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      Royal Enfield Sales March 2024 – Classic, Bullet, Hunter, Meteor, GT 650

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      Royal Enfield Hunter 350The company recently expanded its exports by launching Interceptor 650, Continental GT 650 and Shotgun 650 in North America and Bullet 350 in JapanBeing India’s de facto classic motorcycle manufacturer, Royal Enfield, has been touching new heights where sales are concerned. The company has been inching ahead beating its own sales numbers in the domestic market YoY. However, there was a MoM decline in domestic market. Where exports are concerned, there is a MoM growth, but YoY decline.Royal Enfield Sales March 2024The iconic motorcycle manufacturer, Royal Enfield, has been one of the most influential brands in Indian motorcycling scene. Especially the Bullet name is synonymous with classic motorcycles in India and the company enjoys a cult following. In March 2024, Royal Enfield sold 66,044 units in the domestic market.When compared to the 59,884 units sold in March 2023, Royal Enfield registered 10% YoY growth. That said, there were 67,922 units sold in February 2024 resulting in a 2.76% MoM decline. In FY 23-24, Royal Enfield sold 8,34,795 units in the domestic market. As opposed to the 7,34,840 units sold in FY 22-23, the company witnessed a very healthy 14% YoY growth over last FY. Classic 350, Bullet 350, Hunter 350 and Meteor 350 are some of the best-sellers in India.Where exports are concerned, Royal Enfield’s shipments for the month of March 2024 stood at 9,507 units. Although it is higher than February 2024’s 8013 units shipped witnessing an 18.65% MoM growth, Royal Enfield saw a 23% YoY decline owing to the 12,351 units it shipped last year.Royal Enfield Sales March 2024Exports grew MoM, dipped YoYYTD, Royal Enfield exports stood at 77,937 units in FY 23-24, which couldn’t hold a candle to the 1,00,055 units shipped in FY 22-23. Thus resulting in a 22% YoY decline over last FY. Royal Enfield has recently launched the 650 Twins, Continental GT 650 and Interceptor 650, along with Shotgun 650 in North American market. While Bullet 350 was launched in Japan.In total, Royal Enfield pushed 75,551 units out of its manufacturing facilities last month. When compared to the 72,235 units from last year, it was a 5% YoY growth. When compared to the 75,935 units sold a month ago, there was a marginal 0.5% MoM decline. YTD, the company sold a total of 9,12,732 units, which is a whole 77,837 units higher than the 8,34,895 units sold in last FY.Statement from Royal EnfieldSpeaking about the performance for March 2024, B Govindarajan, CEO, Royal Enfield said, “At Royal Enfield, we’ve had yet another year of very spectacular performance across the board. We have outpaced our pre-COVID numbers and have registered healthy growth. We have outgrown the two-wheeler and motorcycle industry in the domestic market.All our motorcycles in the last two years have performed exceedingly well and have grown the market for Royal Enfield. Our non-motorcycling business including Apparel, spares and GMA continues to grow significantly. With our exciting lineup of products, we are confident that we will be able to sustain our growth momentum well in FY 2024-25.” More

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      Royal Enfield Sales Breakup Feb 2024 – Classic, Meteor, Hunter, Bullet, Himalayan, 650 Twins

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      Image – AniketThe 350cc range of Royal Enfield, that constitutes the Classic 350, Bullet 350, Hunter 350 and Meteor 350, continued to command a bulk of domestic salesRoyal Enfield total sales (domestic + exports) stood at 75,935 units in February 2024, up from 71,544 units sold in February 2023. Taking into account the company’s domestic sales, it was a decent YoY growth in domestic markets with a 5.41 percent improvement while its MoM sales declined by 3.37 percent. Domestic sales stood at 67,922 units in the past month, up from 64,436 units sold in February 2023 while MoM sales dipped over 70,556 units sold in January 2024. Like clockwork, it was the company’s 350cc range that attracted a loyal customer base, to command a 92 percent share even as some models showed lower sales.Royal Enfield Sales Breakup Feb 2024Classic 350, a bike that is regaled for its retro styling, powerful engine and affordable price point along with comfortable ride quality has amassed the most sales last month. Sales stood at 28,310 units in February 2024, up 3.09 percent over 27,461 units sold in February 2023. It was a marginal 1.06 percent MoM growth from 28,013 units sold in January 2024 with the Classic 350cc commanding a 41.68 percent share in the company’s domestic portfolio. The RE Classic 350 was also at No. 9 on the list of top 10 motorcycle sales last month beating the Honda Unicorn by around 7,000 units.Royal Enfield Sales Breakup Feb 2024There were 13,944 units of Bullet 350cc sold last month relating to a 4.52 percent YoY growth. Sales however, dipped significantly by 10.56 percent on a MoM basis from 15,590 units sold in January 2024. RE Hunter posed a YoY (-6.21%) and MoM (-10.45%) de-growth with 12,122 units sold last month while Meteor 350 has seen double digit growth of 21.30 percent to 8,125 units in February 2024 from 6,698 units sold in the same month last year. MoM sales grew by 9.52 percent over 7,419 units sold in January 2024.Lower down the sales list was the RE Himalayan with both YoY and MoM decline in sales to 2,278 units in February 2024. It was the 650 Twins – Interceptor 650, Continental GT 650, that have posted outstanding growth of 76.92 percent on a YoY basis to 2,070 units in the past month from 1,170 units sold in February 2023. However, it was the relatively new RE Super Meteor that saw the highest MoM growth by 157.93 percent to 1,073 units from 416 units sold in January 2024.Royal Enfield Sales Breakup Feb 2024RE Super Meteor Commands Export List in February 2024RE exports last month improved both in terms of YoY (12.73%) and MoM (42.30%) to 8,013 units. There had been 7,108 units and 5,631 units shipped in February 2023 and January 2024 respectively. However, unlike domestic demand, it was the company’s above 350cc segment that drew more attention in global markets. Super Meteor topped the export list with 2,124 units exported last month, a MoM growth of a massive 286.18 percent from just 550 units shipped in January 2024. The Super Meteor now commands a 26.51 percent share in the company’s export portfolio.Royal Enfield Exports Breakup Feb 2024High demand was also experienced for the RE Himalayan with triple digit growth at 102.07 percent YoY and 868.94 percent MoM to 1,560 units shipped in February 2024. The Himalayan, an adventure touring motorcycle, first launched in 2016, was recently updated to new gen. It has found a fan following among adventure seekers due to its rugged chassis capable of taking on challenging road conditions while at the same time offering high ground clearance.There was the Classic 350 that also saw 1,283 units exported last month but these figures were a 25.88 percent decline over 1,731 units shipped in February 2023. MoM exports improved by 10.13 percent over 1,165 units in January 2024. Meteor 350 exports fell by 23.98 percent YoY and 6.20 percent MoM to 1,251 units.Despite the fact that RE Hunter 350 has posted a 46.93 percent YoY decline in exports to 873 units, its MoM shipments grew by 79.63 percent over 486 units shipped in January 2024. The export list was trailed by the 650 Twins (601 units) and Bullet 350 (321 units) with the 650 Twins seeing significantly lower demand in global markets. More

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      Royal Enfield Classic 650 Thump Sound Detailed In New Spy Video

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      Royal Enfield Classic 650Expected to be positioned as an affordable option in 650cc range, Classic 650 will borrow styling bits from the smaller capacity Classic 350Royal Enfield’s strategy to introduce new products at regular intervals has allowed the company to dominate the 350cc and 650cc motorcycle segments. In 2024, Royal Enfield started its innings with the Shotgun 650 in January. More new launches are expected this year, one of which will be Classic 650.Royal Enfield Classic 650 Thump SoundAs the top selling Classic 350 is preferred for its timeless design, it is likely that a similar set of features will be seen with the upcoming Classic 650. Some of the key highlights include circular headlamp, wide handlebar, curvy fuel tank, retro front and rear fenders and circular tail lamp. Both wire spoke and alloy wheel options are expected to be available.Royal Enfield Classic 650A circular instrument dial is likely, as seen with other new Royal Enfield bikes such as Himalayan 450 and Shotgun 650. The upcoming Classic 650 will be available with some exciting colour choices. Thanks to automotive enthusiast Revanth, we now have an idea how the thump of the upcoming Classic 650 sounds.With RE’s new tubular steel frame, users can expect Classic 650 to deliver comfortable rides. The chassis has a low centre of gravity built in, which ensures optimal stability across various riding environments. Seat height is expected to be around 800 mm, ensuring adequate control and handling.[embedded content]The standard forks at front will be paired with preload adjustable twin shocks at rear. Braking setup is likely to have 320 mm and 300 mm discs at front and rear, respectively. Dual-channel ABS will be offered as standard.Royal Enfield Classic 650Powering the bike will be the 648 cc, parallel twin, SOHC, air-oil cooled engine that churns out 47 PS of max power and 52.3 Nm of peak torque. It is mated to a constant mesh 6-speed gearbox. The engine is known for its effortless throttle response, seamless gear shifts and powerful low-end acceleration. It is possible that the engine performance could be tweaked slightly in line with Classic 650’s cruiser profile.Royal Enfield Classic 650 PricingRoyal Enfield could be offered at a starting price of around Rs 3 lakh to Rs 3.20 lakh. At the time of launch, it won’t have any direct rivals in the price range. As Classic 650 will be positioned as an affordable option in the 650cc segment, it may not get premium features.Royal Enfield Classic 650For example, it will miss out on features such as USD forks and RE’s new Tripper dash. Or, these features could be offered as optional via Royal Enfield’s Make It Yours (MIY) customization platform. Features to be offered as standard with Classic 650 could include the engine bay in silver finish and conventional telescopic forks at front.Royal Enfield Classic 650Premium features such as Wingman could also be optional with Classic 650. A connectivity suite, the Royal Enfield Wingman is offered with select bikes such as Super Meteor 650. It can be used with the Royal Enfield App. Some of the key features include grid support, trip summary, vehicle alert, live tracking and last parked location. More

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      Royal Enfield Sales February 2024 – Triumphed With 76K Units

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      Royal Enfield New HimalayanWhen opposed to the numbers from January 2024, Royal Enfield sales February 2024 charts showed a negligible 0.33% MoM declineIconic motorcycle manufacturer and India’s leading classic bike manufacturer, Royal Enfield, has ended February 2024 month with style. The company has witnessed a very decent YoY growth over last year’s sales performance and a negligible MoM decline over sales commenced a month before.Royal Enfield Sales February 2024The company single-handedly dominates 300cc to 500cc motorcycle segment with an 85.3% market share. Within Royal Enfield’s sales charts, it is the 350cc portfolio, which brings the highest volume for the bike maker. This 350cc is powered by a 349cc J-series engine and J-platform.There are a total of 4 motorcycles spawned from this platform – Classic 350, Bullet 350, Hunter 350 and Meteor 350. If we take February 2024 as an example, 350cc bikes accounted for a staggering 87.12% of company’s total sales by accounting for 66,157 units. When compared to 64,810 units sold in February 2023, there was a 2.08% YoY growth.However, the 67,620 units sold in January 2024 ensured that Royal Enfield’s 350cc portfolio saw a 2.16% MoM decline. YoY volume growth stood at 1,347 units and MoM volume decline stood at 1,463 units. 350cc bikes sold 7,45,724 units YTD in FY24 which is a 10.71% YoY growth over 6,73,582 units from FY23.Royal Enfield Sales February 2024 – YoYRoyal Enfield’s greater than 350cc portfolio includes company’s older 411cc platform based Scram 411, Sherpa 450 based New Himalayan and 650cc based Interceptor 650, Continental GT 650, Super Meteor 650 and recently launched Shotgun 650.Company shipped 8,013 units to global marketsCombined, the >350cc portfolio accounted for 12.88% of RE’s total sales with 9,778 units sold. This segment registered a 45.2% YoY growth over 6,734 units from a year ago and a 14.14% MoM growth over 8,567 units from a month before. Volume growth stood at 3,044 units YoY and 1,211 units MoM.There was a 2.67% YoY growth in YTD analysis with this 350cc segment with 91,457 units sold over 89,078 units, scoring a volume growth of 2,379 units. Royal Enfield’s domestic sales stood at 67,922 units and accounted for 89.45% of company’s total sales. There was a 5.39% YoY growth as opposed to 64,446 units from February 2023.[caption id="attachment_489647" align="aligncenter" width="1280"] Royal Enfield Sales February 2024 – MoM[/caption]And a 3.73% MoM decline when compared to 70,556 units sold in January 2024, losing 2,634 units in volume. With 7,68,751 units sold, domestic sales saw a 13.90% YoY growth in YTD analysis as well. Launching newer and more compelling products has ensured an increased potential in exports.At 8,013 units, Royal Enfield exports have seen a commendable 12.73% YoY growth and a massive 42.30% MoM growth as opposed to 7,108 units shipped a year ago and 5,631 units shipped a month before. In YTD, exports saw a 21.98% YoY decline with 68,430 units shipped.Royal Enfield Sales February 2024 – YTDIn total, Royal Enfield sales February 2024 charts accounted for 75,935 units. The 71,554 units from February 2023 ensured a 6.12% YoY growth. However, the 76,187 units from January 2024 ensured a 0.33% MoM decline. Where YTD sales are concerned, Royal Enfield pushed a total of 8,37,181 units and saw 9.77% YoY growth over 7,62,660 units from FY23 with 74,521 units volume growth. More

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      Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 Tripper Dash Review Post Feb 21st FOTA Update

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      Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 Tripper Dash UpdateBefore this update, Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 Tripper Dash Maps and music features never worked – They started working post update to latest versionRoyal Enfield, is ushering into a new era of technology with the launch of New Himalayan 450. This is easily the most technologically advanced and feature-packed offering from Royal Enfield ever. Part of this tech fiesta is the new Tripper Dash which received an FOTA update on Feb 21st. Let’s take a look at how it works now.Royal Enfield Tripper Dash ReviewBefore embarking on what the new FOTA update has brought to this package, we have to understand what Tripper Dash is and how it functioned before this update. Royal Enfield has developed a new circular TFT display for New Himalayan 450 that will make its way to other RE motorcycles like Scram 650 which was recently spotted testing in India.Himalayan 450 Tripper Dash Music Controls – When it worksThere is a dedicated app for Android and iOS that overlooks the transmission of data between smartphone and Tripper Dash unit for call and notification alerts, maps and even music controls. When I first collected Royal Enfield New Himalayan, the Tripper Dash was one of the main negatives I faced with this motorcycle and I mentioned the same in our first impressions review as well.Simply because it didn’t work. Both with Android and iPhones, the Bluetooth connection was established, but maps and music control never worked. Since then, there have been a couple of updates to Royal Enfield mobile app and there was a FOTA update from the company for Tripper Dash too.Himalayan 450 Tripper Dash Maps – When it worksHas this FOTA update fixed the issues?The Royal Enfield app on my phone notified me about this FOTA update on 21st February, 2024. I was away from the motorcycle and couldn’t install this update till 25th Feb. It was a package of five different software patches and took around 10 minutes to fully install. I am happy to report that my unit has been responding pretty well after this update.Both Maps and Music Control are now working which wasn’t the case before. But do they work without any glitches? No. There is still wiggle room for Royal Enfield to improve and I am hoping the company will fix these issues in the near future. For starters, both Google Maps and Music Controls have shown glitches in just a day I saw them working.They only work sometimes, but it is still better than not working altogether. When they work, Google Maps has four zoom settings to choose for trajectory view. In music controls, I could increase and decrease volume or skip a song forward or go back to previously playing song by pressing Up, Down, Right and Left buttons on the 5-way clickable D-pad.Himalayan 450 Tripper Dash Maps – When it doesn’t workHimalayan 450 Tripper Dash Music – When it doesn’t workDo features work consistently?When navigation is on and map data is moved to Tripper Dash, the phone’s screen stays on for some reason. Despite having big hands, I prefer small phones and my small Samsung S Series phone has a small battery too. For Maps and Music to work on Tripper Dash, my phone’s Wifi, Bluetooth, Mobile Data, Location and 1000+ Nits screen have to be on at all times, draining battery in just a couple of hours.Sure, there is a Type-C charger below the handlebar to charge my phone on a mobile stand. That brought different issues because now the phone is exposed to direct sunlight and screen brightness is 100%. The phone gets extremely hot forcing Google Maps and music to stop working. I wish Tripper Dash had a built-in GPS, compass and accelerometer along with a tiny built-in storage to store off-line route data set from the app. Or at least the phone screen to turn off when connected.Himalayan 450 Tripper Dash – Phone screen remains on More

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      2024 Royal Enfield Scram 450 Spied – Alloys, Telescopic Forks, Wide Rear Tyre

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      2024 Royal Enfield Scram 450 Spied. Credit – RagasUpon launch, Royal Enfield Scram 450 will take on rivals such as Triumph Speed 400, Hero Mavrick 440 and KTM 390 DukeAfter dominating the 350cc and 650cc segments, Royal Enfield is looking to achieve similar results in 450cc space. Beyond Himalayan 450 ADV, enthusiasts can look forward to various other models based on the new 450cc platform. Possibilities include Hunter 450, Scram 450, etc. A roadster version is also likely, as revealed in the latest spy shots. Hat tip to automotive enthusiast Ragas for sharing these exclusive spy shots of RE Scram 450.Royal Enfield Scram 450 – Key featuresIt is likely that the roadster version will be one of the most affordable bikes in Royal Enfield’s 450cc portfolio. This is evident with the changes in the equipment list. As compared to Himalayan 450 that has 43 mm USD forks, the roadster version is equipped with standard telescopic forks at front. However, it is possible that USD forks could be offered as an optional feature.2024 Royal Enfield Scram 450 SpiedTo reduce costs, Royal Enfield Scram 450 will share a number of components from Himalayan 450. It includes an all-LED lighting setup, the monoshock suspension at rear and 320 mm front / 270 mm rear disk brakes. Dual-channel ABS will be offered as standard. However, switchable ABS feature available with Himalayan 450 may not be offered as standard with the roadster version. This will further help reduce cost.One can notice a distinct profile for Scram 450, with features such as round headlamps, curvy fuel tank, offset filler cap, alloy wheels, fork gaiters, a single-piece seat and short tail section. The circular 4-inch TFT display appears to be the same as that of the new Himalayan. It remains to be seen if the full functionality including Bluetooth, phone connectivity, Google-powered turn by turn navigation and media controls are offered with Scram 450.2024 Royal Enfield Scram 450 SpiedRoyal Enfield Scram 450 specs, performanceThe upswept exhaust appears to be the same as that of Himalayan 450. The bike has 17-inch alloys at both ends, shod with road-biased tyres. The rear wheel’s wide tyre should allow a good grip for some high-speed fun. The bike has a comfortable, upright riding stance. Seat height is expected to be less than 800 mm, which will help improve overall control and handling.2024 Royal Enfield Scram 450 SpiedFrom the spy shots, it appears that the engine is being used as a stressed member. Powering the bike will be the same 452cc, liquid cooled, single cylinder, DOHC, 4-valves engine. It churns out 40.02 PS of max power and 40 Nm of peak torque. The engine is mated to a 6-speed gearbox and comes with slip and assist clutch. It is possible that Royal Enfield may introduce some tweaks to the gear ratios in line with the bike’s roadster profile.Royal Enfield Scram 450 priceAssuming that the base variant won’t have features like USD forks and switchable ABS, the bike could be launched at an affordable price point of around Rs 2.30 lakh to Rs 2.40 lakh. Initial offer price could be even lower. In comparison, Triumph Speed 400 is available at a starting price of Rs 2.33 lakh. Hero Mavrick starts at Rs 1.99 lakh, whereas KTM 390 Duke is priced at around Rs 3.10 lakh.2024 Royal Enfield Scram 450 Spied More

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      Royal Enfield Scram 650 And Classic 650 Spotted Testing Together

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      Royal Enfield Scram 650Where Classic 650 dwells into its Classic-ness, Scram 650 emerges as the more sporty offering and it could be the lightest RE 650 bikeThe iconic British motorcycle manufacturer, Royal Enfield, is gearing up to launch new motorcycles to further expand its ever-expanding portfolio. The latest launch from Bullet-maker was Shotgun 650 and the 650cc portfolio will be further expanded to include Classic 650 and Scram 650, as both were spotted testing.Royal Enfield Scram 650 & Classic 650 SpottedThe four motorcycle launches per year strategy keenly followed by Royal Enfield has yielded the first product – Shotgun 650. There are three more to go for the year 2024 and one of these three is likely to be Scram 450, which is a stripped-down version of New Himalayan 450. The other two launches might include both 350cc and 650cc offerings.Scram 650 and Classic 650Upcoming motorcycles in 650cc category are Classic 650 and Scram 650. Both these motorcycles are currently under testing. The recent spy shots credited to automotive enthusiast DerpBDerpy, show both upcoming Classic 650 and Scram 650 in the same frame, trundling down the streets of Chennai city.Where design is concerned, Classic 650 looks very much like a lengthened Classic 350, which is not a bad thing at all. This formula exudes timeless appeal and radiates understated elegance. Whereas, Scram 650 looks like an Interceptor 650 on steroids. When launched, Scram 650 is likely to get the name Interceptor Bear 650.Tripper Dash on Scram 650Scram 650 is the most feature-loaded and lightest RE 650Where main frame is concerned, Scram 650 is closely related to Interceptor 650, while Classic 650 is more relatable with Super Meteor 650. Where componentry is concerned, it is the opposite. We’re talking about Classic 650 showing less premium components and Scram 650 lapping up more premium hardware.Digital speedo of the upcoming Scram 650Both motorcycles fall under two distinctly different motorcycle umbrellas within RE’s 650cc portfolio. There are stark differences between two umbrellas in Royal Enfield’s 650cc motorcycle portfolio. One umbrella has Interceptor 650 and GT Continental 650, while the other umbrella houses Super Meteor 650 and recently launched Shotgun 650.This bifurcation is important for Royal Enfield and both these umbrellas get different equipment. Classic 650 will join the lower-level and less-equipped 650cc bikes with conventional instrument cluster, RSU telescopic front forks, silver engine bay and the likes. Whereas Scram 650 is a more premium offering with USD telescopic front forks, black engine bay and RE’s new Tripper Dash screen.Side view of the Scram 650Scram 650 gets a single-sided exhaust and knobby tyres with a minimal tail, while Classic 650 goes full regalia where classic-ness is concerned. Both motorcycles come equipped with the same 648cc parallel twin engine that is capable of developing around 47 bhp peak power and 52 Nm peak torque, mated to a 6-speed gearbox and a slipper clutch. Engine tuning might differ between both bikes to suit their respective character. More

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      Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 Long Term Review – First Impression

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      Royal Enfield New Himalayan 450 First Impression ReviewWhen compared to discontinued Himalayan 411, Royal Enfield New Himalayan 450 is a significant upgrade to rival offerings from Triumph, Yezdi, KTM and BMWIndian 2W market has a multitude of sub-segments. Adventure lifestyle motorcycle segment might not be the volume generator that manufacturers rely on. But it garners the most interest from enthusiasts. Hero Impulse and Royal Enfield Himalayan 411 kick-started and are stalwarts in this segment. Royal Enfield New Himalayan a.k.a. Himalayan 450 is the latest entrant to this sub-segment and this is our first impression after around 1,000 km with this motorcycle.Royal Enfield New Himalayan 450New Himalayan is one of Royal Enfield’s latest launches. The company loaned us a New Himalayan for a long-term review. Around 1,000 km with this motorcycle, this is a perfect time for us to share our first impressions on RE’s new adventure horse. New Himalayan is the spiritual successor to Himalayan 411, which has touched thousands of thrill seekers’ hearts worldwide.New Himalayan 450 Side ProfileWith a detailed review underway, I would be sticking to positives and negatives revolving around New Himalayan and laying down my thoughts in a systematic way. As impressive as Royal Enfield New Himalayan is, there is still a lot of work at company’s hands.Himalayan 450 Long Term Review – Positives1. Design & Road presenceNew Himalayan is not offensive in any way. It sticks to classic ADV motorcycle genre with a purposeful approach. Personally, I’m not a fan of large beaks on motorcycles without a fairing (semi-fairing or full-fairing) and that’s the only thing I would get rid of, which is subjective, though. Overall silhouette might be similar to Himalayan 411, but there is a significant bulk with New Himalayan that is immediately evident. It grabs eyeballs and I often faced multiple inquiries from strangers regarding the motorcycle. Never in a bad way.New Himalayan 450 Ergonomics2. ErgonomicsI did a 550 km ride in a day on this New Himalayan. The upright posture with centre-set footpegs positioning ensured I was devoid of any fatigue and strain in my wrists, shoulders, elbows, neck, back and legs. There are two seat height settings – 825 mm and 845 mm. Being a 182 cm tall individual, the taller setting appealed to me more and I could easily flat foot too.3. Performance & EfficiencyNew Sherpa 450 engine has oodles of performance. 100 km/h mark comes in under 7 seconds and the urge with which this machine accelerates is unlike any single-cyl Royal Enfield. Acceleration is addictive too, tempting you to flick the throttle more often than necessary. Peak power is 40 bhp and peak torque is 40 Nm and these are very healthy numbers. 120+ km/h cruising speed is a cakewalk. Efficiency is respectable for a 452cc, 40 bhp, 40 Nm, 196 kg motorcycle. The 550 km ride I embarked on, took around 16L of fuel, which works out to be a good 34 km/l fuel efficiency and 550 km to 580 km tank range.4. TechnologyThe new Sherpa 450 engine is the first of its kind for Royal Enfield. It features liquid cooling, a DOHC 4V head, electronic throttle (ride by wire), a slip and assist clutch and a 6-speed gearbox (a smooth one at that). Overall appeal of New Himalayan is that of a tech-loaded package, which is unlike any other Royal Enfield. Heating is well-contained with a large radiator and active cooling fans do a pretty good job. It gets warm, but not uncomfortably hot.New Himalayan 450 Liquid-cooling5. Ride & Handling43 mm USD telescopic front forks and rear mono-shock with long travel offer a decent balance between ride and handling. There is a sense of indestructibility about this setup and inspires a lot of confidence on smooth asphalt, speed humps, broken and beaten paths, trails and off-road situations. Standing and riding provide a greater sense of control while tackling the rough stuff too.Himalayan 450 is proving to be a capable handler, for what it is. The large 21-inch wheels need some effort to steer, but it is surprising how well Himalayan masks its weight at medium to high speeds. Straight-line stability is commendable, given its long wheelbase. Even though they’re not tubeless, the specially designed CEAT-sourced 90/90-21 and 140/70-17 front and rear tyres invoke confidence.New Himalayan 450 Specific CEAT TyresBraking hardware has seen an upgrade with strong performance from 320 mm front and 270 mm rear disc and dual-channel ABS with ride modes. There are no vibrations till around 95 km/h mark and the same vibe-free experience continues upwards of 125 km/h.6. GadgetsAll-around lighting is LEDs and rear blinkers also house tail lights, which is a neat touch. New Himalayan debuts Royal Enfield’s Tripper Dash, which is the world’s first circular display on a motorcycle to integrate Google Maps. There is a dedicated smartphone app to configure this display and it supports notifications, call alerts, music controls and other aspects via a 5-way clickable D-Pad and a Mode button on left switchgear. The display is surprisingly bright with an auto-brightness feature via a dedicated sensor. It is crisp and high-resolution too.New Himalayan 450 Tripper DashHimalayan 450 Long Term Review – Negatives I faced so far1. The Tripper DashAs good as Royal Enfield’s new Tripper Dash is, our unit never once worked to its full potential. The unit connects with my Samsung S Series smartphone. But music controls and Google Maps never once worked. Even Royal Enfield personnel fiddled around with it for an hour and gave up in despair. I even tried the same with an iPhone. It just never worked.2. Cumbersome city ridesThe 196 kg kerb weight is masked beautifully on open roads, but it makes its presence known in the city. Even more bothersome is a rather heavy clutch lever action, despite New Himalayan having a slip-and-assist clutch. I’ve faced both these negatives in OG Himalayan 411 too and remain unchanged. There’s a new negative with Himalayan 450 that Himalayan 411 never showed, which is low-speed tractability. There is absolutely no low-speed tractability with this engine and I have stalled the engine even in 1st gear on multiple occasions in peak Bengaluru traffic. With all three factors combined, I wouldn’t choose New Himalayan as my city commute partner. This beast yearns to be unleashed on the highway.New Himalayan 4503. Surprising vibrationsVibrations are one of the more surprising elements of Himalayan. We say this because the Sherpa 450 engine is very smooth and vibe-free at most speeds. Till 95 km/h, there are no vibrations at all. Post that, there are strong vibes that I felt in the handlebar, seat and even footpegs. Surprisingly, vibes taper off post 125 km/h speed. This grey area between 95 km/h and 125 km/h is actually the sweet spot for cruising on New Himalayan, but that’s exactly where the vibes kick in.New Himalayan 450 Switchgear4. Finicky switchgearThe new starter rocker shared with other Royal Enfields works beautifully. However, I wish Royal Enfield hadn’t re-invented high beam flasher and re-positioned it within low/high beam rocker switch. Especially when wearing leather gloves, it is hard to reach too. There is a mode button where flasher switch used to be that I hardly ever used. The 5-way clickable D-Pad to control is not a quality item and triggers false registers very frequently.5. Un-calibrated fuel guageI don’t know if this is with just our unit or all New Himalayans, but the fuel gauge is not acting as expected. When I first collected the motorcycle, DTE (Distance To Empty) was showing 42 km, which dropped to 15 km after going just 2 km. At this point, the tank was almost empty and I refuelled Rs. 1,000 worth, in New Himalayan’s 17L tank. Rs. 1,000 gives only 9.8L in Karnataka. Surprisingly, the fuel gauge showed 100%.I recreated this scenario. Only, this time I refuelled Rs. 800 worth (7.8L) in an almost empty tank. Surprisingly, the fuel gauge showed 100% again. Curiously, I recreated this scenario one last time and I refuelled just Rs. 100 (0.8L) in an almost empty tank to see how it would react. The meter didn’t fail to amuse as it rose 1 full bar, which is 25% of this tank. Yeah! When full, the first two bars of fuel level drop very slowly. Third bar is faster and the fourth is the fastest. I could see the fourth bar drop in real-time with a wide open throttle.New Himalayan 4506. Misaligned triple clampOur unit has never fallen once. But I could already see the triple clamp misaligned. Because of that, the handlebar tilts towards the exhaust side, while going straight. This kind of messes up the steering feedback as well. Also, strong rattles are coming out from this triple clamp area too.New Himalayan 450 Seat7. Uncomfortable seatI mentioned how comfortable New Himalayan’s ergonomics are, but it is exactly the opposite when it comes to its seat. The shape is perfect. It is only the foam used, which is very firm. I couldn’t ride on this seat more than 60 or 70 km in a stretch and I had to stand on the motorcycle every 30 km and shift my position every 15 km. No wonder why Royal Enfield sells a touring seat as an accessory.New Himalayan 450 Kamet White Pattern8. AestheticsI’m not a fan of how this Tripper Dash looks as it is tacked on with an exposed clamp. It could have been tidied up. Three people asked me why paint was flaking on a brand-new motorcycle. That’s because the pattern on Kamet White colour looks less like camouflage and more like flaking paint. I can’t unsee it now. Royal Enfield seems to be pushing the Kamet White colour with the media, but I think Kaza Brown, which is white, is the best colour for the New Himalayan.9. Missing featuresI am used to self-cancelling indicators on motorcycles and was surprised to see that New Himalayan doesn’t get it. Indicators don’t beep as well, so I often forgot that indicators were on. My Rs. 75,000 (on-road) Bajaj Pulsar 150 from 2010 has self-cancelling turn indicators and Royal Enfield New Himalayan 450 costs Rs. 4 lakh (on-road Karnataka). Ouch! Also, there is a ride-by-wire throttle and yet Royal Enfield didn’t develop cruise control on this wonderful touring machine. More