2024 Royal Enfield Himalayan 450

It’s fair to say that Royal Enfield had a lot riding on the 2024 Himalayan 450’s debut. It was the most radically different motorcycle the 124-year-old company had ever made; the all-new liquid-cooled Sherpa 450 engine represents a quantum leap forward from all the previous powerplants produced by the Indian company, with the engine sporting everything from double overhead cams to a four-valve cylinder head to a forged piston sliding in a Nikasil-lined cylinder forcing a compression ratio of 11.5:1 to a semi-dry sump lubrication system. The fuel-injection system utilizes a 42mm throttle body with ride-by-wire control and a new electronics package with four ride modes.

The Sherpa engine mates to an all-new chassis designed by renowned frame designer Harris Performance (who were acquired by Royal Enfield in 2015). Utilizing a twin-spar, tubular-steel frame design and steel swingarm, a nonadjustable Showa 43mm inverted SFF fork with 7.9 inches of travel and spring-preload-adjustable Showa rear shock with an identical 7.9 inches of travel handle suspension duties. Wheel sizes measure 21 inches front and 17 inches rear, with 90/90-21 front and 140/80-17 rear tires. A two-piston ByBre caliper biting on a 320mm front disc in front and a single-piston caliper grabbing a 270mm rear disc work through a two-channel ABS that can be turned off in the rear. The round 4-inch Tripper TFT full-color dash offers smartphone connectivity, media controls, and full-map navigation with a Google-based navigation engine.

CW’s Blake Conner summed up the Himalayan 450’s performance by stating, “Make no mistake, this is a legitimate ADV bike. It may be scaled down and relatively simple compared to the bulk of the market’s offerings, but that in and of itself gives it a foot up in certain situations, especially off-road, where low weight and good agility count a lot more than raw power.”

The 2024 Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 is available in six trim levels: Kaza Brown for $5799, Slate Himalayan Salt or Slate Poppy Blue for $5899; Hanle Black for $5999; and Kamet White (tubeless spoked wheels) or Hanle Black (tubeless spoked wheels) for $6099.