Update: A new spy shot of what looks like an updated Royal Enfield Himalayan was shared by Gaadi Waadi and shows the mid-size adventurer equipped with a fifth "gauge" cluster.
The current model-year's dashboard only features four gauges—an analog speedometer, RPM counter, as well as a small fuel gauge, and a digital compass. In the spy shots, the bike looks to have an additional, separate dial to the right of the cluster which could be the Tripper dial, similar to the one offered on the Meteor.
Original story follows.
Four years after the introduction of its first adventure bike, Royal Enfield gave the popular Himalayan a few minor upgrades in 2020. Aside from a handful of new colorways, the bike also received switchable ABS to further enhance its off-road capability.
It now looks like the adventurer is going to receive yet another upgrade in 2021 and this time, rumor has it that the Himalayan is getting a GPS.
In mid-December, 2020, a few Indian publications, including Rushlane, shared a spy shot of what they described as a new Royal Enfield Himalayan. The tremendously blurry picture taken from the back of the bike doesn’t reveal much and, in all fairness, it doesn’t look like they have much to work with here. How they can even tell that this wasn’t a current model-year bike eludes us.
However, the supposed test mule spotting prompted Gaadi Waadi to make an interesting assumption: that the Himalayan’s next model-year is going to get the Tripper navigation upgrade.
In November, 2020, the Royal Enfield Meteor 350 became the first motorcycle in the lineup to receive the brand’s new navigation system. Assuming the company didn’t develop the GPS only to be used on a single model, the feature is likely going to make going to be offered on other models, either as standard equipment or as an option. If we look at Enfield’s current lineup, it seems to us like the Himalayan would be the perfect candidate for a GPS, what with the whole adventure thing.
We’re only at the stage of rumor for the time being but you have to admit that adding navigation as standard equipment on the Himalayan would up the ante in the small-displacement adventure bike segment. The Enfield has the potential to become the only bike offered with that feature which would make it stand out from the competition. If that’s only noise, then we think the company should seriously consider making this move.
The Tripper And Its Potential Carrier:
Sources: Rushlane, Gaadi Waadi