Royal Enfield Himalayan BS6: Pros, Cons And Should You Buy It?

We pen down a couple of positives and negatives of the new Himalayan BS6 to help you make the final decision

The Royal Enfield Himalayan is a fantastic motorcycle for anyone planning to wander off on long road trips or use it to hoon around an off-road track. Ever since its launch, Royal Enfield has kept on ironing out all the small issues that the first-gen motorcycle faced. But is the Himalayan in its BS6 avatar the perfect version? Most importantly, should you buy one? Well, we have tested the Himalayan BS6 so we have penned down a couple of positives and negatives to help you make the final decision. 

Also read: Royal Enfield Himalayan BS6: Road Test Review

Pros:

Motor has (nearly) retained its output and feels just as quick, despite meeting BS6

Usually, BS6-compliant two-wheelers are slightly less powerful than their BS4 counterparts. But the Himalayan BS6 is different. Even though it is not BS6-compliant and emits less fumes, it has similar power and torque figures as before. And although it weighs 4kg more than before, we couldn’t feel any drop in performance.

Certain components look and feel more rugged and premium

The new paint options increase the overall appeal of the Himalayan. However, Royal Enfield has made some tiny aesthetical changes as well. Bits like the handlebar yoke, fuel filler cap and bar-end weights now feature a sand-blasted finish, which give the motorcycle a premium look.

Truckloads of suspension travel and ground clearance, as always

The Himalayan is equipped with a telescopic fork at the front with 200mm of wheel travel at the front and a rear monoshock which offers 180mm of wheel travel. This setup copes with the roughest of surfaces quite brilliantly. 

Cons:

An already heavy motorcycle has become even heavier

As mentioned, the Himalayan BS6 has gained 4kg and now tips the scales at 199kg! If you are a beginner, then you might take some time to get used to this much weight. 

Updates are milder than some would’ve hoped for

Switchable ABS and new colour schemes -- those are the only updates that the new Himalayan BS6 has received. Some might think that Royal Enfield should have added some more features to the Himalayan BS6, but considering that the new version costs just Rs 6,000 more than before we think it’s fair enough for this limited features list for now. 

Brakes could have been better

Braking has always been an area of concern on the Himalayan. On the BS6-compliant version, the brake lever feedback has improved to a certain degree. However, braking distances have not reduced, the Himalayan still taking a long time to come to a dead halt from decent speeds.

Should You Buy It?

Yes. The updates might be minor, but the Himalayan BS6 is a slightly more well-rounded and desirable motorcycle than before. And Royal Enfield is asking just Rs 6,000 more than before, which we think is still a pretty damn good deal.