It is very likely that the new Royal Enfield Himalayan will be presented in a few months. Still this month, in India, details of the Bullet 350 were revealed – the newcomer to the J1 platform, equipped with a single-cylinder engine of 20 hp – and, in recent days, photographs have emerged revealing the new Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 almost in its final version, albeit with a completely black color scheme, which probably characterizes the “test models”, the prototypes used for road tests.
However, the degree of surface definition and attention to detail that seem typical of motorcycles practically ready for industrialization lead us to believe that the Adventure, which takes over from the last air-cooled enduro and Euro 5 homologated with over 350 cc, is now ready for international presentation. On the other hand, other very credible indications, such as the teaser released a few days ago, point to the possibility that the Himalayan 450 (displacement still to be confirmed, but very likely) will be presented soon and for the international market.
Although the new Himalayan has been spotted several times during its tests over the past year, there is a total lack of accurate data on the displacement and performance of the liquid-cooled single-cylinder engine, the latter being an absolute historical novelty for Royal Enfield. No official statement from the Indian manufacturer has confirmed what seems to be the most likely hypothesis: 450 cc, around 35 hp, which is delivered by a six-speed gearbox (five in the air-cooled version) with a slipper clutch.
What is certain are the wheel diameters, 21″ and 17″, equipped with tube tires, and the braking system consisting of a pair of discs obviously equipped with ABS. The frame features an inverted fork and a rear mono-shock, while the equipment includes a full LED system, instrumentation with a circular TFT panel placed in an almost vertical position.
In terms of style, much has been done to avoid losing the very recognizable and very personal look of the current model: the metal side pieces next to the fairing remain vertical, while the radiator is not too heavy aesthetically and does not affect the bike’s line.
Given the quite definitive state of the motorcycle depicted, Indian sources speculate that the official launch of the new Royal Enfield Himalayan could take place on November 1st: We just have to wait, especially since it is legitimate to think that the same platform will be used by Royal Enfield for other models and it seems almost a given that a Scram 450 with a 19-inch front wheel could appear in the future – although we wouldn’t want to risk that happening in 2024 – the recent trademark application for the name Guerrilla 450 by the Chennai-based company legitimizes the idea that a street naked with an 18 or 17-inch front wheel, like the prototype we showed you less than a year ago, may be on the way to appearing. Nothing definitive, certainly it is not the first time that the registration of a name is not followed by the immediate presentation of the corresponding model, so caution is necessary, but the possibility is at least well-founded and suggestive. There is not much to add: at EICMA 2023, the Royal Enfield stand will probably have more than one surprise reserved for all of us
