Royal Enfield Himalayan 650 Spotted Testing For The First Time

Among the plethora of bikes that Royal Enfield is working on for the forthcoming years, the prospect of a twin-cylinder Himalayan 650 has been one that touring enthusiasts have been eagerly looking forward to. And while it has been in the plans, we haven’t seen a test mule of the same. Until now, that is.

Yes, Royal Enfield’s Himalayan 650 has been spotted for the first time on Indian roads as it seems to be in its early stages of road-worthiness testing. And it is sporting some key bits and pieces that are bound to delight the adventure touring folk.

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For starters, the 650 twin engine (47 bhp/52Nm) that is now featured on four Royal Enfield motorcycles will be employed here, albeit in a different state of tune. Given its highway performance on the Interceptor/Continental GT 650, we don’t think it will undergo a massive overhaul but to lug around the extra heft that the ADV format brings will need to be compensated for. Plus, due to the difference in wheel sizes as well, the engine performance will feel significantly different.

This engine is housed in a very different frame when compared to the other 650s. Although it still seems to be a split double downtube chassis, the subframe is dramatically different as well as the rear suspension mount. So far, Royal Enfield has used twin shocks on the 650s with even the upcoming Interceptor Bear 650 (the 650 cc scrambler based on the Interceptor) making use of twin shocks. While that appeals to the neo retro motorcycle formats, on an adventure motorcycle it wouldn’t be quite as effective.

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Hence, the same learnings from the Himalayan 450 are being carried forwards here. It will make use of a monoshock, whether it will be a linked-type remains to be seen. More so, we think that while the test mule is seen with adjustable front suspension, it is likely that Royal Enfield might just go for a non-adjustable one. We haven’t had much complaints with the Himalayan 450’s suspension tune, despite riding it for nearly 7000 km.

But if you were hoping that the Himalayan 650 is likely to be as off-road friendly or focused as the smaller 450, then you are bound to be disappointed. The motor’s bulkiness will make it quite a handful when taking it through tough tricky sections and even the current 450’s 196 kg bulk becomes a task to manage. More so, the test mule is seen with a 19-inch front wheel and not a skinny 21-incher. This should make the bike capable enough for taking on anything in its path when you go touring across the globe.

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In terms of design, we can’t comment much because the visuals don’t help much in that regard. But having said that, it doesn’t look too much like the Himi 450. The new 650 ADV has a more European ADV feel, something that is reminiscent of the old Africa Twin, the last-gen BMW F 750 GS or the Triumph Tiger Sport 660. The windshield is short and compact, the tank extensions surround and flow neatly into a fairing and there are no tank rails like the 450 or the old 411 Himalayans.

It can be seen with the circular colour TFT screen from the Himalayan 450 and Guerrilla 450 and one can expect all of the same functionalities here as well. What should be crucial for Royal Enfield with the Himalayan 650 is the addition of cruise control. The engine is very well suited to sit at triple digit speed and this aid will help further bring out its touring capabilities.

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When will we see the Himalayan 650 in action? Considering that this is an early stage test mule, it might be at least a year or so away. Maybe we might have some announcement on the same at EICMA/Motoverse 2025. And as for the pricing, we think that this would be one of the more premium motorcycles in the 650 cc line-up. Hence, the asking price could be around ₹ 4-4.25 lakh (ex-showroom). Royal Enfield motorcycles have been commanding a little premium over the competition in recent times and for good reason.

But this Himalayan 650 test mule spotting just helps those who were looking for a multi-cylinder ADV tourer to start saving up.

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