Admin Posted November 8, 2023 Share Posted November 8, 2023 Royal Enfield completely redesigned the 2024 Himalayan from the wheels up. A new engine, chassis, and electronics share nothing with the previous model. (Royal Enfield/) Royal Enfield’s affordable, authentic retro offerings are currently the biggest draw to a company that’s gone from strength to strength in recent years, but until now the brand has been short of a genuinely modern bike for riders who aren’t looking for a taste of the past. With the new Himalayan that gap is filled. Sporting an all-new, liquid-cooled DOHC four-valve single-cylinder engine, with ride-by-wire controlling the throttle and mated to a six-speed transmission, the new Himalayan is a very different prospect to its air-cooled predecessor. While its position in the range is the same as the original version, which itself broke new ground for Royal Enfield at its launch in 2015, the new bike shares nothing with the earlier model apart from the general shape and role as a go-anywhere, lightweight adventurer. Royal Enfield has taken the lightweight adventure bike to the next level with the 2024 Himalayan. (Royal Enfield/) Where the old Himalayan was the debut platform for Enfield’s 411cc air-cooled SOHC two-valve single, which wheezes out 24 hp at 6,500 rpm, the new bike features the company’s new Sherpa 450 engine. Measuring in at 452cc, its performance increase is far more than you’d expect from the addition of another 41cc. Liquid-cooling allows a much higher state of tune to be adopted, with an 11.5:1 compression ratio instead of the old engine’s 9.5:1, while four valves and two camshafts let gases in and out much more freely. The result is a peak of 40 hp at 8,000 rpm, with 29.5 lb.-ft. of torque arriving at 5,500 rpm. The brand-new 452cc liquid-cooled engine pumps out 65 percent more horsepower than the previous model. (Royal Enfield/) That engine hangs beneath a newly designed, steel twin-spar frame in place of the old bike’s half-duplex, split-cradle design, with much more modern suspension at either end. Up front, an upside-down 43mm Showa fork replaces the earlier bike’s skinny, 41mm right-way-up version, and at the back there’s a curved alloy swingarm that’s connected to a Showa monoshock via a rising-rate linkage. It’s a design that more than offsets the extra mass of the liquid-cooled engine and radiator, bringing the bike’s total curb weight down from 439 pounds to 432 pounds, including a 90 percent full tank of fuel. It’s a bigger fuel tank too, up from 4 gallons on the original Himalayan to 4.5 gallons on the 2024 model. Showa suspension at each end offers 7.9 inches of travel with a 21-inch front wheel/tire combo and a 17-inch rear. (Royal Enfield/) The suspension offers 7.9 inches of travel at each end, and the bike’s off-road ability is bolstered by wire-spoked wheels wearing 90/90-21 rubber at the front and a 140/80-17 at the rear (with tubeless versions an option). Even the brakes are substantially improved, with a single 320mm front disc and ByBre dual-piston caliper and single-pot rear stopper on a 270mm rotor, with switchable ABS. Although not intended to be sleek, the 2024 Himalayan has a more sculpted look than the original, swapping pure utilitarianism for a more conventionally attractive style. The traditional-looking, round LED headlight is mounted a little lower, the front “beak” and rear fender are flatter, and the fuel tank’s sides are more voluptuous. A two-part seat offers an adjustable height for the rider, from 32.5 inches to 33.3 inches, with the option of a lower version that can be dropped to 31.7 inches. Although completely new, the 2024 Himalayan retains its rugged purpose if perhaps in a much more modern way. (Royal Enfield/) Some elements have been carried over, including the unusual luggage bars either side of the fuel tank that offer both protection to the bodywork and an extra place to strap things to, and there are plenty of options to make the Himalayan even more rugged with engine guards, a radiator protector, an under-engine bash plate and headlight guard, as well as a taller screen and aluminum hard luggage. The Tripper TFT display is full color and offers smartphone connectivity, Google-powered navigation, and the interface for changing modes and settings. (Royal Enfield/) From the rider’s seat, the view ahead features a simple, circular display that’s really a full-color TFT that even incorporates phone connectivity and Google map-based navigation—more useful away from the beaten track than the turn-by-turn nav that’s more commonly found on smartphone-connected instruments. The modern tech continues with the LED headlight and joystick-controlled riding modes. Pricing hasn’t been released on the 2024 model, but we hope it stays in a range that screams bargain. (Royal Enfield/) In a world of increasingly large, powerful, and heavy adventure bikes, the Himalayan has a recipe that seems better suited to globe-trotting adventures than most, provided your emphasis is on off-road travel rather than high-speed highway touring. Royal Enfield also showed off its working prototype of its electric Himalayan at EICMA. (Royal Enfield/) Royal Enfield also unveiled a prototype electric version of the Himalayan at EICMA in Milan, alongside the new production model. Although still a test bed rather than a production-intended model, it’s a running machine that’s already undergoing further development as Enfield eyes a battery-powered future. Look for our First Ride Review of the 2024 Himalayan November 10. 2024 Royal Enfield Himalayan Specs MSRP: TBA Engine: DOHC, liquid-cooled, four-stroke single; 4 valves Displacement: 452cc Bore x Stroke: 84.0 x 81.5mm Compression Ratio: 11.5:1 Transmission/Final Drive: 6-speed/chain Claimed Horsepower: 40 hp @ 8,000 rpm Claimed Torque: 29.5 lb.-ft. @ 5,500 rpm Fuel System: Fuel injection w/ 42mm throttle body Clutch: Wet, multiplate, slipper/assist Engine Management/Ignition: Ride-by-wire/electronic Frame: Steel twin-spar tubular Front Suspension: 43mm Showa SFF inverted fork; 7.9 in. travel Rear Suspension: Showa monoshock, preload adjustable; 7.9 in. travel Front Brake: ByBre 2-piston caliper, 320mm disc w/ switchable ABS Rear Brake: ByBre 1-piston caliper, 270mm disc w/ switchable ABS Wheels, Front/Rear: 21 in./17 in. Tires, Front/Rear: 90/90-21 / 140/80-17 Rake/Trail: TBA Wheelbase: 59.4 in. Ground Clearance: 9.0 in. Seat Height: 32.5 to 33.3 in. Fuel Capacity: 4.5 gal. Claimed Wet Weight: 432 lb. Contact: royalenfield.com View the full article 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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