WITH its rugged, go anywhere attitude, the 2020 Royal Enfield Himalayan may be just the bike to take you on your next adventure, whether that’s through suburban streets or over the roughest dirt track and rough terrain.
Not only will it go anywhere, but you’ll enjoy the journey as well, as the Himalayan must be one of the most comfortable and rider friendly bikes we’ve ridden this year. On the road, it’s well behaved and easy to ride.
It leans well and the seating position is upright and comfortable, which is great for touring. Sporting an 800mm seat height, with well positioned foot pegs and controls, the Himalayan is definitely designed for the rider.
We found it easy to stand on the pegs when riding off road too, and a great deal of thought has been put into placement of these items to reduce rider fatigue. And it’s off road where this bike really shines.
As we punted it along a bush track on the NSW Central Coast, we realised that this is truly the natural habitat the Himalayan was designed for. With a half-duplex, split cradle frame with long travel suspension, the 2020 Himalayan just eats up the dirt.
Fitted with dual purpose tyres, the Royal Enfield features a 21-inch front and 17-inch rear, which helps with the handling dynamics, on and off road. Suspension is via 41mm telescopic forks on the front, allowing 200mm of travel.
The rear is fitted with a mono-shock with linkage, which allows 180mm wheel travel, and when combined with a 220mm ride height, adds to the Himalayan’s off road charm.
Stopping the adventure bike’s 191kg dry weight are a 300mm disc with a two piston floating caliper on the front, and a 240mm disc with single piston floating caliper on the rear. Both feature ABS, and the braking system works well on and off road.
Powering the 2020 Royal Enfield Himalayan is single cylinder, 4-stroke air cooled and fuel injected 411cc motor. Producing 24.5bhp and 32Nm, it feels a tad under powered at speeds over 100km/h. It’s matched to a 5-speed box which is effective and works well.
What’s missing from the Himalayan is a more powerful sibling, loaded with Royal Enfield’s 650cc motor. Easier said than done, we know, but the idea has the potential to deliver something special in the brand’s adventure bike family.
Our biggest bug bear is the fact the bike is a little nervous until it had been warmed up for at least 2–5 minutes. There’s a fast idle knob to help the cause, but it feels a little dated. That aside, it’s an absolute pleasure to ride.
The speedo cluster is nice, and easy to read. It even incorporated a compass to really give it an adventure feel. The LCD display continued the rider friendliness feel, and the standard screen worked well to protect the rider from excessive air buffeting.
Already developing a real following among Australian riders, the Himalayan is versatile and offers great value for money. Starting at just $7,490 ride away, the 2020 Royal Enfield Himalayan comes with a three year warranty and road side assist.
Available in Himalayan Granite, Himalayan Sleet and Himalayan Snow, and with a bunch of aftermarket accessories including panniers, the only thing missing on the new Royal Enfield Himalayan is you and your next adventure.
Our test bike was provided by Royal Enfield Australia. To find out more about the 2020 Royal Enfield Himalayan, contact your local Royal Enfield dealer.
