Royal Enfield Himalayan BS6 Review: Image Gallery

Does the new Himalayan BS6 pack more than a greener motor? We find out by reviewing Royal Enfield's ADV in images

When launched in 2016, Royal Enfield's first attempt at an adventure tourer came with a whole lot of issues. In the four years that followed, Royal Enfield diligently worked on improving the Himalayan's quality and reliability and along the way gave it fuel-injection and dual-channel ABS as well. Its latest update came in the form of a BS6-compliant motor. However, do the updates extend beyond that and make the Himalayan BS6 a dependable motorcycle? Let's get to know it better. 

The Himalayan features the same no-frills design that it has sported since day one, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. To freshen things up a little, RE has thrown in some new paint schemes. The dual-tone options, in particular, look rather vibrant and youthful. Our test bike, though, came in ‘Gravel Grey’ -- a matte grey option that doesn’t look too impressive in pictures but is quite stunning in the flesh.

Also read: Royal Enfield Himalayan BS6: Road Test Review

One area where we would’ve liked some changes is the welds on the frame. The shoddily done joints look a little amateurish and stick out like a sore thumb, taking away from the premiumness of the rest of the design.

On the plus side, bits like the handlebar yoke, fuel filler cap, and bar-end weights now come with a sand-blasted finish. They look quite premium and built to last.

If you’re in the business of serious mile-munching, there’s really nothing better out there than the Himalayan in this price or displacement range. The tall handlebar, combined with the scooped-out seat, means you feel like you’re sat in the bike.

The riding position makes you feel like the king of the road. It’s tall and commanding, thanks to the sizable windscreen and high instrument cluster you’re faced with, but the seat height is still a VERY manageable 800mm.

The seat padding has just the right firmness while the rider’s triangle is roomy and well suited for both sitting down and standing up. Even your significant other will be happy perched on the back of the Himalayan.

If we had to nitpick, we wish the screen was height adjustable and a little more optically correct. But these aren’t the sort of things that’ll be deal breakers on a 500km day of riding -- something the Himalayan turns into an effortless and comfortable affair.

One of the things we like most about the Himalayan is its sheer simplicity. There are no rider modes to choose from, no fancy TFT screen, and no fiddling possible with the suspension. Of course, RE hasn’t skimped on the bare necessities. So you get the safety net of dual-channel ABS (rear wheel can be turned off) and a digital inset on the instrument cluster that gives you two tripmeters, the time, average speed, and even a fuel gauge.

The BS4 update brought with it fuel-injection, which obviously stays for the BS6 bike as well, along with the addition of an extra catalytic converter.

The halogen unit is powerful and has decent spread too, outperforming most of the LED examples we’ve tested on two-wheelers so far. Our bike had its beam pointing a little higher than we’d like, but that’s a two-minute fix for any mechanic worth his salt.

Another aspect that’s very important in this genre of motorcycle is luggage carrying capacity. Of course, you get the run-of-the-mill add-on options of hard panniers and a top box, but since the tank shell is metal, you can use a magnetic tank bag too. And if that still isn’t enough, the frame on either side of the front of the motorcycle can be used as a mounting point for more luggage.

The Himalayan might not be powered by the 650cc engine in question (at least not yet), but its 411cc unit is plenty modern too. SOHC architecture, closed-loop fuel injection, and oil-cooling all ensure the motor is reasonably up to date and well equipped.

The long-stroke cylinder design results in a relaxed demeanour, but not to the point of feeling sluggish or slow. Tractability is superb, but the top-end doesn’t feel breathless either, and the engine pulls cleanly throughout the rev range. In fact, the BS6 motor's drop in output is barely noticeable in the real world. Whether it’s carrying you down the highway at a steady cruise or pulling you out of slush under pouring rain, the engine always feels up to the job.

While we have no complaints about the motor’s performance, we found it heating up quite a bit over prolonged periods in slow moving traffic. While this can be bothersome on the few occasions when it does happen, the engine’s refinement levels will make your life that much more comfortable on a daily basis. The motor feels smooth not just by Royal Enfield standards, but even compared to most other long-stroke singles out there.

The BS4 version of this bike already tipped the scales at a rather hefty 195kg, and this updated bike weighs a smidgen under 200kg with its fuel tank 90 per cent full.

The bike still requires a fair chunk of steering effort into the bars, but once you understand this, it tips on readily and holds its line with conviction. Whether straight, upright or leaned over, the Himalayan feels thoroughly composed at all times, especially at a cruising speed of around 90kmph on the highway.

Obviously, a bike that’s built for no roads can handle bad roads with commendable ease. In fact, the Himalayan turns you into a bit of a hooligan in the city, because even when you’re faced with the tallest of speed breakers and the deepest of potholes, slowing down isn’t really high priority. Just stand up and ride it out.

The one issue that seems to have been carried over from the previous bike is the scraping of the main stand when riding over speed breakers with a pillion on board.

It’s still just as capable off the road as well. Sure, it's not as nimble and agile as something like a Hero XPulse 200, but that just means you have to plan a little further ahead, that’s all. The ample suspension travel and ground clearance mean that the roughest of surfaces are dispatched with, and even when you do run out of grip, the bike slides predictably and progressively, allowing you to maintain complete control.

The more basic black and white colours are the most affordable of the lot, at Rs 1.87 lakh, and unsurprisingly the least special-looking. Shell out a little more cash, say Rs 1.89 lakh, and you can get yourself this Gravel Grey scheme you see here, or even the Sleet Grey option with its fantastic urban camo paintjob. And for Rs 1.91 lakh, Royal Enfield will give you the new dual-tone colour schemes: Lake Blue and Rock Red.

Also read: Royal Enfield Himalayan BS6: Which Colour To Pick

If the Himalayan is on your shopping list, it’s quite likely that it’s going to be your only motorcycle. And as an only motorcycle, it’s as close to perfect as you can get in this price range -- or even a few rungs higher, for that matter. This really is the Swiss Army Knife of motorcycles -- a capable, versatile, one-size-fits-all motorcycle.

All for just Rs 1.87 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi), or in other words, just Rs 6,000 more expensive than its BS4 predecessor. In conclusion, the answer is yes. The trend of improvement has continued even with this BS6 update. It may not be as in-your-face as some of the previous updates, but the Himalayan BS6 is a slightly more well-rounded and desirable motorcycle than before.