QUICKSPIN I 2 0 2 2 R OYA L E N F I E L D H I M A L AYA N
P84
gives you confidence rolling up to a stop
and while riding over technical terrain.
It's easy to plant your foot solidly on the
ground, which is great for new riders, too.
The Himalayan is proof that you don't
need boatloads of horsepower to have
a good time. It's not a fast motorcycle,
but it's not designed to be. As long as
you remind yourself that there is no
checkered flag at the end of the trail,
you'll be just fine on the Himalayan.
The Himalayan's
pleasant 411cc
single-cylinder
four-stroke
engine makes 24
horsepower, just
enough to entertain
you, and the seven-
plus inches of
suspension travel
is just enough to
handle it.
There are two
important new
features here—the
Tripper GPS pod on
the right, and the little
button next to the fuel
gauge that makes it
easy to disengage
the rear ABS.
The Himalayan is offered in six (up
from three) colorways, including Lake
blue, the color of the Himalayan you
see on these pages.
The first (and last) Himalayan we
tested was the 2020 Himalayan and
our biggest takeaway was how well it
performed for such an old-school-look-
ing and inexpensive motorcycle. (Back
then, the Himalayan sold for $4749, so
the price has gone up slightly.) We said
that part of the Himalayan's charm was
its simplicity, yet it still did everything it
needed to do to take you out for a great
adventure on two wheels. The same
holds true today, even more so.
This was my first time on any Hima-
layan, and I must agree with our last
test. It is a surprisingly capable motor-
cycle both on and off the road, but the
key to enjoying the Himalayan at its
best is taking your time on it. This bike
inspires you to slow down and soak in
the sights, one of the best qualities of
adventure riding anyway.
It only has seven-plus inches of wheel
travel, but the Himalayan makes the most
of those seven inches, and since there
are only 8.6 inches of ground clearance,
you quickly learn what the Himalayan's
boundaries are, and they are just wide
enough to still have fun, even if the bike
doesn't like to be jumped. It's not crazy
about G-outs, either.
The Himalayan is a comfortable motor-
cycle, and the low 31.5-inch seat height
