Royal Enfield, A Motorcycle For The Himalayas

Royal Enfield creates a motorcycle for the Himalayas and we get to ride it where else but in the Himalayas.

- Abhik Das

When I received an invite from Royal Enfield for the Himalayan’s media ride, I wondered why and how of all places, Shimla figured as an apt destination. This small hill station is all but rows of DL and CH plated cars stuck on the road to fill up every nook and cranny over most weekends. The town can barely take the extra vehicles and people, let alone a mad bunch of journalists itching to get their gear dirty in mud and slush. Wouldn’t the Himalayan Odyssey be more apt? Flashbacks of the superbly executed Continental GT ride in Goa offered hope. Almost coincidentally, I found myself looking out the window into the vast expanse of sparsely populated hills around the town.

The weather forecast in the morning wasn’t the most encouraging for a ride. A thunderstorm with possibility of snow and sub 5-degree Celsius temperatures. Not freezing but still worth a “Brrrr”, given the windy conditions. In went the waterproof and thermal liners on the riding gear as a brand new Himalayan with barely 35km on the clock stood in the drizzle for me.

An 800mm seat height is quite surprising, given the tall stance and 220mm of ground clearance. It was important too, for RE to get this right. You see, RE isn’t just aiming at existing customers but ones who want to upgrade from a 150cc commuter to something that can manage all roads, in and outside of the city. An adventure bike is near perfect for everything but the high seat height will put off most Indians in the blink of an eye. That would’ve been a shame, considering how good this new Royal Enfield really is.

1. Analogue-digital meterconsole includes a trip computer for reserve (Trip F), a hazard light and a digital compass.

2. 300mm front disc brake lacks both feel and bite but does not lock easily even when sqeezed hard, a good trait.