Dec 06, 2016 11:50 AM
4676 Views
It’s been raining since the previous night and so the water is staying on the road. I am on a twisty Himalayan back-road astride a totally new bike, the helmet visor cracked open a shade to keep it from misting over, and find myself swishing through the turns at a pace I would call ‘brisk’ for such conditions. The wet tarmac demands caution but then as long as the bike feels composed and stable, I am game. I’m riding the all new Royal Enfield Himalayan and boy! Does it feel all new? This doesn’t feel like any of the Enfields I have ever ridden before. This one feels modern, taut, responsive and functional.
Design: It’s been raining since the previous night and so the water is staying on the road. I am on a twisty Himalayan back-road astride a totally new bike, the helmet visor cracked open a shade to keep it from misting over, and find myself swishing through the turns at a pace I would call ‘brisk’ for such conditions. The wet tarmac demands caution but then as long as the bike feels composed and stable, I am game. I’m riding the all new Royal Enfield Himalayan and boy! Does it feel all new? This doesn’t feel like any of the Enfields I have ever ridden before. This one feels modern, taut, responsive and functional.
The Engine: At 411cc, this single piston 2-valve OHC engine seems full of promise, more in terms of torque than outright power. Though with a stroke just 6 mm more than the bore, one cannot really call it a long stroke and the numbers thus appear to take away some sheen from the torquey expectations. But ride the bike and torque is what you actually find flowing through the throttle. Smooth and a seemingly endless flow of torque. No, nothing outlandishly dramatic there – just so very ‘functional’. I seem to be using that word just a bit too much here but that’s how the whole scheme of things is. Breathing through 2 valves and a CV carb, the engine has surprisingly good throttle response when you keep in mind that it has the Enfield moniker stamped on it. Twist that throttle as quickly as you can with the bike in neutral and you just cannot bog down that engine. It responds and gathers revs smartly.
The ‘Himalayan’ ride: The Himalayan looks tall and at first sight is kind of intimidating to those vertically challenged amongst us. The spec sheet though gives hope when one realizes that the saddle height is a tad lower than that of the KTM Duke. The ‘tall’ look is accentuated by the narrow proportions and the bike looks lean from all angles. Swing a leg over the saddle and you feel at home almost immediately. The bike has just the self-start option – no kicking it alive even if you want to. As of now the engine did start pretty effortlessly but I do have my reservations of the utility of the kick starter as a backup when the bike has been parked overnight at Sarchu in end-September minus 10 deg C weather. A very cold engine draws loads of amperes from the battery which is hard pressed delivering the electricity in very cold conditions. The concoction would not allow more than a couple of attempts – the engine doesn’t fire you’d better pushing it alive.
