Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 Touring Test Review: 1,500-Km Thriller Deck

This much-anticipated road trip to understand the new Himalayan’s touring prowess is a story of fog, fear and force. Sharp at 6 am, I thumped the starter and allowed the Sherpa engine to warm up as I strapped my backpack to the luggage pannier. Destination: Bhopal. The journey spanning 750 kilometres across five states, began with a hint of nervousness.

The Himalayan 450 has considerably grown in size. Filtering my way out of Delhi, the length and width of the motorcycle felt cumbersome to flick through tight spaces. The wheelbase, for perspective, has increased by 45 mm, standing at 1,510 mm. That’s really long. But all that intimidating stance vanished once the Himalayan set foot in NH44. The stretched wheelbase only meant better highway stability. Also, what added to the comfort was a healthier profile of the rear tyre (140/80 R17). Gently leaning on curved patches on the highway, the extra grip only boosted my confidence to go a little faster.

A couple of tea breaks here and there, and by 10 am, I had already covered 250 kilometres. Agra was in my rearview mirror as Himalayan began its march towards Gwalior, roughly an hour’s ride away. Speaking about the geography of the place, this section of the Agra-Mumbai national highway is interesting, to say the least. Also known as the Chambal forest region, this 100-odd-kilometre stretch has overlapping territories of Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. Driving/riding through this area, one may see quick changes in pin codes, and several state barricades will slow your pace down.

Arriving in Gwalior by noon, it was time for the first refuel. Six hours, and 320 kilometres into the ride, I was rather satisfied with Himalayan 450’s fuel efficiency. It clocked 25 kmpl at an average speed of 85 kmph. So, for all those planning for Khardung La and the remotest part of our beautiful country on this new Himalayan, the pit stops are going to be lesser. The enlarged tank (17 litres) and several mounting points for jerry cans and panniers on the front crash guard will ensure you cover more miles in one go than before.

The 200-km stretch from Gwalior to Guna via Shivpuri was a mixed bag for riding. Largely greeted by four-lane, well-paved tarmac, Himalayan’s pace was slacked off by the occasional appearance of cattle on the road, a few small townships and their chaos. By 3 pm, I had nearly completed two-thirds of the journey. The situation became unpredictable thereafter, albeit for a brief while. The untimely drizzle started. But I was reluctant to stop. Braving the weather, I trusted my instincts and Himalayan’s potential to navigate through the odds. The drizzle was just the tip of the iceberg. What followed thereafter made things even more challenging — fog.

The 40-horsepower, liquid-cooled engine was spirited all this while. Cruising at triple-digit speeds and negating road undulations like a camel, the Himalayan had to be eventually slowed down before the force of nature. I didn’t stop. Rather I feared stopping, knowing there was still 250 kilometres to cover and the sun barely a few moments away from setting.
The speed was lowered to 70 kmph and I continued my ride with an eye on the ETA bar of my smartphone. One may argue the new Himalayan’s TFT display is tech-laden and supports live navigation updates using Google Maps, but I still feel it’s far from perfect. The rider has to keep the screen of his/her phone open all the time in a bid to access navigation on the motorcycle’s display, and this simply doesn’t help. I resorted to a motorcycle mount on the handlebar, and the well-placed USB charging slot helped keep the smartphone alive for the entire trip and I could access navigation at ease.

The fog was dense, and the chilly wind started to breach my five-layered armour. It was bothering me. I adjusted my posture and tried to tuck behind the windscreen. I wish it was as big as the Himalayan 411, if not more. Not just fog and drizzle, you will face considerable wind blasts every time you sail on highways.

It turned dark quickly, and few a notches colder. Himalayan patiently chugged along NH46 for almost an hour until I reached Biaora. A quick map check showed the kilometre count had reduced to two digits. My joints and back were slightly sore, so I paused before the last sprint. I took off the helmet, breathed some fresh air and sipped a cup of chai. Into the dark, she went.

The new LED headlight is such a crucial update to the Himalayan. The throw has gotten better. Also, there is a simple hack to alter the position of the lamp to choose the trajectory. Meanwhile, I realised I had spent 12 hours on the saddle, and little was I complaining about the seat. It’s again a decent application, where the cushion, stitching and fabric not only feel well-finished but also allow you to spend long hours on them.

Bhopal, they say, is a city of lakes. The city is neat, the roads are wide and traffic largely organised. I just went for a day to test drive a new vehicle. So, there was very little time to rest, and I had to hit the road again the next day with the Himalayan. Waiting at a signal, somewhat muddled in thoughts, I felt a tap on my shoulder. A fellow rider waved at me and inquired where was I headed. I smiled and replied I’ve arrived from Delhi. Astride a cruiser, he continued, ‘I’m part of a riding community and wish to upgrade to the new Himalayan.’ To his delight, I replied your journeys will never be boring again.