KTM Duke 390 engine on a Royal Enfield Himalayan chassis? Hell yes!

How about a 43 Bhp Royal Enfield Himalayan? Well, Royal Enfield isn’t giving the on-off road bike any power boost just as yet but someone in India has transplanted a KTM Duke 390’s liquid cooled 373 cc engine into the Himalayan’s chassis. The result is a Frankenstein bike that addresses the biggest grouse that Himalayan riders and fans have been having – lack of outright power.

With this engine swap, the Himalayan goes from 411 cc, 24.5 Bhp-32 Nm to 373 cc, 43 Bhp-35 Nm. Considering how high the Duke 390’s engine revs, this modification should make the Himalayan significantly faster.

The stock 6 speed gearbox of the Duke seems to have been retained as the primary case doesn’t show any changes. However, the modified Himalayan could be running a bigger rear sprocket for some brutal low end torque.

Apart from the engine, the Duke 390’s instrumentation and switch gear have also been transplanted onto the Himalayan. Other cycle parts such as the suspension, tyres and brakes remain standard Himalayan items. So does the frame, which begs the question, is the Himalayan’s chassis capable of handling the extra power and torque? Your guess is as good as ours on that one.

Meanwhile, is this modification legal? Well, it’s not, until the RTO endorses the engine swap, which is unlikely in India. Also, the engine numbers will change, which makes it illegal even from the insurance point of view. But as long as the owner stays under the radar of the authorities or off the road, this bike should be mega fun. We like it. Now, if only Royal Enfield could drop a bigger motor in the Himalayan.

Images courtesy Team-BHP