The Royal Enfield Himalayan 411 isn’t the fastest bike around, but it’s a loved platform around the world that captures the essence of travel and adventure. With a thumper beating away and propelling you forward, however, it can get outpaced by quite a lot of bikes nowadays with similar displacements.
Take the KTM 390 Adventure, for instance, the little Austrian adventurer makes do with only 373ccs, but it’s as torquey as they come and rather capable with a bit over 40 horses. Meanwhile, the current Himalayan makes do with about half that number, so it’s no surprise that quite a few RE fans have been clamoring for an update to the popular platform. In fact, a few articles back, we covered Enfield’s plans to make a 650cc version of their adventure-tourer, which I cannot wait to see for myself.
That, however, does not mean that the 411 is going bye-bye. A report from Rushlane and Bike Wale indicates that RE could be working on an upgrade for the Himalayan nameplate, and according to the source, it’ll be called the Himalayan 450. The new model is expected in the first quarter of 2023 with an all-new platform but a similar silhouette to the current 411 generation Himalayans.
KTM and BMW come to mind in the small adventure-tourer segment. The space is populated by the likes of the 390 Adventure and the G310GS. For quite some time now, RE has been the weakest performer among the two, but it arguably has the most charm thanks to its design.
Bike Wale even made a render of what the final product could look like, and the most notable feature is the switch over to a trellis frame, which could trim down its weight by quite a bit. Also shown in the render is a 21-inch front tire with a 17-incher out back, which is not much different from the current setup that the Himalayan 411 has.
Come 2023, that may not be the case anymore, as the 450 is speculated to make 40 horses out of its motor, the details of which have not yet been shared. This alone will make the Himalayan a comparable alternative to the KTM 390 Adventure in terms of power. The sources also state that it will be the most affordable between the KTM and the BMW.
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