About 14 months ago, I was sitting in a completely different place: instead of in a New York apartment, I was sitting astride the saddle of a rough Royal Enfield Himalayan Scram 411, roaring breathlessly through the Himalayas in northern India, and nothing could slow me down.
Royal Enfield’s first liquid-cooled option, the Sherpa, is a 452cc single-cylinder that produces nearly 40bhp at 8,000rpm. From my experience, I’d say it’s much better suited to climbing the high Himalayan mountains – and generally hitting the trails wherever you ride.
Well, except for the bike itself. In general, it’s noticeably more powerful for its weight (and price), but as we climbed mountain passes at an altitude of around 5,500 meters, the 411cc engine struggled badly and seemed to feel the altitude even more than our maladapted lungs.
That’s why the latest news from Royal Enfield is pretty exciting. The all-new Himalayan 450, which just launched in the US, has a significantly bigger, more powerful engine that promises higher speeds, easier climbs and more heart-pounding thrills – all at a starting price well under $6,000. Here’s everything you need to know.
Royal EnfieldRoyal Enfield Himalayan 450
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One factor that allows Royal Enfield to keep costs down is the brand’s tendency to get the most out of every engine it develops. In other words, they have no qualms about fitting a powerful new powerplant into a range of models.
To that end, the new Sherpa 450 is included in both RE’s new urban bike (the Guerrilla 450, stay tuned for a review). And this new Himalayan. As long as they keep the bikes so affordable, I have no concerns. This is especially true for the Himalayan, which this particular engine is clearly designed to deliver (hence the name).
