New Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 to toughen up, grow in size and power

The Royal Enfield Himalayan range looks set to expand further amid talk of a larger, more off-road focused version built on a brand new platform. 

The pint-size adventure motorcycle has not only won a loyal fanbase in its native India, but globally too with its utilitarian looks, no-nonsense mechanicals and value price tag, prompting Royal Enfield to expand the model line with as many as three new Himalayan-based models coming in the next couple of years.

The first of these will be a scrambler version - named 411 Scram - which has been spotted undisguised recently and further down the line a Himalayan 650 using the twin-cylinder engine as found in the Interceptor, Continental GT and soon the Super Meteor.

Now Bike Wale is reporting Royal Enfield is also developing a more dedicated adventure model named the Royal Enfield Himalayan 450, which will boast a new platform, engine and design to target the likes of the Honda CB500X and KTM 390 Adventure.

A few months ago, we mentioned about another Himalayan that is more hardcore and will come much before the Himalayan 650 – well, today is the day where we will tell you about that bike.

Know more: https://t.co/WFtpk1c0GZ#BWNews #RoyalEnfieldHimalayan #KTM390Adventure #Bikes pic.twitter.com/b1xQmalSSw

— BikeWale (@BikeWale) January 7, 2022

Running the exclusive article with a render of how it might look, Bike Wale says the design will be all-new, with a more off-road focused approach that retains the Himalayan’s rugged approach but makes it leaner and lighter with a 21-inch front wheel.

Built on a new platform named K1, the Himalayan 450 will get a new 450cc single-cylinder engine kicking out 40bhp - a significant increase on the current 411cc version’s 24.5bhp - Bike Wale is reporting it will feature centre-set pegs, long single seat, easy to reach handlebar, high ground clearance and a substantial amount of travel in the suspension.

The Himalayan 450 is likely to hit showrooms some time in 2023 after Royal Enfield opted to prioritise the expansion of the 650 range, which will also include the Shotgun 650 - based on the SG650 concept revealed at EICMA - for 2022. However, it is likely to come before the Himalayan 650.