We have recently ridden the Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 and here’s what we liked and disliked about the ADV:

The bike has a bold road presence with its long wheelbase, 21-inch front wheel and the sculpted tank. It looks quite muscular and big in person

The liquid-cooled ‘Sherpa’ engine is a punchy and powerful motor — Offers quick acceleration — Absence of great low-end torque takes a bit of time to get used to

The vibrations on the handlebar and the footpegs, when you rev the engine, are prominent and can be annoying

The ADV has nimble handling characteristics — Tips into corners quite easily despite the heavy kerb weight

The overall suspension, though: one of the bike’s highlights — Soaks up bumps and potholes really well — Comfortable riding position perfect for touring

TFT instrument console with Google Maps navigation feature works flawlessly — Especially useful while touring — But your phone’s screen needs to on at all times, which’ll quickly drain out the battery