just adds more
Some great lower capacity bikes on the market at the moment and at a good price. Great vid as always👍
Great video bud 👍
Glad you enjoyed😊
Great review mate! Hopefully you’ll have the opportunity to review the new scram 450 too soon, whenever it will come out. I’m glad that you’ve enjoyed Sardinia, where were you then? I’m originally from the southwest of Sardinia but living in UK
Thank you! We were staying in the north of Sardinia, in Capo Coda Cavallo. What a beautiful place
Great video Darcy!
Glad you think so!
That's it then, I wanted it to be good, the himalayan is like the Michael Palin of adventure bikes,
great review Darcy
Thank you!
Really love the look of the new one myself. The eyelets on the side crash bars for toolbags is a great little detail. I’m not sure how i feel about the front fender situation though. Might pick it up second hand a couple years down the road.
Very tempting 👍👍
The Tshirt with a Classic 350 print, so cool and bang on in the spirit of the channel! Great design, congrats to the girlfriend!
Thank you very much!
I agree. Good eye with the Classic 350 👍🏼
Awesome presentation, Darcy 👌
Thank you very much 😊
@@MrDarcy-OlMan U R most welcome, mate 👍
So we are going back to where it all started ! Trail type bikes were all the rage in the 70's & 80's before and now we are getting them again for three times the price.
Being torn between riding a " classic" retro RI, BSA, TRIUMPH, having joinec the military and alot of moving with a family. Missed out riding the wonderful Brit bikes. My dad got into Brit bikes, owned a Matchless. Younger brother rode a Triumph . Wanting to experience a " Brit " bike riding back roads, finding good landscapes to photograph. THIS bike looks to fill the bill completely. Thank you.
Keen to ride one of these once launched in NZ. Awesome review as usual. BTW, how's the the pod cast coming along? Any new casts coming soon?
Thanks, we did a pod cast recently. With the launches abroad it has been hard to do them weekly but another will be coming soon 👍🏼
A company in Gurugram called Speed Monks Performance makes a superb de-cat pipe, that paired with the stock exhaust sounds absolutely banger !
Great to hear 👍🏼
This would be great as a second bike, I am seriously thinking of one for commuting and the odd green lane experience, nice review
Thanks buddy! I’d like one myself tbh
I love that story about how they came out with the shape of the Gas tank, I love RE, no plastic cover up moldings, just like it use to be in the 80's 70's and before, no cosmetic, this is the simplicity I love about RE they make bikes as they should be not a bunch of plastic surgery to falsely make it look better than it is, if you lay it down it will not cost you 50,000 CA to get it repaired. Basic, Simplicity, Reliability and Cost effective, are what makes RE, a RE, one of the best bikes on the market and soon to be the biggest, God Bless Royal Enfield lololol Thanks for the vid its clear you really liked the bike it showed in the vid, you showed a definite passion for this bike Cheers buddy. PS. Please No CHINESE Crap on this Channel please please. Sorry Political Views my bad.
Kinda disappointed that it wasn’t the launch of something newer like a bigger classic but it was a cool video. Good job!
Thanks! Hopefully that’ll be soon 😁
Classic 650 is about to be launched in india this year so expect it's by next year.
Good review, you guys have just got better and better at this. I'd love to see a comparison review with this and the Triumph Scrambler 400X
Like it. Shame about the lack of decent mudguarding. Yes please to the 400X/450 shootout.
There's been a few spy shots of different chassis with the 452 engine in them. A scrambler 452, meteor 452, and an unknown road bike with 17 inch rims and the 452 engine.
RE got a new engine on their hand, they are sure to put out some new bikes with the new engine
The guerrilla 450 which is a roadster is on the way . Expected to be launched in india this June or latest by july
Very interested in what the scram variant will be like. There's almost a kind of grown up supermoto variant possible too...
I test rode one on Wednesday and now have one on order, gone for the white tubeless version, initially I was drawn to the black but the initial batch of black tubeless version come with black wheels, not gold, which is a real sin, therefore white with black rims is fine. My sights are set on the green lanes and then the TET
I also like the usb c port position , which is below the middle of the handlebar this time and that makes it very easy to plug the cable in and out. In other RE bikes it’s below the left handlebar and at an odd spot and takes quite some time to plug the cable in 😢
Mind you, better than on my Triumph where it's under the seat!
Yeah thing about those i asked the RE dealership for my hunter in those where they never wanted the usb port at the first it seems but due to demand they had to place in some place ,so they choose the handlebar has a last resort , makes sense since RE really don't like electric stuffs too much 😂😂😂
You have a cheer and joy in your voice and shows you really like this bike. I would think that it was closest competition would be the kawasaki KLR. But that might be me. Wonderful review.. 😊
Its tried and tested in the Himalayas
Absolutely 💪🏻
Looks like RE are starting to up their game - this is thoroughly a modern motorcycle and I like what they are doing with the display options. I see this going head to head with the Triumph 400X. I also think this capacity range of ADV bike actually lends itself more to real off-road riding - I would not want to take a 500+ lb motorcycle off-road or at least not far from a main road. Adding USB ports as standard is a good ideal.
I'm relieved to hear at least some motorcycle manufacturers are getting away from the sharp angles design. I think of how beautiful 80's dirtbikes were until all of a sudden everything had to look like a transformer.
I liked the old Himalayan,I liked its Industrial look & performance & its now got a bit of a ‘Cult Following’& rightly so! When I first saw the New Himalayan the first thing that caught my eye was the Tank for me it was a Hmmmm moment! Wasn’t to sure? But the more I see this bike the more I’ve got to like it! For a mid range ADV it’s perfect (Certainly sounds & looks it!) & typically RE it’s open to customise! Does beg the question will there be a glut of old Himalayans on the market? Very good review 👍🏻😎
Old one was a definite maybe for my first adventure bike new this review makes me want one of these for sure
Plus Royal Enfield seems to launch products with more effort
Great to hear 👍🏼
Having ridden one on the main roads and grubby back lanes here in the uk, I have to say, it blew me away too. That engine is fantastic, yes it does need to be revved a bit more than the 411, but within a few miles it was easy to get a “feel” for how it wanted to be ridden, even at running in speeds. If I had the money,I would be placing a deposit, as it is, I will have to wait a while 😢
A side by side comparison test with the 400X should certainly be the next step Darcy, both bikes have the looks but how do they stack up against each other for price, quality and rider experience?
I bought a scrambler 400x but i will test the 450 Himi as soon as it is available. And perhaps i change the bike, because i love the design and layout of the Himi very much....
Will be interesting to see how you think it compares!
love the vid
Thank you 😊
Its looks good bro
Nice video
I don’t like modes or the TFT display, or the navigation thingy. But from this review I would buy one before anything else currently on the market.
15:54 looks like a bit of a brown trouser moment, but instantly well recovered
Good review if a little gushing and I would have liked a more ‘critically thinking’ assessment on the machine itself and in relation to other competing machines in this segment. Keep up the good work!
That petrol station feature is very cool! Only the fact that you need to have your Phone screen on is a bit meh
For me this bike is the modern XT500. Tested it and i am completely sold.
Like the looks of the engine. Can’t wait to see it in something with a lower seat. Though I could probably manage the 805 seat height. Though 725-750 would be more comfortable for me. I waffle on adventure bikes. I love the idea…probably wouldn’t actually ride off road that much.
Think the rally model looks really nice
Looks great doesn’t it
Anyway to get KLR 650 owners to ride and give their opinion. Im guessing the Himalayan & KLR has been seen as offering the same things....but the older model was a behind and coudnt satisfy completely. I assume this upgrade must have bridged the gap significantly. Would love your take on it.
Yes they are using same engine in scram 450 on KZhead 😮
My dealer has just informed me that they have a uk demo bike I can ride, and suppose I should since I've had one on order for months!
I went to Royal Einfield in Belgrade (Serbia) and for me is a good bike, great suspension and nice engine, but a heavy bike for a 450....So I took the chinese Kove 510x, take a look 😉✌️.
I'm looking forward to buying it here in Brazil. It will sell a lot here.
It was tested in the Himalayans and I really want one......Sal : ).
Hi👋I would like the comparison between the Himalayan and the scrambler 400x ✌️
Now thats a really good piece of kit, off roading and green laneing aren't my forte but it also looks a good road bike. To me it's a much more serious bike than the Triumph and would be my choice, every time.
Nice video..i d like to know,u experienced both bikes ,triumph 400 scrambler and this one..both single cylinder...which one would u buy?
It’s hard to say without riding them back to back (which I will do) definitely depends what you want them for
İn terms of styling i d go for himalayan ,but handling,leaning the corners,technics,...these make sense more than styling..
I bought my 411 as a returning rider, 15 year gap and unsure of my skills. The 411 was slow and gentle enough to keep me from stupid choices. So I wonder... would the 450 be as good as the 411 for beginners, returning riders and riders past their prime? Would the 450 be as easy to turn around and tractor slowly back up that dirt hill that you probably shouldn't have gone down? The 411 has got me out of trouble. I feel like the 450 might get me into it instead.
It’s just as comfortable chugging alone at slow speeds, but gives you the ability for more power when needed
Dear Darcy I liked your review video of Royal Enfield 450 Himalayan Adventure motorcycle.In fact Royal Enfield 450 Himalayan is an best Choice for Adventure tourings because of its capabilities, Design,Power and Comfort for long distance tours including mountain and hill Roads.RE 450 Himalayan is an Proven motorcycles
I have the 411 and only ride off road and it's awesome. The added power of the 450 would be nice for highway for sure, but the nav phone issue is a no win for me. Would need to install GPS and call it a day.....so the diff for me is the new power worth it? Depends on how much tarmac riding you do. In the dirt, the 411 has all I need!!)
Remains to be seen what they're like in British mud. The dry roads & trails of southern Europe are so easy you could do them on road bikes. The Enfield is no lightweight (198 kgs, my enduro is over 50 kgs lighter & more powerful) but it looks fairly comfortable and the price is reasonable so it may be a winner.
It’s certainly no enduro bike, but a great trail bike. The tyres will be hopeless in the wet mud. I would change them to some more off road biased tyres living in the UK!
Hi guys love the vid. P.S my Harley untra limited asked if I wanted to find the nearest petrol station when the fuel level was low.
That’s good to know, although for a bike that is 6k it’s amazing it has a feature that an ultra limited has!
@@MrDarcy-OlMan Totally agree.
Hmm.....perhaps, a Classic 450....old school looks with a bit more grunt...Nice !
2:55 and yeah that RE app needs serious work to reduce the amount of battery it needs 😮
@MrDarcy-OlMan What is better ...NX500 of the Himalayan? Great vid! Also, I think its funny that you do the same poses as your 'Old Man' ;) That said it works and tell the GF that her graphic design is solid! Cheers!
Haha thank you very much! I haven’t ridden the NX500 but just going off the looks alone the Himalayan is far nicer. I think the NX will be more road focused and not as capable off road
@@MrDarcy-OlMan Thanks mate! Cheers!
please go on with the comparison video with the scrambler 400x, Im torn between these two and your video may strongly influence me with the decision!TIA
Soon as I can get both bikes at the same time it’s happening! 😁
I love the look of this new Himalayan. Royal Enfield are going from strength to strength. Btw My Indian Chieftain DH does the whole low fuel thing with a redirect to the nearest Gas station if you want to.
It would be nice to roll out this engine into a classic/ shotgun frame. Very tempting price
I’d like to see it in a hunter tbh 👌🏻
Good Review! A bit off-topic, but it occurs to me that a big part of the attractiveness of an air-cooled engine is the fin arrangement. I wonder why more mfrs don't just include them as a part of the design, functional or not? (I think Kawasaki did this with one of their "retro" bikes from a few years back.) To me, the best-looking bike engine of all time was the late 60's Honda 450 DOHC twin. But that's just me... ;)
🤗 I expect RE to sell shed loads of these. Impressive in every WAY.👍
You and me both!
12:06 A roaster version ( aka hunter 450) is already in pipeline and has been spied testing in India. And we can expect scram 450 next year based on last gens lineup from 411 platform
RE desperately needs to somehow enforce better dealer support. There are a lot of dealers now but the number of horror stories I hear about poor troubleshooting and repair is scaring me off still. This HAS to improve.
Great vid! Shame we didn't get to ride together!
Thanks mate, hopefully next time!
Change your gopro setting to 50fps to stop flickering of speedometer.
Yes 👍🏻
1 / 100 keep the shutter speed
What about vibration? I am hearing some negative comments about vibes at 120kph. That’s the highway speed here in most of North America and you often need to cover significant distances at that speed to get to the fun riding. It would be annoying if it vibrated a lot in the 110 to 120 kph speed range.
If you saw that on Indian YT channels there is an explanation for that. In India, majority of bikes are low power and smooth. So we can easily pick up "vibes". Apparently this bike has vibes between 80kmph and 120kmph. Nothing below or above that. Take a test ride and see if these vibes are actually an issue
My No.1 question too. Singles typically vibrate a lot at highway speeds.
Under the praise galore, this bike looks very good. I ride an old DR650 which has a bit more bhp but weighs 50kg less, which is important to me. If the DR breaks up totally, I might consider this Indian effort, but would surely tear off anything not-essential to make it lighter. It's been said the new Triumph 400s vibrate considerably. How about the Himmie?
good luck using this tst screnn map in germany where you have barely internet connection if any outside cities. So dont forget to download your maps
RE always high quality, reliable & affordable prices
Part of my daily commute to work is on a high speed expressway. Could it keep up with 75 MPH traffic?
Yes very easily 👌🏻it’ll keep on pulling past 75mph it’s still going!
@@MrDarcy-OlMan Thanks!
I like the bike bang for buck you can’t beat it the designers have done a brilliant job on it ,it’s got power now ,only one concern is ride by wire how do you fix it if you are in the middle of nowhere I’d rather have a cable time will tell I suppose
Harley has been taking you to the nearest fuel station for at least 10 years.
Fair enough but for a £6k bike I’m pretty sure it’s the only one
Good lord, what a tool.
Just some thoughts…my Classic 350 was a joy to potter around on. If I lived in the country and could avoid dual carriageways/motorways it would still be in the garage (sbitg). Himalayan always attractive and the new one looks great. Interceptor is a lovely bike (well I’ve had two). Just couldn’t turn it into an everyday bike and tourer….yes I tried distance and luggage however, in the end, it just looked great without all the gubbins and a joy for a rideout (sbitg if were not for touring duty). When I have the funds though…….😊
A Royal Enfield Roadster 450 has been spied on Indian roads recently. Personally, I am waiting for the 2025 KTM 390 Adventure
😲
Would definitely buy a Hunter 450 if that’s what is planned.
Although this is going to get a lot of loving and for most this is all you need, just imagine two of these grunty little engines barrels bolted together and put in a long distance adventure tourer kicking out about 75 horses whilst also being understressed
Not necessary, not seen itchy boots? There’s a sweet spot of horses with weight and the biggest successes have been on mid weight simple to fix on the road trail bikes, big bore adventure are marketed to big bores 😂 who crunch highway miles
Oh dear now I want another RE.