The Royal Enfield Himalayan 650: First Look at It And Anticipated Specs

We have long been waiting for the Royal Enfield Himalayan 650. We’ve loved the 650 parallel twin on most models and always wished to have it on an ADV. Looks like Royal Enfield has begun testing the Himalayan 650 in Europe and spy pictures of the same give out key details of what’s coming.

A Comfortable Long-Distance Tourer

The Himalayan 650 builds on the success of its predecessors- the 411 and 450, which have over the years, earned immense popularity among ADV buyers. With the addition of expansive bodywork and the larger 650cc parallel-twin engine, the new model aims to further up the game.

While the parallel-twin engine was never designed for extreme desert racing, its versatility and smooth performance could make it suitable for all-road adventures as well. Like its siblings, the Himalayan 650 will also appeal mostly to riders seeking reliability and comfort over outright speed.

Key Features and Design

The motorcycle will feature distinctive ‘Himalayan’ styling. Here are a few key details that can be spotted in and guessed from the spy pictures. The motorcycle will get 19-inch front wheel and a 17-inch rear rim. The rear tyre appears to be a 160/70 unit while the front is likely to be shod with 110/80 rubber. The European spec gets Vredestein Centauro tyres which feature a unique tread design. The India-spec could likely come with a different, more affordable set of tyres.

Spy pictures show tube-type rims. But going by Royal Enfield has been innovating the space, tubeless rims could be offered on launch, especially considering the fact that this is more of a road-focussed tourer than an outright off-roader. The front wheel could come with dual disc brakes (possibly 270-300 mm), and axial Bybre callipers.

The front suspension will have adjustable upside-down front forks (USD) and will offer a maximum travel of 200 mm. Most likely it will be in the range of 170-190 mm. This shouldn’t be a concern as the Himalayan 650 would be more of a road-oriented tourer than a hardcore ADV. The rear could use an upright, linkage-type setup. The swingarm resembles that on the 450.

Like the other 650s, the Himalayan will also get a full LED lighting setup. In a first for Royal Enfield, the motorcycle will come with plastic/metal quarter-firing. It will have a tall, wide windscreen- and could even offer height adjustment. The handlebar mount seems to be tall and the bike seems to have an Aluminium fatbar (28mm handlebar).

Unlike most Royal Enfield models, the Himalayan 650 could come with rectangular mirrors with enhanced visibility. It will also have narrower adjustable levers, an Aluminium skid plate, a large fuel tank (capacity could be around 17-20 litres), high-mounted dual exhausts, split tail light design that would remind you of the Himalayan 450.

The seating position and rider triangle on the Himalayan 650 seem to be very touring-oriented- upright, relaxed and giving ample vehicle control. This could give it a proper, well-defined character and niche. The size of the rear sprocket is not very clear in the pictures. It looks like it isn’t very big and the motorcycle probably has a relaxed gearing that could make it optimum for highways.

The 650cc Himalayan is expected to come with ample mounts for panniers and top boxes. All of these will be of use when touring with the motorcycle.

Expected Powertrain

The 650cc parallel-twin engine is expected to deliver around 47 horsepower and 52 Nm of torque, similar to other models in Royal Enfield’s 650 lineup. However, considering the nature and audience of this motorcycle, a slight up-tune will be much appreciated. There are also rumours of Royal Enfield testing a new 750cc engine, which can be put on hold as there has been no official word/hint on it yet from the manufacturer. More details are expected to surface in the coming months.

Image Source: MCNews.com.au