[The Great]

Links to latest, new pics of only the engine.







Source

[man_of_steel]

So I guess its not a TwinSpark anymore! But an SOHC for sure. Would have loved a 4 valve design though!

[cUjO]

Originally Posted by N.r.K

The bike definitely looks like it has the required framework to take the weight of the panniers. Hopefully with all the testing RE sorts out all the teething issues they are infamous for!
The bennelli is probably going to cost twice as much as this bike! So no comparison.
Also, for an adventure tourer i'd rather have a bike without a fairing as any fall would require me to shell out more moolah! A bare basic bike is definitely is more off road friendly. But then again it could just be me!

Lets just hope the panniers suit the bike. I've seen RE riders use a variety of bags/panniers. but these just look so oddly out of place. (Maybe a design change or a different color would go better maybe?)
In their current look though, I feel these dont blend in with the rest of the bike.
If you look at most ADVs, they are built to take a beating so I dont know if we are talking about the same segment. I dont know a single RE owner who hasnt complained about falling parts!
My opinion is a bare basic bike isnt the way to go for RE at this stage. They could show a lot more confidence in the customers and themselves and come out with a true blue cross continental vehicle with all its strengths and working out the well known weaknesses.

Originally Posted by Urban_Nomad

Not sure how many mono shock counterbalanced REs with all new frame, that gorgeous engine guard and sump guard is old delhi churning out, but I'm yet to see one. And I should know, living in delhi and all

And please can you explain just what does this even mean - "the bike still doesnt look or for that matter, have much of modernization done to it to need those panniers"

Modernisation warrants panniers? How are they even related? People can (and do) install panniers on the most antiquated of machines. Your insights on the correlation between a modern unit and motorcycle luggage would be most appreciated



+1

Good quality Custom jobs are a plenty all around India. (None can beat the good old Delhi Mechanics of Karol bagh or Mayapuri in terms of imagination though!)
The problem with this bike is that if you were to tell me that this is an RE custom job by one of the myriad 'bike builders' in India, I would have believed you.
It was the same problem with the T'bird, its the same now with the Himalayan.
An ADV is a no compromise vehicle. Are you seriously telling me that this is the best that RE can come up with? Look at the benellis being built in China. They are true VFM for everybody. But I am sure if RE were to put their heart and soul into it, they can come out with something similar/better for a lot less.Its upto us to push RE harder and not buy everything they release blindly. Simply saying that they need credit for atleast experimenting is in the end hurting us, the customers.

Originally Posted by howler

In the contrary I think this is exactly what we need in India, basic, rugged, uncomplicated with minimal electronic interference. The trek or triumph for that matter is a bit too much for our conditions, too much bike. Try manhandling a tiger through a narrow trail and you'll get my drift. I'm am a RE basher but I think they deserve credit ( prematurely :P) for going down this road. I do honestly think this will be a decently engineered product, BTW I don't get any of your logic wrt to physical appearances of an ADV bike? What's the correlation to actual real world performance .. Hmm?

India is an ideal market for ADVs.(All weather, roads and conditions). We have seen lots of threads like Mohan sir and Haroon sir's on this topic that prove the same.RE's current products are mostly ADV crossovers in the most basic sense. So what was the need for another confusing vehicle? Why couldnt they have gone all out when the market is still so nascent and ripe for the taking?

Originally Posted by navin_v8

Mate while I appreciate your humour at the same time we need to give some credit to RE for at least experimenting with this model. There was a similar downgrading of the AVL Thunderbird when it was launched way back in 2002. It went onto become the best selling RE during its era outselling all other models "wannabe" cruiser not withstanding. In fact even today the Tbird sells like hot cakes next to the CL series. I am sure you must have rode the Tbird and would like to know why you are calling it a "wannabe cruiser".

Coming back to the Himalayan, it is still in pre production testing stage and has come a long way from where we have been following it through pictures and spotting done by some of our TeamBHP'ians as well. The TRK502 will cost more than double of the Himalayan so let's just leave it there. Besides the now defunct Hero Impulse this is the only motorcycle that the ADV tourers with tight budget can look up to. Like Urban_Nomad said I don't think the Himalayan looks like a jugaad bike from any angle whatsoever. I mean RE's attention to detail needs to be appreciated with that engine guard, sump guard, pannier frame with hard box attachment, fuel tank frame attachment point, mono shock, twin cradle chassis, 410cc OHC engine, longer front suspension, etc. do not make it look like a jugaad bike for sure.

The T'bird has always sold well in India. how come? You might hear a thousand answers to that. But for sure the so called cruiser look, especially without having to commit to the usual cruiser lifestyle was the biggest attraction( You cant do grocery runs on a harley can you?). Make no mistake about it, I love the classic 350/500. They are absolutely stunning to look and ride. But the T'bird? In fact I'm not too sure of it being taken up so enthusiastically abroad( Which has been RE's target for the past many years now). Again its a bike with no clear purpose. What is it? A cruiser? A tourer? A classic thumper?
That may work when the bikes are being sold at lower prices for their utilitarian value where the competition demands that. But higher up the food chain, a little more clarity in design and purpose is an expectation that must be matched.

Finally for somebody spending close to a couple of lakhs(if not more) rupees, especially in a market where KTM offers so much with every model they have(making their purchase a no brainer) is this all that RE is bringing us in 2016?

[navin_v8]

Originally Posted by cUjO

Lets just hope the panniers suit the bike. I've seen RE riders use a variety of bags/panniers. but these just look so oddly out of place. (Maybe a design change or a different color would go better maybe?)
In their current look though, I feel these dont blend in with the rest of the bike.

Mate there's a lot of difference between seeing and feeling, as riders we do have a lot of options for adding panniers and not all of them suit the motorcycle as most of them are no nonsense utilitarian. The hard box panniers we are seeing on the Himalayan costs a fortune. Good quality(not jugaad) metal hard boxes costs anywhere between 8-16K. Now if one is ready to spend that kind of amount then good, otherwise there are a lot of other options.

If you look at most ADVs, they are built to take a beating so I dont know if we are talking about the same segment. I dont know a single RE owner who hasnt complained about falling parts!
My opinion is a bare basic bike isnt the way to go for RE at this stage. They could show a lot more confidence in the customers and themselves and come out with a true blue cross continental vehicle with all its strengths and working out the well known weaknesses.

RE from where they were and are right now cannot be called a quantum leap in terms of technology but yes there is no denying they are not trying. Tell me one single Indian company who are looking this segment. Hero Impulse is no longer in production so let's just leave it aside.

Good quality Custom jobs are a plenty all around India. (None can beat the good old Delhi Mechanics of Karol bagh or Mayapuri in terms of imagination though!)

There's no denying that but in the end what it is called in plain language is Jugaad. It works for some and doesn't for many.

The problem with this bike is that if you were to tell me that this is an RE custom job by one of the myriad 'bike builders' in India, I would have believed you.
It was the same problem with the T'bird, its the same now with the Himalayan.

I had seen a similar sentiment from riders during early 2000 when the Tbird was launched calling it names. But the result is for all of us to see. Tbird today is one of the highest selling models from RE's stable, "Pseudo Cruiser" image not withstanding. I too was one among the lot calling it names until I rode it which blew away all my apprehensions.

An ADV is a no compromise vehicle. Are you seriously telling me that this is the best that RE can come up with? Look at the benellis being built in China. They are true VFM for everybody.

Mate as I said earlier Benelli's costs more than twice that of RE's so there is no comparison there. No doubt Benelli's are good bikes despite some people calling it Chinese in an offending way. But their range starts from 3+ lakhs whereas the RE prices tops off near 2.3-2.5 lakhs.

But I am sure if RE were to put their heart and soul into it, they can come out with something similar/better for a lot less.Its upto us to push RE harder and not buy everything they release blindly. Simply saying that they need credit for atleast experimenting is in the end hurting us, the customers.

Mate every manufacturer does experimenting so let's just leave it at that. About RE to come up with something new, I would say they are taking baby steps. After all its been just 5 years since they have tasted success, the earlier 50 years was just about staying afloat. One cannot say people buying their bikes blindly when seeing at the sheer number of motorcycles RE has sold year on year since 2010.

India is an ideal market for ADVs.(All weather, roads and conditions). We have seen lots of threads like Mohan sir and Haroon sir's on this topic that prove the same. RE's current products are mostly ADV crossovers in the most basic sense. So what was the need for another confusing vehicle? Why couldnt they have gone all out when the market is still so nascent and ripe for the taking?

What's wrong with an ADV crossover it has dual purpose of commuting as well as adventure touring. What's wrong with a motorcycle being versatile and able to do it all. The fact is most of the ADV's in India cost not less than 6 lakhs ex-showroom. RE is only giving people a choice, what's wrong with having more options to choose from. Your last sentence is in conflict with your earlier sentence of RE experimenting on customers as guinea pigs. Now that they are experimenting you are saying why they haven't gone all out. Mate see what happened to Hero Impulse its fate was sealed. RE is taking it slow and steady. And about the confusing vehicle I will just refer to my earlier post about the Tbird in early 2000. Tell you one more interesting fact there was a motorcycle called the RE Lightning 535(CI) which is the father of the modern day Tbird(early 2000 model and present day). The Lightning 535 has a cult following similar to the Bullet 500.

The T'bird has always sold well in India. how come? You might hear a thousand answers to that. But for sure the so called cruiser look, especially without having to commit to the usual cruiser lifestyle was the biggest attraction( You cant do grocery runs on a harley can you?).

Mate before the Tbird the Lightning 535 broke away from the conventional RE styled motorcycles. The Lightning 535 sold in less numbers as it was expensive and left others with less budget yearning for it. Sid Lal spearheaded the AVL Tbird 350 and it went on to become a chartbuster. BTW have you ever owned or rode the Tbird? About the pseudo cruiser tag the Tbird is one of the most comfortable and easy going highway cruiser. That's not what I say but can be seen from many riders opting for the Tbird "so called" cruiser tag not withstanding. Harley is an aspirational brand and is out of reach for many at least in India. When people have an option of opting for an affordable cruiser in the form of Tbird(which costs a fraction of what the Harley does) then what is wrong. The fact is in spite of name calling the Tbird still sells and by word it sells in good numbers.

Make no mistake about it, I love the classic 350/500. They are absolutely stunning to look and ride. But the T'bird? In fact I'm not too sure of it being taken up so enthusiastically abroad( Which has been RE's target for the past many years now). Again its a bike with no clear purpose. What is it? A cruiser? A tourer? A classic thumper?

RE Tbird for your information is sold in many south east Asian countries and the middle east as the "Rumbler". Purpose is defined by the rider else we would not have seen numerous people taking their 100cc motorcycles to Ladakh so let's just leave the purpose part. Your answer lies in your questions mate. Tbird is a cruiser(sitting ergonomics and comfort are spot on , can cruise comfortably at 90-10 KMPH all day, etc.), it is a tourer(has a 20 litre tank, EFi which needs no fiddling while riding in the Himalayas, 5.5 inch front fork travel, decent ground clearance, pillion comfort, etc.) and being a big single is a thumper as well. It is a dual purpose bike and can do grocery shopping as well. Can carry a full month's ration(about 30-35 kgs) from the super market and breaks no sweat. Truly versatile. In India not many of us own multiple motorcycles suitable for doing what they do. This is where RE motorcycles fill in the gap by giving the owners versatility to do weekend rides as well do grocery shopping.

That may work when the bikes are being sold at lower prices for their utilitarian value where the competition demands that. But higher up the food chain, a little more clarity in design and purpose is an expectation that must be matched.

Mate if the speculations are right the Himalayan will be priced close to 2 lakhs. Again I repeat which ADV is India at present comes at that cost and offers a broad range of versatility while being lighter on the pocket too. About moving up the food chain, RE is currently experimenting on higher displacement engines(750cc speculated). With the genius Sid Lal moving to the UK, hiring of Pierre Terblanche the launch of Himalayan close to each other speaks something brewing.

Finally for somebody spending close to a couple of lakhs(if not more) rupees, especially in a market where KTM offers so much with every model they have(making their purchase a no brainer) is this all that RE is bringing us in 2016?

KTM's success in India should also be attributed to Bajaj for keeping the costs low. No doubt KTM from being an unknown brand in India has went onto become one of the best VFM motorcycles. RE and KTM are poles apart. KTM spends a lot on research whereas RE has just started taking baby steps. I am sure RE coming up with this all new 410cc OHC engine there is more in store and what to expect. Triumph is a good example from where RE can learn a thing or two in terms of keeping the design retro while cramming it with modern tech.

[man_of_steel]

Originally Posted by cUjO

If you look at most ADVs, they are built to take a beating so I dont know if we are talking about the same segment. I dont know a single RE owner who hasnt complained about falling parts!

Most of the owners including me has always complained about falling parts off a Royal Enfield. But dude, no one here (including you) has ridden this bike, let alone see it in flesh! This is almost a brand new bike from ground up. So let's not assume that the child will have a mark on his bottom because the father has been on an elephant (..a cheeky old saying in my mother tongue).

An ADV is a no compromise vehicle. Are you seriously telling me that this is the best that RE can come up with?

As much as I love ADV tourers, I beg to differ here. An ADV tourer is a compromise between various genres of motorcycles. It is a compromise between power, comfort, handling and mild off-roadability. Now the likes of S1000RRs, CRF450s, SuperGlide etc are no-compromise bikes since they are purpose built for a single purpose. An ADV, on the other hand tries to combine all these together. And then I heard you saying this..

But the T'bird?... What is it? A cruiser? A tourer? A classic thumper?

..And this

RE's current products are mostly ADV crossovers in the most basic sense.

Do you know why RE is popular with the adventure seeking guys?
Answer in one word - Simplicity.

[Urban_Nomad]

Enfield bashing is back in fashion, but this time for all the wrong reasons it seems

Originally Posted by cUjO

Lets just hope the panniers suit the bike. I've seen RE riders use a variety of bags/panniers. but these just look so oddly out of place. (Maybe a design change or a different color would go better maybe?)
In their current look though, I feel these dont blend in with the rest of the bike.

Although most of us here feel it looks GREAT, we also coudnt care less about the looks aspect as long as the bits and bobs are functional

Originally Posted by cUjO

If you look at most ADVs, they are built to take a beating so I dont know if we are talking about the same segment. I dont know a single RE owner who hasnt complained about falling parts!

Is this that same RE / platform / Engine? You have predicted that parts will be falling off willy nilly without as much as seeing the bike in flesh, let alone ride it?

Originally Posted by cUjO

My opinion is a bare basic bike isnt the way to go for RE at this stage. They could show a lot more confidence in the customers and themselves and come out with a true blue cross continental vehicle with all its strengths and working out the well known weaknesses.

Please define a "Non bare basic" motorcycle that you would rather see RE do. I am sure our thoughts would differ on this, but when it comes to ADV bikes - Less is more for me

Originally Posted by cUjO

Good quality Custom jobs are a plenty all around India. (None can beat the good old Delhi Mechanics of Karol bagh or Mayapuri in terms of imagination though!)
The problem with this bike is that if you were to tell me that this is an RE custom job by one of the myriad 'bike builders' in India, I would have believed you.

Then you would probably be alone in your belief. And I have seen the mayapuri bullets. Sacrilege, comparing the Himalayan with those monstrosities. And mind you, this is coming from someone who owns a HEAVILY modified RE

Originally Posted by cUjO

It was the same problem with the T'bird, its the same now with the Himalayan.
An ADV is a no compromise vehicle. Are you seriously telling me that this is the best that RE can come up with?

Please highlight what more could have been done; keeping in mind the price point, intended purpose, potential customers etc.

Originally Posted by cUjO

Look at the benellis being built in China. They are true VFM for everybody.

Its your opinion. I find the existing Benelli lot on sale EXTREMELY overpriced, especially when I have a reliable Kwacker on sale with a lower sticker price, better / wider service network

Originally Posted by cUjO

But I am sure if RE were to put their heart and soul into it, they can come out with something similar/better for a lot less.Its upto us to push RE harder and not buy everything they release blindly. Simply saying that they need credit for atleast experimenting is in the end hurting us, the customers.

When you say something similar, do you mean the TRK 500 that was showcased at the EICMA recently? There isnt a single review out there, no one has swung a leg over it, price point is unknown (we can speculate at best) and this is already an awesome VFM proposition for you?

Nobody is stating that this bike is the bees knees. Most here are simply stating that the bike seems to be making all the right notes and noises. Real world performance is yet to be seen and we would not shower it with praise or brickbats just yet

Originally Posted by cUjO

India is an ideal market for ADVs.(All weather, roads and conditions). We have seen lots of threads like Mohan sir and Haroon sir's on this topic that prove the same.RE's current products are mostly ADV crossovers in the most basic sense. So what was the need for another confusing vehicle? Why couldnt they have gone all out when the market is still so nascent and ripe for the taking?

Any particular reason you continue to compare this little RE with Tigers, BMW GS & Benellis? Are you looking to be served a lobster at a 5 star hotel at the price of a vada pav?

But actually, you finding the Himalayan worthy of a comparo with these big girls should tell you something. I wont tell you yet. See if you can figure it out yourself

Originally Posted by cUjO

The T'bird has always sold well in India. how come? You might hear a thousand answers to that. But for sure the so called cruiser look, especially without having to commit to the usual cruiser lifestyle was the biggest attraction( You cant do grocery runs on a harley can you?). Make no mistake about it, I love the classic 350/500. They are absolutely stunning to look and ride. But the T'bird? In fact I'm not too sure of it being taken up so enthusiastically abroad( Which has been RE's target for the past many years now). Again its a bike with no clear purpose. What is it? A cruiser? A tourer? A classic thumper?

Why cant you do grocery runs on a Harley? Whats stopping you? What is this "cruiser lifestyle" that one must commit to?

A bike can be many things. Its usability is only restricted by an owner's imagination / capability. REs are a regular at the Raid De Himalaya, Street bikes like the dukes are taken off road regularly, people are touring the length and breadth of this country on their sportbikes. And I am not waxing eloquent here. A simple search within T-BHP itself will corroborate what I am saying

Originally Posted by cUjO

That may work when the bikes are being sold at lower prices for their utilitarian value where the competition demands that. But higher up the food chain, a little more clarity in design and purpose is an expectation that must be matched.

This RE looks purposeful in EVERY way, Its purpose being : touring, mild offroading. What part of the design seems out of place to you? Please elaborate

Originally Posted by cUjO

Finally for somebody spending close to a couple of lakhs(if not more) rupees, especially in a market where KTM offers so much with every model they have(making their purchase a no brainer) is this all that RE is bringing us in 2016?

Finally something we both can agree on. KTMs are awesome. I have been riding a 390 for around 18000 kms and still love it to bits. The value and fun factor of this motorcyle is stratospheric

But as far as this RE is concerned, I (and I am sure many others on this forum) feel that its a step in the right direction. The execution and real world performance is yet to be seen. I am not willing to write it off just yet

[N.r.K]

Now that the government is making ABS mandatory from next year, is there any chance that this bike would be launched with it? Or is it only for bikes launched after april?!

Meanwhile, another picture.



Source

[The Great]

Seems the production has taken a hit due to floods in chennai. Hopefully the Himalayan doesn't suffer the launching delay due to this as already the current models are suffering production loss.

[Urban_Nomad]

Does anyone know if the lower front fender can be removed from the brace?

If it were me, I would remove the lower fender, leave the brace in and run with only the high mud guard. Will look much nicer and the bike will shed a little weight too. The high mud guard I am pretty sure is plastic and should be easily removable if one so desires

[The Great]

Originally Posted by Urban_Nomad

Does anyone know if the lower front fender can be removed from the brace?

Yes it sure can, as these following pictures have already depicted the 4 versions of the front fender.

If it were me, I would remove the lower fender, leave the brace in and run with only the high mud guard. Will look much nicer and the bike will shed a little weight too. The high mud guard I am pretty sure is plastic and should be easily removable if one so desires

Infact I was thinking the exact opposite of this, to get rid of the higher mudguard. To each his own preference

Here are the 4 versions of the front fender possibilities.

[Urban_Nomad]

Originally Posted by The Great

Yes it sure can, as these following pictures have already depicted the 4 versions of the front fender.




Infact I was thinking the exact opposite of this, to get rid of the higher mudguard. To each his own preference

Here are the 4 versions of the front fender possibilities.

Thanks mate. I knew that the fender can be removed. But as you can see from the pic, there's a brace in between the front forks. My question was if these are actually one single piece or can these (brace and the lower fender) be seperated by simply unscrewing 4 bolts

[21Archer84]

Originally Posted by The Great

Infact I was thinking the exact opposite of this, to get rid of the higher mudguard.

That's exactly what I would do too. Infact, I feel RE should just launch with a single fender for the non-adventure variant, as in the Second spy shot you shared. Would love to have this as my first RE.

[dreamseller]

Came across a fresh set of pictures, courtesy the Powerdrift FB page. The placement of extra jerry cans on both sides of the fuel tank is pure genius IMO.

[daretodream]

Yesterday I was at Teknik motors(Indiranagar, Bangalore) to cancel my C350 booking (booked 14-June-2015).
The staff did their best to convince me not to cancel and updated me on multiple new colours available. They didn't have any bike on new colours yet.

The staff also confirmed that the pricing for the Himalayan would be released on 15th and assured me that I could transfer my booking to Himalayan and I could get from first lot available.

They had no idea as such about the speculated price OR the Colour options OR the test ride bikes.

So - I am awaiting when the details unfold on Himalayan.

[N.r.K]

Its shaping up quite well. The fact that they are testing it so much before releasing must definitely help in reducing the number of niggles.
The biggest question mark of course will be the new engine. But this is one bike i'm really looking forward to...