Test rode the Guerrilla 450: More user-friendly version of KTM 390 Duke

It is the most engaging Royal Enfield to ride in recent times. Also, the vibrations are well-contained. I felt that the Triumph Speed 400 had more vibrations.

BHPian Shonith recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Test rode the bike in the city and on the highway, test rode it alone and then with my wife as a pillion and this is what I felt:

Positives:

• The set up on this bike has to be the most engaging to ride from RE in recent times.
•  It's a big bike, bigger than the KTM 390 Duke and Speed 400.
• Sound from the exhaust and the induction sound when you rev makes the whole experience very engaging. I found this to be lacking in the Speed 400.
• It's a rev-happy engine, torque spread throughout the rev range is good. It's a bike which you could ride slowly, putter around and then really open up on the highway.
• Handle bar width is right for filtering in the city.
• Moving the bike in a parking spot was not as difficult as I thought it would be given the 185kg weight.
• Vibrations are well-contained for a 450cc single. I felt the Speed 400 had more vibration. My wife gave feedback saying this has less vibration compared to my 390 Duke and Svartpilen. She liked the bassy exhaust note.
• Footrest position for the pillion is nice and wide.
• Both brakes have good bite and progression. Although the stopping power is not like the KTM.
• Rider's triangle is good, kept me well engaged at the same time it's comfortable. Even for a pillion, the seat is wide and comfortable.
• Suspension doesn’t dive under braking.

Negatives:

• Integration of the rear indicator and taillight might cause problems for others on the road as they may not be able to judge what these lights mean, the brake light LED surrounds the indicator LED and people may miss this flashing orange light when the brakes are applied while taking a turn. Taking into consideration there are people with poor eyesight driving on our roads.
• My wife found the seat to be slippery at times she would slide forward. She was wearing jeans.
• The tank has a weird shape and it's not easy to grip.
• Stamped rear brake and gear levers do make the bike look a bit budget. They should give an adjustable rear brake lever.
• Mirrors are small and the test ride bike’s left side mirror had come loose.

My thoughts:

390 Duke is sharper, more performance-oriented and more precise than this. Guerrilla to me is like a more user-friendly version of the 390, sounds good revs quickly, comfortable to ride at the same time. If KTM were to make a jack-of-all-trades version of the 390 Duke, I think it would end up being something like the Guerrilla 450.

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