A Himalayan Achievement

Expectations are high for the new Royal Enfield Himalayan. Does it deliver? The mountains were the proving ground

- Joshua Varghese

BACK IN 2016, NOBODY KNEW they wanted a Himalayan. Explorers knew they needed something sturdy and reliable to go anywhere. A motorcycle that would not give up. Royal Enfield took a gamble by developing and launching their first ADV but the rewards they reaped were immense. The Himalayan has enthralled its owners, explorers who rented one, and even yours truly on several occasions. Its versatility and accessibility made it popular in global markets too.

In 2023, the market is better informed and supplied. We have many options fighting for the crown of the ideal ADV. The wait for the new Himalayan was long but it made sense because the motorcycle has a worldwide reputation to uphold now. After a lot of research and development and testing, Royal Enfield took us to Manali for the first ride experience of the production model. All of us had seen photos of the motorcycle being tested but that did nothing to diminish the visual assault provided by the line-up that awaited us in Manali. Of all the colours on display, the one that caught my attention was the black-and-gold paint scheme, the one you see on these pages.

The LED headlight and Showa USD fork are the only new elements in an otherwise familiar front end. Interestingly, Royal Enfield told us that the LED headlight was, in fact, developed for the Himalayan but the motorcycle was being tested for so long that the unit ended up getting launched first on the Super Meteor.