Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 2024 review | First Ride

The travels of Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman helped establish the BMW GS as a hero bike for a generation of mid-life crisis motorcyclists, even if the reality for most was nothing more rugged than a run down the lanes of a Sunday morning. And for a new demographic the Royal Enfield Himalayan finds itself in a similar position, its affordability seemingly opening up the world through the work of influencers like YouTuber Itchy Boots and her brand of self-sufficient, grassroots travel.

That you could buy a brand-new Himalayan for little more than the price of a set of Rukka Gore-Tex kit has inspired a backpacker mentality for adventure riders on a shoestring, the Royal Enfield’s endearing simplicity making up for its lack of performance or technical bells and whistles.

But even the Himalayan has to move with the times, Royal Enfield biting the bullet with this ground-up reboot, built around a brand-new liquid-cooled engine with nearly double the power of the old one, modern electronics and a significant upgrade in the quality of brakes, suspension and finish. Whether that’s enough to win over a new audience previously left cold by the old Himalayan’s agricultural vibe will be the test.

At a glance the new Himalayan 450 passes for a subtle reimagination of the old 410, the circular headlight, low-slung seat, long-travel suspension and racking either side of the tank all familiar carry-overs from the old one. Look harder and you realise there’s a lot more to it, the forks now hefty upside-down units from Showa, the engine water-cooled and the twin-spar steel frame now neatly integrated into the lines rather than apparently cobbled together from random lengths of scaffolding pole.

Elegant would be putting it a bit strongly but there’s a cohesiveness to the design lacking in the old one, without glossing over its functional purity. The conspicuous lack of the fussy plastic trimmings seen on more conventional adventure bikes hammers home the Himalayan’s no-fuss ethos, and while it’s a much more modern bike than its predecessor there’s enough of its basic charm to stand out from more mainstream alternatives.

The air-cooled chugger at the heart of the old Himalayan might have been good for low-speed adventuring but was a borderline liability on fast-moving roads back in the real world. Enter the all-new Sherpa 452cc single-cylinder engine, Royal Enfield’s first liquid-cooled motor and a significant step up in power, performance and technology. The 40PS (29kW) and 40Nm (29lb ft) are on a par with equivalently priced modern rivals like the KTM 390 Adventure or Triumph Scrambler 400 X while the six-speed gearbox, slipper clutch, ride-by-wire throttle and rider modes bring it up to date technically. 

If not exactly refined there’s a rugged charm to the torquey power delivery, and an acceptable level of mirror-buzzing vibration as that single piston gets busier at higher revs. 

At 196kg ready to ride the Himalayan 450 is nearly 20kg more than either the Triumph or the KTM but comes with an adventure-ready 21-inch front wheel, more suspension travel, greater ground clearance and off-road friendly features like a raised airbox for improved wading ability. Tubeless spoked wheels on the top models are another modernising feature signalling the Himalayan’s intent to stand comparison with other contemporary adventure bikes.

Longer in the wheelbase and lower in the saddle than many rivals, there’s no escaping it’s a more leisurely ride on the road and demanding of decisive inputs to the bars to tip it into the turns. But even with 200mm of travel the suspension it doesn’t feel too wallowy and the Himalayan is fun to ride along a twisty road at the kind of relaxed pace it encourages, there now being the power to shrink the distances between the corners and keep pace with traffic. 

A single front disc gripped by a caliper from Brembo’s budget ByBre subsidiary addresses complaints about the lack of bite on the old one. The rear brake is similarly powerful and with switchable ABS for off-road riding. And here the Himalayan really plays its trump card, with enough suspension to smother ruts and rocks, a low centre of gravity for confidence inspiring stability and a sense of the unstoppable toughness that endeared its predecessor to so many. Just now with the performance to mix it with modern traffic as well.

In terms of comfort, at just 825mm in the lower of its two settings the Himalayan 450’s seat is impressively accessible for a bike with this much off-road focus, an even lower option available if needed. Or you can go for the enduro-style ‘Rally’ bench if you’re going to be doing more of your riding standing on the pegs and throwing your weight around. Whichever way you go the commanding, adventure bike riding position is upright and comfortable for good visibility in traffic while the slim frame means even shorter-legged riders can get their feet down easily.

Potholes, speed humps and other everyday obstacles are easily swallowed by the suspension as well, this and the extra performance mean this new Himalayan is a more viable commuter than its predecessor. The screen doesn’t look much but this and the wide tank actually give you something to shelter behind at higher speeds, a bigger screen and a comfier seat among the touring-themed options. 

While fundamentally still a simple bike the Himalayan 450 introduces some modern conveniences and features. These include Eco and Performance rider modes (each with the option to run without ABS for the back brake if desired) for the ride-by-wire throttle, though there didn’t feel a huge difference between them and there’s still no traction control. Given the power this doesn’t feel too much of a concern, though it’s worth noting a KTM 390 Adventure offers more sophisticated cornering ABS and traction control, a bit more grunt and fancier suspension for just a few hundred quid more than a top of the range Himalayan 450. 

A circular TFT screen with integration for Royal Enfield’s Tripper infotainment system is a noteworthy new feature, though, Google-powered navigation in the proprietary phone app means you can project mapping into the display for as long as you have a phone signal available. That will chew through your data if you’re out in the wilds, and you’ll be glad of the USB-C port on the handlebars given how quickly it kills your phone’s battery. But this sympathetic integration of modern tech into the otherwise retro vibe has been neatly carried off, and will appeal to younger riders for whom phone connectivity is a must-have. A pity some of the physical controls still feel a bit flimsy and cheap, though.

Royal Enfield had a fine line to tread with this reinvention of the Himalayan, given it had to satisfy traditionalists for whom the back-to-basics, anti-fashion simplicity of the original were very much its USP while also winning over a new crowd who’d have previously dismissed it for exactly the same reasons. Aesthetically it’s nailed it, the new 450 still distinctive and authentic while also subtly more modern at the same time. It’s a cool looking thing in its own right, and you’ll no longer have to make excuses about how cheap it was to justify your choice to more sceptical riding buddies. 

While no rocket ship the extra performance of the new water-cooled engine – and the suspension and brakes to make sense of it – mean you won’t get left behind on group rides, either. The finish still lacks the polish of the Triumph Scrambler 400 X you could have for similar money but, for where it could take you, the Himalayan still looks mega value for money and puts a neat modern twist on the retro, hipster cool of the rest of the Royal Enfield range. The UK-based engineers who helped develop it will have to hope the efforts to make the new engine as dependable as the old air-cooled thumper will pay off, given the Himalayan’s credibility very much rests on it being as tough and dependable. Time will tell on that score but the combination of capability, charisma and value are very appealing.