All-New 2024 Himalayan 450 Specs Released

[MotoNews]

Published in: Bikes

Royal Enfield unleashes the specs for the much improved 2024 Himalayan model. We just got back from 250 miles of kicking the tires and hitting the ice on Royal Enfield's new Himalayan, in the Himalayan mountains near Manali, India. Not knowing what to expect, we were impressed by the stats and numbers presented by the various production teams in the Royal Enfield family. What does the new Himalayan offer?

• ENGINE - The New Sherpa 450

Let's get to the heart of the matter. Royal Enfield's new Sherpa 452cc (Sherpa 450) engine is a quantum leap in terms of power, performance and technology over the previous generation's air-cooled LS 410 mill. First off, it's now watercooled which allows the Sherpa 450 to run at an 11.5:1 compression ratio versus the previous generation's air-cooled 9.5:1. The resulting increase in power is noticeable in the comparison chart which also translates to the in-seat experience.  Max horse power went up to almost 40 bhp @ 8,000 rpm from 24 bhp @ 6,500 rpm.  Torque increased from 23.6 to almost 30 ft-lbs at 5,500 rpm. The engineers kept the same usable power curve but just added over 60% more power while extending the redline by over 2,000 rpm.

The new Himalayan's exhaust note comes from not only the relocated airbox, but a newly reworked exhaust system which sports a much smaller muffler. According to the engineers, this is made possible by the larger catalytic converter that also contributes to the sound deadening.   

Thankfully, all this new and usable power is mated to a smooth shifting 6-speed transmission. The airbox is now located above the engine and under the tank, resulting in a downdraft injection setup tied to a new ride-by-wire throttle. It's also worth noting they've included a slipper clutch that helps take the jerkyness out of hasty downshifts. The changes result in the all-new Himalayan hitting 65 mph (100 kph) indicated at 7,000 rpm in 4th gear. There's a lot to love about the new powerplant and we'll talk about how well it performs in an upcoming full review.

 • WHEELS, SUSPENSION and BRAKING

The front tire size stays the same, but the rear tire gets a beefed-out 140/80-17 skin. Aside from adding blingy new gold wheel options, the upper "Summit" trim lines also have tubeless spoked rims, which is nearly unheard of in this category.

The suspension has been majorly overhauled as the previous generation's 41mm conventional forks are now replaced by 43mm inverted Showa cartridge forks. The spring is in the left fork tube and the dampening resides on the right. The rear shock has been totally redesigned into a more horizontal setup thanks to an all new cast swingarm and linkage system which also contributes to keeping the saddle height lower. Without going into too many details, the new suspension and geometry are much stiffer and also more aggressive, both on and off-road. 

The brakes have also been upgraded as well from 300mm to 320mm in the front and 240mm to 270mm in the back. Those wanting to disable ABS braking won't be disappointed. The option is available in the new gauge features!

• BODY and WEIGHT

Feeding the new powerplant is a 4.5 gallon tank, an increase of .5 gallons more than the previous version. The signature boxy style of the original generation is now replaced by a more modern looking tapered design. People have mixed feelings about this, but the fact is so many other changes were made to the platform as a whole that it would not have been possible to keep the original design. The upper tank guards are still there and nicely contoured with the new tank's bold shoulders which don't generally show well on many images. Like the original Himalayan, the tank guards work! More than a few testers dropped the bike during the off-road section of the test rides and the bike came out no worse for wear.

The frame construction and geometry is also all-new. Most notable is the engine is now a stressed member of the frame so the previous generation full cradle frame is gone. This saves some weigh but also helps to increase the ground clearance from 8.6 to 9.1 inches. Another nice touch is the bolt on rear subframe, which is a feature generally found on more expensive bikes.

Although the ground clearance is up with more suspension travel, they managed to keep the seat height about the same at around 31-32 inches. The saddle is now two position adjustable with low and standard height options. Combined with a narrower tank profile, reaching the ground has never been easier. Part of that narrow profile isn't just in the tank and saddle. Many of the bike's component like the battery and airbox have been center-lined in the frame more like modern bikes.

With this impressive set of upgrades and added features, the bike has shaved about 6 pounds from the original version and comes in at about 432 lbs!

• ELECTRONICS -  Lights and Gauges

Speaking of gauges, this is another area the Royal Enfield family of engineers is tremendously proud of. The new 4" round TFT display is highly configurable, easy to read (even for those who need reading glasses) and auto switches contrast mode depending on the environment. There's a Mode button on the right switch gear which changes between analog/digital map display, which a four-way joystick on the left control set near the horn which moves you through the menus and options.

Probably one of the most notable features of the new TFT gauges is the Google Maps powered interface which displays the navigation map right on the screen while keeping all critical riding information available. An easy to read large tachometer needle and speed indication are available in analog mode while keeping turn by turn directions front and center. This is all made possible through a Wi-Fi connection between your Apple or Android phone and a Royal Enfield proprietary app which hasn't been released yet.

All the lights are now LED. The signature round headlight is very bright and properly focused while mated to a small windscreen that harkens to the original generation's lines. The rear lights feature a clever turn and stop light integrated signals which are large and very visible.

• COLORWAYS, PRICING and AVAILABILITY

The all-new Himalayan comes in five different colorways spread across three "Base", "Pass" and "Summit" trim lines. Although all models have the same specs and features, one difference is the tubeless spoked rims which only come on the Summit variants. The Base line comes in Kaza Brown. The Pass line comes in Slate Himalayan Salt and Poppy Blue; while the Summit line comes in Hanle Black and Kamet White.

U.S. market pricing is not known at this point but will be updated when released. Although we expect there will be an understandable price increase, Siddhartha Lal ( Managing Director and CEO of Eicher Motors) told me that the pricing will stay reasonable and maintaining accessibility to every-day riders is one of their chief goals. If this should happen, the new Himalayan would have few rivals in the 400-500cc dual-sport range and could be one of the best overall values for new and experienced riders alike. Although no official US availability date has been released. We would expect to see the new Himalayan on showroom floors in the late spring of summer of 2024.

We're really excited about this new model, and believe it will shakeup the displacement category for years to come.  More riding impressions coming soon in a full review in ADVMoto!

 For more information, visit RoyalEnfield.com.

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 • 2024 Royal Enfield Himalayan Specifications and Comparison 

	2018-2023 Himalayan 411cc	2024+ Himalayan 452cc
Engine type:	Single Cylinder, 4 Stroke, SOHC, Air Cooled	Single Cylinder, 4 Stroke, DOHC, Water Cooled ,
Displacement:	411cc	452cc
Compression ratio:	9.5:1	11.5:1
Valves:	Screw adjustment	Shim style
Max power:	24.3 bhp (17.88 kW) @ 6,500 rpm	39.5 Hp (29.44 kW) @ 8,000 rpm
Max torque:	23.6 ft/lbs @ 4,000-4,500 rpm	29.5 ft-lbs @ 5,500 rpm
Clutch:	Wet, Multi-Plate	Wet multiplate, Slip & Assist
Gearbox:	5 Speed	6-speed
Fuel system:	EFI	EFI + Ride by Wire
Frame type:	Split cradle	Twin-spar tubular steel
Front suspension:	41 mm forks with 7.9" travel	Showa USD 43mm Forks with 7.9" travel
Rear suspension:	Monoshock with 7.1" travel	Showa Monoshock with 7.9"  travel
Wheelbase:	58 in	59.44 in
Ground clearance:	8.6 in	9.1 in
Seat height:	31.5 in	32.5-33.3" (standard seat); 31.7-32.5" (low seat)
Curb weight:	439 lbs	432 lbs
Fuel capacity:	4 gallons (15L)	4.5 gallons (17L)
Front tire:	90/90-21″	90/90-21″
Rear tire:	120/90-17″	140/80-17″
Front brakes:	300 mm disc, two-piston	320 mm disc, two-piston
Rear brakes:	240 mm disc, single-piston	270 mm disc, single-piston
ABS	Dual-channel ABS, Switchable rear-wheel	Dual-channel ABS, Switchable rear-wheel deactivation
Electrical system:	12V – DC	12V – DC
Head lamp	1H4-Halogen	LED
Tail lamp:	LED	Integrated turn & tail lamp, all LED
Turn signal lamp:	Halogen	Integrated turn & tail lamp, all LED

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