Royal Enfield To Update Entire Portfolio With ABS By 1 April 2019

After the Classic 350 Signals edition, the Himalayan and the Classic 500 are next in line for ABS update, followed by other Royal Enfield models in the subsequent months

Along the sidelines of Royal Enfield’s first ABS-equipped motorcycle launch in India, the Classic 350 Signals edition, the cult motorcycle maker confirmed that it will be launching ABS-equipped versions of the Classic 500 and the Himalayan next month. The rest of the portfolio will be updated with ABS phase wise before 1 April 2019. Incidentally, the Indian Government has also enforced the ABS mandate rule for all bikes (newly launched & existing) with engine capacity greater than 125cc from April next year. In April this year, the Government made ABS compulsory for all bikes (125cc and above) that are going to be launched henceforth.

Complying with the safety norms in more advanced countries, Royal Enfield has been selling motorcycles with ABS as standard in many international markets for quite some time now. However, for India the bikemaker has not provided the much-needed safety feature until now as India is a price-sensitive market. Earlier, there were rumours doing the rounds that only the Himalayan would be getting the dual-channel ABS. But it is now confirmed that the brand will be bringing in the dual-channel ones only for all its models, as they are already in production for exports.

The just-launched Classic 350 Signals is Rs 22,000 more expensive than the standard non-ABS variant. Going by this price difference, expect other ABS variants to command a similar premium over their non-ABS counterparts.

No matter what the motorcycle is, we feel ABS is a very crucial feature as it prevents the wheels from locking up during hard braking. This is a lifesaver on our roads where anything can happen at any time. Enthusiasts who are looking for retro-looking motorcycles will definitely welcome the inclusion of ABS as it improves the bike’s braking performance considerably.