More Powerful Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 In The Works

The upcoming ADV will be the perfect rival to the KTM 390 Adventure and the BMW G 310 GS

Royal Enfield is reportedly working on a 450cc Himalayan under a new platform, called K1. We’d already analysed earlier in our sister website that the next step for the Himalayan will not be a bulky 650cc iteration but something that’s more powerful and lighter than the current-gen model. 

According to an online report the upcoming Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 will be powered by a single-cylinder 450cc engine reportedly producing around 40PS (current-gen bike makes 24.3PS). Even though liquid-cooling is a sophisticated technology, we believe it will be a one-time investment for Royal Enfield so that it can compete better with its more advanced rivals, the KTM 390 Adventure and the BMW G 310 GS. It will also help make the Himalayan a more well-rounded product in a developed market like Europe, where customers are ready to pay a premium for a premium offering.

Royal Enfield has already proved that it isn’t shying away from modern technology by adding smartphone connectivity and navigation on some of its existing models. So we wouldn’t be surprised if the Chennai-based bikemaker adds a ride-by-wire throttle with switchable traction control for extra safety.

The image shared looks more like a computer generated representation of a concept version, so expect the final design to be a little more coherent. The bike will reportedly be built on a trellis frame linked to a long-travel inverted front fork and a rear monoshock. We hope it is lighter than the current-gen Himalayan, which weighs 199kg (kerb). It will also get a larger front spoke wheel and a smaller rear unit, both wrapped with block pattern tyres. Expect the platform to spawn multiple variants, with one of them possibly being a sports tourer along the lines of the Kawasaki Versys 650 and the other one a more hardcore variant, presumably for motorsports, just like the Himalayan FT 411.

All in all, the upcoming Himalayan 450 will be a massive progress over the current-gen Himalayan. Its more powerful engine should also make it a better mile-muncher than its predecessor. In fact, it could also be a better tourer than the Royal Enfield Interceptor 650. Sure, the Interceptor has more power but it isn’t exactly known to be a supremely comfortable motorcycle for long distances. This is where the Himalayan 450 has the scope to outshine it. 

All in all, the upcoming Himalayan could be priced at around Rs 2.7 lakh (ex-showroom), a premium of around Rs 55,000 over the current-gen Himalayan, which retails from Rs 2,14,887 (ex-showroom Delhi). By the time the Himalayan 450 comes out, which could be around early 2023, the Interceptor 650’s price will likely touch the Rs 3 lakh mark. 

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