Royal Enfield Himalayan: 5 Firsts On A Royal Enfield Bike

These 5 firsts on a Royal Enfield bike are clear indicators of the manufacturer’s direction of making their bikes more modern

The Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 is packed with an extensive list of features and many of them have actually appeared in a Royal Enfield bike for the first time. Let's take a look at them: 

Liquid-Cooled Engine

The Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 is powered by an all-new, 452cc, liquid-cooled, single cylinder ‘Sherpa’ engine producing 40.02PS at 8,000rpm and 40Nm at 5,500rpm. The Sherpa engine is the first liquid-cooled engine from Royal Enfield to make it into production, as they’d previously showcased the Concept KX with a 838cc V-twin air and oil-cooled engine. This is a big step forward for the manufacturer (a recurring theme in this article down the next 4 points as well).

Riding Modes

We all have wanted them but who would’ve thought Royal Enfield will integrate riding modes in their motorcycles anytime soon? So, the ADV gets two modes: Eco and Performance.

The difference between the two modes is not in the power output but in the throttle mapping of the first 4 gears and not the 5th and 6th gears. The Eco mode gets a softer throttle output, meaning you’d have to twist the throttle more to get the required power output till the 4th gear. 

TFT Instrument Console with Navigation

The ADV comes with a round TFT instrument console with smartphone connectivity. The fully digital display comes with a full-fledged Google Maps backed navigation system, with the option of choosing between the map covering the whole screen or half of it. The only caveat to remember is that the navigation system is controlled through the Royal Enfield app and your phone’s screen has to be on at all times for that. 

Adjustable Seat Height

The all-new Himalayan gets an adjustable seat to adjust the seat height according to the rider’s preferences. It comes with a standard seat height of 825mm, which can be raised to 845mm and a low seat height version of 805mm, adjustable to 825mm. The best part is that the seat height can be adjusted by simply removing the seat and inserting the plastic lever into one of the two slots under the seat for the corresponding seat heights. All this without the need of a toolkit. 

Tubeless Spoke Wheels

While the Indian model doesn’t get them, the Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 gets tubeless spoke wheels in markets abroad. Royal Enfield is working on homologating them for the Indian market. When they manage to do it, the manufacturer will be the first Indian one to do so. This will significantly improve the usability of the Himalayan 450 without having to deal with the constant worry of getting punctures in the middle of nowhere and dragging the bike to the nearest service station immediately, if you can find one in such scenarios.