[TusharK]

Royal Enfield is working on a new 450cc model that is touted to take on the likes of the KTM 390 Duke and the upcoming Bajaj-Triumph bike. We have seen spy images of the 450cc roadster before, but the latest images showcase a more close-to-production test mule.



The Royal Enfield 450 roadster appears to have a neo-retro design. It has a circular headlamp and a round digital instrument console, a single-piece flat seat and a short tail section. The bike is equipped with a telescopic fork up front and has a mono-shock at the rear.

The new model could use the same 450cc engine that will debut on the Himalayan 450. However, we can expect it to get a slightly different tune and revised gear ratios to make it more usable in the city.

With new offerings from Bajaj-Triumph and Royal Enfield, it's safe to assume that the mid-capacity segment in India is hotting up.

Source: Zigwheels

[aargee]

What advantage does Royal Enfield has over most of its competitors?

The MD is a Motorcyclist

[atluri_rkc]

Originally Posted by TusharK

The new model could use the same 450cc engine that will debut on the Himalayan 450. However, we can expect it to get a slightly different tune and revised gear ratios to make it more usable in the city.

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With the launch of 450CC, what would be the plans for the current 410CC block? Haven't found a conclusive answer anywhere. Just like 4Wheeler OEMs, will RE be continuing till the tooling for the block is available? Or will it replace 410CC with 450CC completely?

[ICE_Swift]

Originally Posted by atluri_rkc

With the launch of 450CC, what would be the plans for the current 410CC block? Just like 4Wheeler OEMs, will RE be continuing till the tooling for the block is available? Or will it replace 410CC with 450CC completely?

As per most reports RE will probably discontinue the 411 engine as the 450 succeeds it.
As per news Reports,In the last Quarter shareholder meeting the plan was to keep Three Platforms The J series 350,the 650 twins and the 411 Platform....which will mostly be replaced by the 450.

In my Opinion RE realises that the Himalayan doesn't make as much power as it's rivals and for its size.I've driven the Himalayan and I feel that for 411 engine it has woefully inadequate power.It also struggles post 90kmph and the engine feels like it's out of Breath...something that the KTM 390 ADV doesn't have an issue with.I do hope they give this a 6 speed gearbox because now almost all the RE rivals in the 300cc+ segment barring the CB come with a 6 speed Gearboxes as standard.

I do realise that some people will say you cannot compare REs to liquid cooled Short stroke Engines but at the end of the day the average customer is looking for something that can do both...a bit of Off-roading and cruise at triple digits comfortably.

Hopefully the liquid Cooled 450 solves that issue.Also Mostly spares will be available as they've sold enough 411s so they need keep producing spares for those.

[Cyborg]

No 450 Royal Enfield can ever take on the KTM 390 Duke. The sheer punch, explosive acceleration and handling like a ballerina cannot be matched. It’s a joke to even think that

Cheers

[windiesel]

Originally Posted by atluri_rkc

With the launch of 450CC, what would be the plans for the current 410CC block? Haven't found a conclusive answer anywhere. Just like 4Wheeler OEMs, will RE be continuing till the tooling for the block is available? Or will it replace 410CC with 450CC completely?

The 411 will be discontinued just like the 350cc UCE engine is being phased out in favour of the new J-Series engine across the 350cc range.

[windiesel]

Originally Posted by Cyborg

No 450 Royal Enfield can ever take on the KTM 390 Duke. The sheer punch, explosive acceleration and handling like a ballerina cannot be matched. It’s a joke to even think that

Cheers

You never know what surprise RE may swing! Remember the 650 twins? They sell more than the Bonnies now! and three REs figure in the top 10 bikes sold in the UK in 2022!!
check it out here https://www.bennetts.co.uk/bikesocia...ing-bikes-2022

[Cyborg]

Originally Posted by windiesel

You never know what surprise RE may swing! Remember the 650 twins? They sell more than the Bonnies now! and three REs figure in the top 10 bikes sold in the UK in 2022!!

The surprise which RE should swing would be bringing a bike which has no teething or quality issues

Of course the 650 twins sell more than Bonnie’s because they cost much, much less. A Bonnie costs almost or more than 3 times the cost of a 650 and quality wise there is simply no comparison. They are not even in the same football field. The same applies to the UK market as well.

To put things in perspective, if both the bikes (650 and Bonnie) cost the same (dream scenario) and someone still buys an RE then you could even begin talking like this

Anyways, enough of off topic from my side.

Cheers

[Waspune]

Originally Posted by Cyborg

A Bonnie costs almost or more than 3 times the cost of a 650 and quality wise there is simply no comparison. They are not even in the same football field. The same applies to the UK market as well.

That’s only applicable to India. In the UK, the 650s cost upto 6500-7000 Pounds while the Bonnie range starts at ~9000 Pounds.

You might be surprised to know that the newly launched Super Meteor 650 costs as much as or slightly more than the Kawasaki Vulcan S in the West.

[Samarth 619]

Originally Posted by Cyborg

No 450 Royal Enfield can ever take on the KTM 390 Duke. The sheer punch, explosive acceleration and handling like a ballerina cannot be matched. It’s a joke to even think that
Cheers

I suppose they mean taking on the Duke 390 in the market, which is very much a possibility. No matter what you make, there will always be some takers.
But honestly, I feel even that is inaccurate, as mostly the Royal Enfield crowd is a different breed, they're unlikely to migrate to KTM from this one, or vice versa. There's not likely to be a huge market impact anyhow.

I remember riding the 650 and ending up unimpressed, because it was simply way too heavy to enjoy in the city traffic, compared to my own Duke 390, although I admit the brakes were sharper and the engine was grunty, a bit of fun in its own way.

[navin_v8]

RE on the roll and how! Having delivered a knock out punch to retro classics in India as well as the overseas market (requiring A2 license), they are now ready to take on sub 500cc single's (Water Cooled).

I wouldn't go as far as dissing the upcoming 450 roadster/street fighter without even seeing it in flesh, in person. With the way how RE has put their new motorcycles together (J series CL and SM 650) it shows that they are serious about quality cycle parts (given their exposure to foreign markets and more conscious domestic customer).

If they manage to release a proper scrambler (unlike their Scram 410) version of the 450, then it would be a delight to ride on Bombay's broken roads that are perennially under repair.

Bring it on RE!

[windiesel]

Originally Posted by Cyborg

A Bonnie costs almost or more than 3 times the cost of a 650 The same applies to the UK market as well.

In India, yes, not so in the UK. There the difference isn't even one and a half times.

[tarmacnaut]

Originally Posted by windiesel

In India, yes, not so in the UK. There the difference isn't even one and a half times.

True, RE is charging insane prices overseas. Take Hunter as an example, Everyone knows that the Hunter 350 is a barebone, plastic cladded, 'cheap' RE, here in India.

But overseas in UK, USA and Australia, RE is positioning it as "premium" and charging a hefty price.

In Australia, the VStrom SX with pricey components like DID chain, Enkei Rims costs 6490 AUD while the Hunter costs 7590 AUD. That is 17% more or 60,000 more in Indian Money, which is insane.

In India, VStrom SX is actually 60,000 costlier than the Hunter. BTW both are made in India and exported to Australia. The premium RE charges is only for the "retro" looks and is heavily marketing with youtube influencers like BigRock Moto etc. as if it is some kind of "great" bike.

Same goes for 650 twins in UK, USA and other countries, they are priced not that far from Triumphs, which is too much of a stretch and shows RE's greediness, nonetheless.