Royal Enfield Himalayan 450: Should You Buy One?

9.9 out of 10 people who ride the Himalayan will come away impressed. This is a tremendous go-anywhere, single-bike garage motorcycle. Royal Enfield has hit it out of the park—almost.

I’m very happy riding this, but I also see how close they came to destroying everything in their path. The Royal Enfield Himalayan story has some very high peaks and just a few dark valleys.

The Suspension: Pure Brilliance

The Himalayan’s most impressive aspect is the suspension, whose brilliance is greater than the most cunning Indian road builders. It’s excited to go places where road contractors haven’t worked their magic yet.

That 21-inch front wheel performs beautifully—somehow, even on tarmac. The whole chassis setup is a masterclass:

Long travel suspension that’s neither too soft nor too stiff
Just composed, regardless of what you throw at it
Best adventure tourer dynamics in the class—not even close

The 400X, for example, is very good on bad roads and manages light off-road work well. The Himalayan is another level.

The Engine: Good, Not Great

The Sherpa engine could have been brilliant. Today, I classify it as good—a big step for Royal Enfield, thoroughly modern, with rudely healthy power delivery.

Aspect	Performance
Usable power	From 3,000 RPM
Top speed	Comfortable at 130 km/h
Character	Can putter slowly or slice through reality
Fuel economy	20-23 km/l (hard riding), 25-30 km/l (relaxed)

The problem: It’s buzzy. The buzz isn’t a deal-breaker, but they’ve polished the rest of the motorcycle to such a fine sheen that it sticks out. Almost ironic: 80 km/h is smooth, 130 km/h is pretty smooth, but 90-110 km/h has a buzz.

The double-mounted footpegs were perhaps a warning sign.

What I loved: The dual ability to putter slowly or rev out and blast through. The gearbox is slick, precise, and light—never missed a shift. I was desperate for a quick shifter, not because it would improve utility, but because it would be so much fun.

The Display: Nice But Not Useful

Royal Enfield knows how to make a great UI, but the experience needs polish:

Maps integration looks great until your unlocked phone falls out of your bag
Changing display modes takes too long
Resetting trip meter is non-obvious
You can turn off ABS a little too easily
Can’t change riding modes while moving

Reality check: You’re going to be mounting devices for navigation. I guarantee it.

Comfort Considerations

I’m 6’ tall and found the handlebar a little too tall for road riding (though it’s designed for standing off-road). If riding mostly on-road, I’d look for a lower bar that places forearms horizontal naturally.

The seat issue: The shape constantly pushed me into a position where comfort suffered. If this were my bike, I’d reshape the foam toward the back to make it more horizontal and flat.

Apart from these hiccups, it’s a naturally comfortable, upright riding position that most will like.

Tires and Brakes

The new CEAT tires are pretty good. You can get up to a rapid pace on tarmac, but watch out—the rear gives up first (with warning).

Brakes are good. The front has enough bite and feedback. The rear can feel strong, and the rear ABS is a little lazy. For mostly tarmac riding, I’d look for more aggressive front pads.

Design: Heritage vs. Innovation

I like how it looks—the stance is large and substantial. But Royal Enfield’s walls of heritage and history, which keep enthusiasts in and competition out, are beginning to interfere with innovation.

Design issues:

The tank rack is a throwback I’d like to remove
Area below TFT to handlebar is a mess of wires and mismatched bolts
Seven structural bolts that don’t match the rest
High-quality, robust feeling let down by finish quality

It’s like the attention-to-detail guy took a sabbatical. Come on, Royal Enfield.

What’s Missing

Royal Enfield takes themselves a bit too seriously as a retro company. The brand is powerful enough to accommodate modernity:

No cruise control on a touring machine
No traction control on a 40 bhp bike that new riders will ride
Suboptimal Google Maps integration instead of proper navigation

The Himalayan should enjoy the fruits of all the engineering and functionality Royal Enfield is showing itself capable of. This motorcycle should be able to wear Oakleys if it wants—not just wire specs with sepia lenses.

Service and Warranty

Schedule is same as the 411:

Control cable inspection eliminated
Injector cleaning interval 4x longer (implying more reliability)

The Verdict

The Royal Enfield Himalayan is trouble for all its competitors. It will power the dreams of anyone who buys one.

Strengths	Weaknesses
Best-in-class suspension	Engine buzz at 90-110 km/h
Incredible off-road capability	Display/UI needs polish
On-road composure despite 21” wheel	Finish quality inconsistent
Flexible, healthy engine	No cruise control or traction control
Robust build quality	Seat shape needs work

Buy it if:

You want India’s best adventure tourer
Off-road capability matters to you
You can live with minor refinement issues
You want a single-bike garage solution

Wait or skip if:

Engine buzz is a deal-breaker
You need perfect fit and finish
Cruise control is essential
You’re risk-averse about new platforms

Royal Enfield needs to work harder on the finer aspects. They’ve come so close to being world-class that all competition should be worried. Get a test ride—9.9 out of 10, you’re going to love it.