Going up in the world

A completely new Enfield Himalayan ready to take on the world!

- Adam 'Chad' Child

Royal Enfield Himalayan 450

The Royal Enfield Himalayan has without doubt been a significant player in the adventure motorcycle market, mainly because of its rugged simplicity and affordability, when launched at under £4000. Now, the introduction of an all-new 450cc single-cylinder engine with watercooling, ride-by-wire throttle, and double overhead camshafts - all firsts for the Indian manufacturer represents a considerable advancement in terms of performance and technology. New features such as Showa suspension, riding modes, switchable ABS and a TFT dash with connectivity and navigation should also make the new Himalayan a more capable and versatile machine.

Despite this dramatic modernisation of its much-loved hard worker, Enfield's commitment to retaining the simplicity and reliability of the original, 2016 model remains important. Attracting new customers with better performance and modern technology was clearly deemed essential by the Indian manufacturer, but so, too, was retaining the Himalayan's appeal to traditional customers, the majority of whom come from outside the European and North American markets. It had to be sturdy, and the fact that Enfield chose the Himalayas as the venue for the new 450's press launch, demonstrates the company's confidence in the bike's capabilities in challenging terrain.

We flew all the way to the spectacular mountain range for 48 hours of crazy testing at 11,000 feet (and higher). Two days' travelling, three planes and a scary taxi ride to get there: could the Himalayan live up to the name?

In the mountains

The introduction of a new 452cc single, the Sherpa 450, signifies a significant milestone for Enfield, as it introduces water-cooling, ride-bywire technology and a dual overhead camshaft (DOHC) configuration - all firsts for the manufacturer. The Sherpa 450 unit is also an impressive 10kg lighter than the air-cooled engine it replaces.