The original Royal Enfield Himalayan has earned a cult following as an honest, no-nonsense, go-anywhere adventure motorbike.
So it was going to take something special to replace it while retaining all the worthy talents that made it such a success.
The new Himalayan 450 marks a new era for the Indian manufacturer, introducing its first liquid-cooled engine.
It’s a big step forward and this new Himalayan is set to climb new heights and win a whole new fan base.
It’s still a single cylinder but more potent without sacrificing the low-down pull than can haul it through difficult, off-road terrain.
The new 452cc engine, which also goes in the new Guerrilla 450 roadster, produces maximum power of 40PS at 8,000RPM and a peak 40Nm of torque at 5,500RPM. Both are well up on the original Himalayan 410’s 24PS at 6,500RPM and 32Nm at around 4,250RPM.
While the new engine revs more freely, it’s happy and makes acceptable real-world progress between 3,000 and 5,000RPM which contributed to 81MPG overall on a still-tight engine.
There are two riding models, eco and performance, and rear ABS can be switched off in each.
The new model also gains an extra gear, with a six-speed transmission which is a delight to use, both up and down the box, and a light clutch action.
The Himalayan is a rugged adventure bike, more than capable off-road, but acquits itself well on road too.
Showa upside-down front forks cannot be fine-tuned but the rear shock is adjustable only for pre-load. It sits on spoked 21in front and 17in rear wheels, each with 200mm of travel.
The Himalayan feels unshakeably stable and corners confidently for a tall adventure bike.
Talking about height, ground clearance has grown to 230mm and the standard seat is now higher at 825mm and can be raised to 845mm. It feels like a big adventure bike at 196kg in running order but, at 5ft 8in tall, I could get the balls of both feet on the ground comfortably. Shorter riders can opt for a lower 805mm seat, adjustable to 825mm.
The upright riding position is good with wide handlebars and large rubber-covered enduro footpegs. The small screen does a surprisingly good job of deflecting windflow round the rider to minimise buffeting.
The circular TFT instrument cluster, with Google Maps integration, gives all the relevant data and is easy to read but I found the toggle joystick on the left-hand cluster took some practice when wearing thick gloves.
Priced £5,750 to £6,300, the Himalayan 450 has a lot of desirable standard features, such as full LED lights, but avoids unnecessary gizmos.
The new Himalayan is an important motorbike for Royal Enfield. The original is a big part of its heritage, the new one powers it into the future.
Check out the Royal Enfield Himalayan at orwell.co.uk/royal-enfield/new-royal-enfield-motorcycle-range/himalayan/himalayan-450
