Royal Enfield Himalayan 2021 First Ride And Walkaround – Better Than Before?
Image – Nitesh Neo
Equipped with several new features, 2021 Royal Enfield Himalayan offers smoother, more comfortable rides
Updated Himalayan has been launched at a starting price of Rs 2.36 lakh (on-road, Delhi) while the ex-sh Chennai price starts from Rs 2.01 lakh. The adventure-ready motorcycle gets three new colour options – Mirage Silver, Granite Black and Pine Green. Earlier options of Gravel Grey, Lake Blue and Rock Red have been retained. The Pine Green is the top-spec model, priced at Rs 2.44 lakh, on-road, Delhi.
Himalayan 2021 new features
To inform users about all that’s new in Himalayan 2021 as well as share first ride experience, YouTube channel Nitesh Neo has posted a detailed video. One of the key changes is the updated dashboard that now has Tripper navigation system.
As may be recalled, the Tripper system was first introduced with Meteor 350. Powered by Google Maps, the Tripper system has a dedicated screen to display turn-by-turn navigation. It works when paired to the user’s smartphone via Bluetooth.
Other dials on the dash remain largely the same as earlier. Users can access a range of information such as distance travelled, miles per hour, gear position indicator, compass, fuel gauge, and tachometer.
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At the front, the frame on the sides of fuel tank has been adjusted to provide more leg and knee space for taller riders. The windscreen is longer, which should provide better protection against the wind. This update also improves the motorcycle’s road presence.
Users can expect more comfortable rides, as the seat is now thicker as compared to the earlier model. At the rear, a back rack has been added for a carrier box. It is rated to support up to 7 kg.
Himalayan 2021 ride experience
According to the rider, updated Royal Enfield Himalayan appears to be more responsive. It has a clean, linear throttle response, which ensures smooth rides. Performance on dirt tracks is superb, as the motorcycle has good balance and has been equipped with robust suspension system. Seats are comfortable and can support long-distance touring.
Powering 2021 Himalayan is the same engine as earlier, a 411cc, single-cylinder, air-cooled motor. It is capable of churning out max power of 24.3 bhp at 6,500 rpm and max torque of 32 Nm at 4,000rpm – 4,500rpm. It is mated to a 5-speed gearbox.
2021 Himalayan rides on 21-inch front and 17-inch rear spoke wheels. These are considered better for off-roading in comparison to standard alloy wheels. The motorcycle has dual purpose Ceat tyres (tube type) with knobby design. Braking duties are performed by disc brakes at both ends. Dual-channel ABS is offered as standard. More