Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 Spotted Prior To India Launch

The Himalayan 450 will be the flagship ADV bike in Royal Enfield’s portfolio.

The Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 is among the most keenly awaited motorcycle launches of 2023 and we have spotted the bike undergoing testing. The test mule was spotted on the outskirts of Chennai and we think these are the final trials before the ADV finally goes on sale in India. We expected the Himalayan 450 to make its India debut by August, 2023 but there seems to be some kind of delay  as the 2023 Bullet 350 will be the next new offering from Royal Enfield. 

Coming back to the Himalayan 450, it’s an all-new motorcycle that has been developed from the ground-up. The test mule was under camouflage, but we can see design inspiration from the Himalayan 411 clearly. It gets LED headlight, sleeker fascia and the fuel tank shape is also slightly different. Another big design highlight is the stubby exhaust muffler and the Himalayan 450 gets larger split seats. Unlike the semi-digital instrument cluster seen on the current bike, the Himalayan 450 will be the first RE motorcycle to get a TFT instrument console with navigation. The test mule was also testing accessories as we could see panniers and top box on the bike.

The highlight of the Himalayan 450 is its engine. It will be the first production Royal Enfield motorcycle to get liquid-cooling and engine specs could be close to that of the KTM 390 Adventure ( 43 bhp and 37 Nm). The upcoming bike will feature a 6-speed transmission and might also be equipped with slipper clutch. Another new key element is the trellis frame that should not only improve the Himalayan 450’s handling but also help in keeping the weight in check. Suspension hardware is also different as the bike sports a USD fork and a monoshock unit. As we can see in the test mule, the bike will run on spoke wheels and they aren’t tubeless tyre compliant. 

The Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 will ride into the Indian market by the festive season and it could be priced between Rs 2.70 and Rs 2.90 lakh (ex-showroom). It will compete with the KTM 390 Adventure and the BMW G 310 GS.