Royal Enfield's Himalayan has earned a reputation for being a low-frills but rugged and reliable adventure companion since its debut back in 2016. Despite its budget-friendly specs-sheet, it surprised riders with its on and off-road capabilities. It wasn’t perfect; far from it, but it offered a comfortable ride, handled road shenanigans adeptly—even with its 21-inch front rim—and could be taken into off-road terrain of particularly ugly nature and get the job done.
The Himalayan's Achilles' heel has, until now, been its underpowered LS410 engine, further hindered by its relatively hefty weight. Royal Enfield has emphatically addressed the engine issue with the new Sherpa 450 engine. The 452cc water-cooled single-cylinder boasts a significant 48.86% power increase over the 410, with 39.48hp on tap. The Himalayan 450 now packs more punch than the venerable Kawasaki KLR650 and is lighter.
With its extra horsepower and the addition of a six-speed gearbox, cruising the highways is now an option. It was the biggest failing of the previous model, and Enfield has absolutely addressed that issue.
The 450 isn’t just a new engine thrown into an old bike; it's all-new from the ground up and shares very little with the old model. There's a new sturdier frame, upgraded brakes, and improved suspension on both ends. The chassis is a vast improvement over the 411, and on the blacktop, you can really have fun when corners appear. It’s a day-and-night improvement off-road as well, but it's still better to use finesse rather than aggression if you want to enjoy the ride. The Himalayan 450 will go anywhere if you pick your lines and take your time.
Apart from its modern new looks, the 450 is adorned with a ride-by-wire throttle, four ride modes, switchable ABS, LED lighting, and a powerful generator so you can add an array of electronic farkles. The new dash is fantastic; simple, neat, and easy to read. It provides every bit of information you could ever need, including a clock, gear indicator, ambient temperature, and more. Once connected to your phone via the RE app, you can even mirror Google Maps navigation from your device to the 4-inch display for turn-by-turn directions.
Despite the comprehensive overhaul, it's as comfortable as ever—both sitting and standing—and it retains that tough and reliable feel that has won it so many fans over the years. Enfield has stayed true to the original design; the things that riders loved, like its user-friendly nature, unintimidating attitude, and simplicity, are retained, while still delivering a motorcycle so vastly improved, they could have given it another name.
It was hard to fault the old Himalayan considering its price point, and it's even harder to fault the 450, especially considering its affordable price point of $8,990 ride away—just $600 more than the old model. It has lost none of the charm of its predecessor while addressing the key performance issues of the previous model. Offering an excellent balance between capability and affordability, it's an appealing option for riders seeking a dependable adventure companion without breaking the bank.
