P104
RIDE REVIEW I 2024 ROYAL ENFIELD HIMALAYAN 450
model. The company recently
held its official U.S. launch
in the Rocky Mountains near
Park City, Utah, attended by
several U.S. media outlets,
Cycle News included. Despite
the horsepower-sapping
7000-8000-foot elevation,
Royal Enfield had no qualms
about showing off its new
single-cylinder Himalayan in
the thin air.
Our ride began just outside
the lobby of our mountain
lodge with a lengthy jaunt on
the pavement before the fun
stuff started. On the open
road at approximately 8000
feet elevation, the Himala
-
yan's power wasn't anything
to get excited about but it
was better than I expected.
The bike did not feel like it
was laboring while holding a
steady 65-70 mph. A slight
buzzing could be felt in the
handlebars and footpegs, but
not enough to hamper the
ride. For my 6'1" build, the
bike felt a tick on the small
side, but I immediately felt
comfortable on it, so I knew
The bike's new Tripper
dash gives you access to
all the different modes and
electronic features. It's a
round four-inch, full-color
TFT display that provides
smartphone connectivity,
media controls, and full-map
navigation using a Google-
based navigation engine. You
can customize the display
to show the most important
information. The naviga-
tion system lets you choose
between a full-map view or
simple directional arrows.
There's also a USB-C charg-
ing point and full LED light-
ing, including dual-function
turn indicators and brake
lights.
TIME TO GET
DIRTY MISSION
ACCOMPLISHED
The all-new Himalayan will
officially enter the North
American market this month
(September 2024) when
bikes start showing up on
showroom floors as a 2024
(Above) Despite its generous 4.5-gallon
capacity, the Himalayan has a small
waistline and feels narrow between your
legs. (Top right) Welcome Royal Enfield's
first water-cooled engine. (Below) A dirty
Himalayan is a prettier Himalayan.
