Motorcycle specifications Royal-Enfield410 Himalayan 2023 The road to India

Being simple doesn't mean being outdated. The Himalayan 400 is technically light years ahead of a 1250 GS or Multistrada V4, but it knows how to refine itself. In ruts, it's not afraid to stand up to them for 4 times less.
It's time to adapt to Euro5. This means a layer of upgrades to make the breath cleaner, some engine tuning, and a pinch less performance. In terms of comfort, however, the panoply is on the rise.

The first thing to catch our eye is the appearance of the 'Tripper' navigation system on the dashboard. A small TFT screen provides GPS navigation, with the system communicating with the smartphone and using information from Google Maps. Practical, clever and standard.
Then, it's on the road that you'll be able to appreciate the new seat and redesigned windscreen. For off-road riding, the ABS becomes disconnectable, while the tubular protections are subtly reworked. On the cargo side, the Indian motorcycle modifies the package carrier. Lower in height, it features an additional plate to better secure bundles, victuals or wild boar picked up on the road.

With its continued presence in the catalog, this Royal Enfield can now embark on the dusty dreams of adventure. The journey beyond the wheels, makeshift pebbles, paths without signs or borders, or simply daily exercise on the streets of New Dehli - a whole program that the Indian brand is going to embellish with its own sauce.

For those who want to go there or thereabouts, this is a machine that has nothing in common with the Bullet, Classic or Continental GT. Its name is that of the most famous mountain range, located just beyond the horizon where the manufacturer is based. Himalayan. And how would you like to cross yaks, chortens and other bits of Tibet on a 400?!

That's where the difference between culture shock and lifestyle shock comes in. In the trail bike market, we fat, rich Europeans only see adventure in huge, fully-engineered machines that are heavy, overpowered and packed with electronics. With the Royal-Enfield 410 Himalayan, you're in the adventure business before you even get started. The bike is simple, ready for anything, offering the essentials. It looks more like a Japanese trail-utility than a mountain bike. Have we finally found the motorcycle's dahu?

The chassis is very simple, consisting of a classic tubular steel cradle frame, to which is added a 41 mm fork with 200 mm travel, a 180 mm monoshock, and 21" spoked wheels at the front and 17" at the rear, shod with mixed tires. Nothing exceptional yet... because that's what the Himalayan is all about. Ground clearance sets the tone: 220 mm. A reasonable value for a little cross-country driving, on a par with a big GS. Except that the little Indian girl, weighing in at a hefty 199 kilos, will find it easier to get around the terrain - heavy, after all, for a 400... Half a kilo less is noticeable at the end of the day... and even before. With 15 liters of fuel in the tank, the adventuress will be able to ride for a long time. Its engine won't gobble up tons of fuel, but it won't be exuberant either.

No Superbike engines or neutron thrusters. On the Himalayan, technology is at the service of the tried and tested to withstand the trying. We're not going to climb the curves of the Portimao circuit; we're going to go everywhere without going too fast. The engine is a 411 cm3 single-cylinder. A basic, long-stroke design with ribs measuring 78 x 86 mm, the block is fed by fuel injection and breathes through 2 valves (1 ACT). Cooling via fins on the cylinder head, 5-speed gearbox, chain final drive, and modest performance. The E5 modifications ate half a horsepower, leaving the engine with 24 hp at 6500 rpm, and torque peaking at 3.4 mkg at 4250 rpm. Not enough to set lap times and keep the rider glued to the throttle, but that was never the goal. The aim is to ride without fuss, everywhere, all the time. And with such simple technology, you can fix almost anything in any remote village where there's a DIY enthusiast. Go and change a control chip when you're on the road every day between Kathmandu and Raxaul.....

The brakes don't swear, and are designed to do their job. A single 300 mm disc at the front with a 2-piston caliper, and a 240 mm disc at the rear. The equipment for everyday use is more evocative: metal engine cowling, fork protection gussets, small bubble, protective bars for the fuel tank, rudimentary but sturdy luggage rack, side and center stands, and a dashboard that's far more modern than you'd expect. It's all there: rev counter, fuel gauge and needle tachometer, digital window with outside temperature, trips, time, gear engaged, digital compass and navigator. A USB socket will join the handlebars in 2023.

The 410 Himalayan has no intention of shaking up the adventurous segment. It doesn't have the same arguments as the segment's dominators. You could buy several Royal-Enfields for the price of one big trail-GT. On the one hand, technological dominance, on the other, the charm of old-fashioned mechanics and the bucolic simplicity of function above all. Its primary market is Asia, but the Indian brand believes in other places.

M.B - Manufacturer media