Evolved Titans Go Head-to-head

In their latest iterations, the KTM 390 Adventure and the Royal Enfield Himalayan are the most important ADVs for the Indian market. Here is what we think after riding them back-to-back

- Joshua Varghese

BEFORE WE BEGIN, I INVITE you to throw your mind back to the time when the Royal Enfield Himalayan was powered by an air-cooled engine and the 390 Adventure was a tourer that could do some off-roading as well. Times have changed since then and certainly in favour of us motorcyclists. Today both these motorcycles are completely new machines and undoubtedly their best versions yet. So, now, more than ever, the question becomes pertinent: which one do you pick?

After riding both motorcycles one after the other, we are sure that they do not address the same kind of audience. Both have their strengths and neither has an edge over the other overall because they seek to deliver two different kinds of experience. Both manufacturers may have converged on the same type of motorcycle but the routes they have taken during development and the capabilities of the machines are distinctive and it shows. Thus, this article is more about finding out which motorcycle aligns best with a rider's priorities and expectations.

At the simplest level, what connects the Himalayan rider and the 390 Adventure rider is that they want a motorcycle that can handle all roads and no roads. Royal Enfield were clear about that from the beginning, which is why the Himalayan always had spoked wheels, a 21-inch unit at the front and a 17-inch one at the rear. KTM’s choice to move to the same wheel set-up is among the Adventure’s most significant upgrades because the playing field is level now. Visually, these motorcycles are poles apart. Since its introduction, we have always perceived the Himalayan as an explorer, a means to discover places and terrain that not many ventures into. By retaining that retro-modern charm, the new Himalayan stays true to its roots.