Royal Enfield Himalayan
 

I am planning a trip to Mongolia and the Stans next year and will be using a Royal Enfield Himalayan.

From stuff I have read on here I can see not many people take this bike seriously, but I have seen enough positive stuff about them (EFI models) from India to be sure its the bike I want, so I am not looking to be told its a daft choice. I know it's not fast, and the front brake is not brilliant (I ride Harleys so am used to that lol). It's lightweight, not too high (I am a short arse), cheap, economical and easy to work on. Plus I like the look of it, and I find the riding and standing position suit me.

However, I am interested in any feedback from anyone who has done a long trip on one, and any problems they have had with the bike, or suggested modifications? How are the stock tyres? I am buying the bike new and will do a Scotland trip to run it in, so will get some ideas from that, but would welcome any feedback from current owners.

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Just look up Nathan Milward he bought one with his own money earlier in the year and he has put thousands of miles on his through Europe and the States doing his garbage Runs etc, he rides it off road and I belive he hasn't had any problems whatsoever. I'm not sure you can call it lightweight but it wears its weight well and will plod happily all day long and return good mpg, its a simple bike and for the price 4k you can't compare it to any other new ADV bike.

Buy it enjoy it and do your trip :scooter:

if your on facebook look him up on there as he has loads of posts regarding his Himalayan and I'm sure you can gain a lot of useful advice from him.

Thanks for that I will look him up.

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I have been touch, got some great advice, and am more certain than ever that it's the bike for me. Thanks again.

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can't wait to see your adventures enjoy

If u do a bit of digging either Bike or Ride magazines did quite an extensive test on this bike within the last couple of months..... It got a good review. You should b able to get hold of the copy online.

It's looking like the trip maybe postponed to 2020, as it doesn't look like I can get the time off work next summer. Its too good a job to lose, but too much of an itch to leave any longer than summer 2020, so will be doing it then whatever. Still hopeful the company will approve unpaid leave next summer.

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I am getting the bike soon anyway.

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I just sat on one in the showroom yesterday. I like it a lot. I'd have a go at long distance on it.

Good luck. Let us know how you like the bike.

give you plenty of time and mini trips to get the bike setup exactly as you want it, I think Nathan uses a seat pad on his to go the extra mile.

He's just done a video review of the first 15k on his FB site, he really sings the bikes praises and even goes so far as to say he likes it that much he would buy a fleet of them!

I'm looking for my next bike and the himalaya is right up the list given what it offers.

If you look at it as offering something similar to a prepped old beemer but in a barand new ready to roll package then you aint far off I even like its rugged looks.

Hi I've been looking at this bike and really like it. I've just started planning(literally this week) a trip from Morocco to Cape Town in mid 2020 and think that this could be a great bike for the trip. Please keep us updated on how you go with the bike as any advice would be much appreciated. Good luck and safe riding.

FWIW, I have a 2018 RE Himalayan and have over 13000 trouble free miles. Rode mine from Georgia to California (HU Meeting) and back. It's a very capable long distance touring machine.

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I would say the biggest concern would be that Enfield has no presence in North Asia whatsoever so you won't be able to find parts... And if there's one thing I've learned is that parts availability is way more important than reliability

With the ole internet and express shipping services, parts availability is a non issue

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Good luck finding a store that will express ship to Central Asia. You'll generally have to get a friend back home to DHL (DHL is the only really reliable option) and that can cost well over $100. And even with as fast as DHL is you're usually sitting around at least a week for parts to get to friend -> friend to ship -> DHL to arrive.

True, but regardless of the make, chances are the dealer/shop will have to do the same thing

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Just bought myself one for my 2019 project bike.
Should be an interesting machine.
See the website for more.

i'm still looking for a one bike does it all steed and the himalaya is high on the list but not sure how it would keep up with some of the enduro machines I green lane with? wondering if the crf 250 l would be the better bike for this task and general riding? I like the rally but it seems a lot of extra cash over the L for a taller screen and extra plastic to break?

I don't there is any reason why a new or nearly new Himalayan won't make the trip.

And how much are they brand new ? £5000 ?? Great value too.

However. They are slow, heavy and their quality is obviously built to a budget. Not really a capable off-road machine either is it. Depends on your trip I guess.

The early models were appalling but I think a lot of those early problems have been ironed out.

If I were spending £5000 on a travel bike , I don't think I would use one.

There are so many other options for the same money. Which in my opinion are much better quality bikes and higher specification. A three year old Jap bike will be the same cash and will far superior.

But in the end. It's your trip and you should ride the bike that YOU like.

More like £4k with several very low-milers or ex-demos from 3500.
A big difference. Plus equipment wise, you get a lot for your money, saving further spending (not that that stopped anyone).

With Enfield's reputation, people are understandably worried they'll merely get what they paid for, as with some Chinese shockers.
From what I've read and am finding myself, that does not seem to be the case.

But for UK green laning, I'd sooner get a lighter CRF or KLX.

Well, that's certainly a cheap bike new.

I think I'd still rather be on a five year old Jap bike though.

You can also pick up a nearly new CRF250L Rally for that price. Probably better for the trip too.

You could even buy an immaculate re-conditioned low mileage and upgraded XRV750 for that too.



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I own both a Himalayan and a CRF250l. Performance and quality wise ita pretty much a wash between the two. The big advantage for the Himalayan is its a purpose built travel bike, the honda isn't. Off road the Honda may have a bit of an edge but on all other roads there really isn't any comparison between the two. I've spent thousands on the Honda to try to get the Honda to do what the Royal Enfield does oit of the box, a simple economical all road travel bike.

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I did take the Micky out of the looks of the Royal Enfield when it 1st came out. Then surprise surprise a friend turns up at my place and he's bought one.

Now being a little bit bike mad to the point of obsessed and owning over 300 bikes ( not all at the same time I hasten to add ) I was looking forward to see what the new RE was all about

Later that day I had my 1st long ride on one.

First impression of it was far better then I thought it was going to be . The handling was quite good. I could not fault the riding position and I'm told that the bike returns almost 90 MPG.

If I had to describe what riding the bike was like I would say. It was like riding a bike with the brakes off a 1970's Harley Davidson. The front required a very firm pull to get it to work and the rear brakes were on full as soon as you touched them.

Handling was like that of a British 1940's Rigid bike in that there is little or no flex from the back end and the rear suspension was almost as harsh as riding a rigid .

The engine was smooth as was the gear change but pull back on the throttle and its very slow on the pick up . If you have ever ridden a 1980's Honda CD200 Benly you will know what I mean.

How it looks is in the eye of the beholder ... Some will love it some wont .

I'm sure like most new bikes there will be a few that have problems and most wont .

However the question is... If your budget for a Touring / Travel bike is between £3500 and £5000 is this the best bike to spend your money on ?

Happy Travels no matter what you ride. bier

I struggled to get Enfield parts in the UK. 5 year old bikes are fine, but a chain adjuster for a disc braked rear was impossible. Enfield UK were constantly claiming it was 4 weeks from India, basically ****off and ring back in a month. Hitchcocks didn't think anyone would need parts for a 2017 bike until 2020.

I made my own.

Andy

Good point Andy. Living with the brand is often overlooked when rating a bike.

At BMW, if we order a part by 6pm, 95% of the time it arrives at the dealership at 5am the next day.. If it's a rare part, it come from Germany in three days.



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Looking at many Indian reviews of KTM bikes build over there, complaining about low quality so called premium brand I can only imagine what a poor quality RE is as it is budget bike...

Just picked mine up, done up and ready for a month in Morocco.
Looking forward to it.
Long version on the website.

Looks good with some nice mods. I'll be interested to hear how you feel it compares to the CRF once you've done some miles on it as I'm probably going to buy one or the other for something a bit different later in the year.

Good job with the Himalayan, looks great !!! I'm going to Morocco this month with my xt660z.I will follow some of your routes. Enjoy

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My thoughts after a month in Morocco and WS.
Long version. See also this.

Like
• At £4000 new with the stock equipment, it’s a bargain
• Low, 800mm seat – at last a travel bike not limited to tall people
• Enfield build quality stood up to it
• Efi motor pulled smoothly up to nearly 10,000′
• Michelin Anakee Wilds (run tubeless) – great do-it-all tyres
• Low CoG and 21-″ front make it agile on the dirt
• Rear YSS shock
• Yes it’s 190kg, but road and trail, it carries it well
• Subframe easily sturdy enough for load carrying
• Economy went up and up: averaged 78 mpg (65 US; 27.6kpl; 3.62L/100k)
• 400km range from the 15-litre tank – about 250 miles

Like less
• Weak front brake on the road (fitting sintered pads is a fix)
• As a result, front ABS is a bit docile
• Stock seat foam way too mushy for my bulk
• Tubliss core failed on the front; replaced with inner tube
• Centre stand hangs low – but can be raised
• Valves need checking every 3000 miles (according to manual)
• Small digit dash data hard to read at a glance
• Compass always wrong
• Head bearings went notchy at 4000 miles, despite regressing @ 1200

Great info Chris, thanks. I'd be interested to hear where you feel the CRF falls short in comparison to the Him. Is it mainly that the Him is a better rounded and equipped package out of the box?

Himalayan
 

Well just rode this bike 1300 miles in two weeks in Bhutan and the bike is solid. I have ridden British Royal Enfield in India before for month two up and this is better for single riding. I liked the bullet for two up and as you know neither is fast or suited for fast. In Bhutan the national speed limit is 60 km and we hardly ever got going that fast. The bike starts to become unstable about 70 km. But below that is fun to ride.

Yes that, plus the unhurried feel of the engine and general layout makes it all more satisfying to ride.

(Can't say mine ever felt unstable at up to 110kph; sounds like something may have been loose or worn)

Read all about it in this month's Bike mag.

Oh think i’ll Treat myself for my upcoming holiday read. The more I read about the himalaya the more I think it will be my next bike. Especially given that any of its short comings can be fixed, replaced and simplified over time.

I love how FUEL turned one into an 80’s style Dakar bike for very little cost involvement and simplified the dash etc defiantly something that any of us would be capable of.

I have ridden many miles on my TTR250 and have only ever wished for more power in soft sand (how often do we actually ride in soft sand?) I’ve always found it can more than keep pace on motorways and have an absolute blast through tight bends yes on the straights it gets hammered by sports bikes but they cant ride across rivers and beaches!:scooter:

RE Himalayan First Ride - I'm sold!
 

Hi guys. I've just had a 1 hour test ride on a new Euro 4 Himalayan (first one in South Africa). It only had ~800kms on clock so not fully loosened-up. Normally I ride an F650GS (my sewing machine) and find it a pig offroad but great for commuting and long fast rides. Well the Hima surprised me in so many ways. Smooth suspension both on tar and gravel, significantly lighter feel - much more than the supposed weight difference, fast enough for freeway cruising (70mph), relatively quiet, easy start and comfortable. What a pleasure to select first gear easily and quietly too. In fact as soon as I got onto my sewing machine immediately after the ride, I was sold on the Hima.
Yes the seat needs to be 2cm higher, bar raisers needed, wider pegs preferred, shorter sidestand with a larger foot for gravel and the temp gauge needs moving (although the compass was about right the whole time). Eventually I’ll get the Powertune piggyback with maps and a larger drive sprocket but for now its OK
Have I bought one? No. They are not accepted by the authorities as a properly homologated bike (?!?) so there’s no price yet. But soon, very soon, I shall rid myself of the pig. Cheers, ChrisD

Rear brake caliper failure....
 

My Himalayan has only covered 5000 miles now. And while rolling back the brake clunked... I did not realise until a few mins later I was slowly rolling into a petrol station that the rear brake was nor functioning.
I attach a few pix.
It will be a warranty job and I feel lucky that I was moving so slowly!
Not too sure but think it's a rare event for a caliper casting to simply break off at the pins that it floats on. I really hope so.
Other wise it has been a tough little machine. Useless compass of course and the gear change indicator has already broken.
I wish the petrol tank was just a bit bigger.Attachment 23233

Attachment 23234

Bybre are the Brembo group's cheaper brand if I remember correctly.

Hopefully, when they drop the 650 twin engine in they will also drop on a 22 litre tank to give a good range.

My Himalayan Experience So Far
 

I bought the bike , a 2018 BS4 UK model about 16 months old with 2,300 miles on the clock on 1st of August this year with the intention of using it on an extended RTW trip during which I intend to keep it as standard as possible and to run it as cheaply as possible.

I will be doing all my own servicing and repairs (except welding etc.) and apart from consumables (oil, filters, chain, brake pads etc.) I only intend to replace parts as they fail or wear out.

So far this it what I have done to and found out about the bike.

I examined the head bearings at about 3,000 miles and found them to be in need of cleaning and re-greasing. Fitted a Scotoiler to help maximise chain life and checked the valve clearances but no adjustment was needed.

Rode the bike to Spain and at about 5,300 miles I took apart and re-greased the rear suspension and swinging arm bushes. Rode the bike from Spain to Poland where I am currently, and I have now done 7,700 and have had no issues with suspension.

I changed the oil and filter at 3,000 miles and the oil again at 5,300. I am using 20W50 instead of the recommended 15W50 which is extremely hard to find on the road.

I intend to change the oil as close to every 3,000 miles as possible and the filter as close to every 6,000 miles as possible.

Fuel consumption is always about 80mpg but crossing the Alps on slow winding climbs it rose to over 97 mpg on one tankfull.

On one day circumstances forced me to ride for over 500 miles on Spanish motorways, it sat easily at 70-75 mph fully loaded all day but sounded more comfortable at 65 mph.

Fully loaded the bike struggles on long uphill climbs and sometimes requires a change down to 4th gear but on the tight Alpine passes this was never a problem.

I am 5'10" (179cm) and 13st (85kg) and standard the riding position if fine for me. The only thing that I don't like is the soft seat, especially if you need to do more than 300 miles per day.

Another thing that i found surprising was the rear tyre life. The standard Pirelli MT is looking quite squared and tread depth in the middle is now close to the wear indicators.

I find this quite shocking for a bike that only delivers 24 BHP. My previous bike, a ZZR1200 with 165 BHP could get 7,000 on a rear before it reached this stage.

The only other problem that I have is a slight weep from the rocker cover gasket that only started after 7,000 miles.

As far as i am concerned, to date, I am happy with the bike and i think that it will perform the task that i have chosen it to do, however, time will tell me if i was correct or otherwise.

I forgot to mention that when I did the head bearings I removed the entire EVAP system and connected my Scotoiler to the now redundant vacuum take off on the throttle body.

Oh and I know that this makes me sound like a Luddite but no GPS for me, I actually like using paper maps.

time ot go
 

hi guys
Next ride will be towards Almaty with 2 himmies . Why ?
I had tested it to Bulgaria, tracks ( easy) included.
Few things to change
A Lot of serious riders on iti already ; example : Noraly back from India , traveller all across Middle Africa, lots in USA.
Personal matters : the first bike in 39 years feeling my former Xt with a better suspension , starter and simple . Parts in Asia, including Russia

very cheap for the concern
Not as glamour than the T7, not as good offraod than the 790 , worthy than 250' and heavier for sure , lot of steal spares easy to fis : pedals for example .
Made for rough conditions
i call it ;25 GS :oops2:

It boggles my mind that, after 10 years of hydraulic valves on the Bullet, they reverted to adjustable valves with short intervals. Who wants to be constantly checking valve clearances on a RTW journey?

Didn't know Bullets has hydraulic tappets (not even sure what it means ;-) but as the miles roll on I've heard RTW Him riders can typically leave checks to 10,000km which is not so bad. Oil change maybe more frequently.

Prep
 

Hi guys
Planning the very route now , maybe Russia First .
for various reasons .
E07 tyres, new chain /sprockets Xring ; 13000 on the clock :funmeteryes:
20000 km ride

Plus from my experiences

* Very easy to repair and maintain. (Simple tools and basic skills)
* Robust. => Can handle a lot without severe damage

/I have been riding Himalayan in Nepal.
Early model, before introduced in EU.
The only problem was charging system.
But generator replaced in the parking lot outside the hotel

It did was a very good bike for that type of ride. Slow riding on bad roads.
No highways, no Enduro style riding. Just driving gravel roads that were really bad at some times. I should not chose another bike for that type of riding.

I am almost 100% sure that the bullet has non hydraulic tappers and yes they will need adjustment occasionally. Not an issue.


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The only feedback I've heard about the Himalayan in India was that it is a piece of crap bike not worth sinking your money into... but I'm not sure that the people who said this to me were riding it properly (Indians tend to ride a bit hard on their Enfields from what I've seen).

Considering that it is no GS, and that it's a nice offroad bike, it's probably worth the investment as there are not many other options within that budget in Asia.

Itchy Boots seems very keen on her Himalayan and has ridden it from India to the Netherlands and the UK - on and off road and in all weathers. She is now in South America on it and travelling down to Ushuaia and from there back up to Prudoe Bay.

Here are some links:

https://www.itchyboots.com/

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...FRrL6BiVpKC3-e

Yes, there have been some issues but given the route she has taken it isn't unexpected that there would be some issues - regardless of the bike.

The first model of the Himalayan, the carburated BS3 certainly had some issues. But it seems most of them have been ironed out on the EFI BS4 models. And now the BS6 model is out, hopefully improved and better.

I wouldnt expect it to be reliable as a Honda but for the pricetag it seems not a bad bike at all....

The EFI Bullet is hydraulic, so no adjustment required. Gives you time to play with the TPS :thumbdown: :rofl:

Andy

I was going to try and arrange a test ride this weel on the Himalayan but it appears that I shall not be doing so as the only shops open are supermarkets / food and pharmacies. I wonder if motorcycling can be considered a drug so that I can still try one to get me my daily fix?

I got back from my trip to Argentina and Chile just in time, at the beginning of March. After just over 10 000 km, with more than 2000km on dirt, I wrote a review of the Himalayan (and equipment I used, most of which was cheap). If anyone is interested, here's a link.

https://www.jetlagjon.com/review-of-...himalayan-bs4/

Spoiler: I really liked the bikehttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...b55e61f712.jpg

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Great review Jon. Looks like you got out there.
Like you say, just a bit more speed and it would be ideal – more for easier overtaking than faster cruising.
Mine was one of the most enjoyable bikes I've had in years, especially on the trails.
Never noticed the cylinder head bolts, only the head bearings went prematurely.

Just noticed it's smashed up and on eBay - currently at 1300 quid.
What a sad end to a great machine and the cover bike of AMH8 ;-D

good and nice review Jon.
How I understand you , Chris mate :D
I do not even know if i am going to buy a nice T7 - even If I had been waiting for 4 years !
Maybe keeping himmie also ?
Our ride to Almaty will be next year
Hopefully back in Morocco in autumn .
We had chosen to load on the crash bars and the front ( as a famous rider at the same time )
take care guys

Interesting review, Jon, but the RR is even better :thumbup1: Great pics!


PS: I did parts of that on a push-bike, but that was years ago. Nowadays I'd also prefer the m/c :innocent:

My Himalayan Experience So Far - Update
 

I posted originally in October 2019 and at that time the bike had covered about 8,000 miles. The bike now has 19,000 on the clock and here is a small update to my first post.

I replaced the Pirelli MT60 tyres with Mitas E07's at 10,000 miles. The MT60 rear was bald at that mileage. The E07 rear has don9,000 and there is still a lot of tread left although squaring off now.

I changed the brake fluid at 10,000 miles (2 years old) and this made a big difference to the braking. much better.

I also replaced the standard seat with a RE Touring version, very hard, almost as bad as sitting on the very soft original.

I replaced the spark plug with an iridium one, NGK CR8EIX, at about 12,000 miles and I noticed a slight increase in power, the bike can now sustain long gradients without dropping down a gear.

At, 16,000 I eventually gave up the ghost with the OEM drive chain. Water had gotten inside the o-ring seals causing corrosion, which in turn was causing tight spots etc. Not wanting a catastrophic chain failure, I replaced the 520 with a DID 525. I put the replacement chain on to the original sprockets as I could not get 525 width replacements. Seems fine.

The bike developed a small oil weep from the rocker cover, new gasket paste solved that issue. Apart from that no other issues.

The bike has been ridden on all types of roads and surfaces, Motorways, fast A class roads, back roads, dirt tracks, very poorly maintained roads with lots of repair patches, potholes, lumps, bumps, fully laden at all times and no problems for the suspension.

Overall, the bike has performed better than I thought it might.

Value for money? Absolutely no question.

Economical? Again, absolutely no question.

Robust? Absolutely.

Reliable? Absolutely (never failed to start and never broken down)

Powerful? No

Comfortable? Sometimes

Overall it does what it says on the label. Goes anywhere cheaply and reliably as long as you do not want to go there quicker thant 70mph (110 kph)

Feedback
 

The difference is that I have been riding on around Nepal.
And you have hear about some feedback.

This is a quick update on my experience with my Himalayan.

The bike has now done 25,000 miles (40,000 km)

Despite taking it off road and dropping it a couple of times on the dirt it sustained no major damage, just the usual cracked indicator stems. A bit of black insulating tape sorted those out. Other than that no problems.

Nothing has fallen off, it has still never failed to star nor broken downt, and apart from a vacuum chain oilier it is bog standard.

Still not had to adjust the clutch.

Great to hear positive feedback.

I almost bought one for my wife, but ended up with the Vstrom 250. Just suited us a little better.

Have fun.

Put the 650 engine from the interceptor in it and I'll b first in the queue.

Why stop at 650cc? Go straight to the 1250 flat twin with CANbus'd ashtray!

You make it heavier, you lose the advantage.

Andy

I get that , but it would open the bike up to a larger audience. Also some of us have to use a motorway occasionally.......heresy I know . The interceptor sells like hot cakes , a 650 version of the Himalayan would too imho . Its going to be a commercial decision......given the japs/ Italians arent really interested in that market....

Over landing or what ever u call it is a small niche market and bike manufacturers ain't interested. As for the Gs , well it's the range rover of the bike world fully kitted up with cases , crash protection etc etc.....
Looks good , most never go further off road then a car park. A very clever bit of marketing by our German friends . Most of us will buy what we can afford and then modify it to some degree so as to make what ever trips we make easier .
If you disagree feel free to visit the showroom I work at , I'll give u a tour of what sells.....on pcp of course and then u can make ur own mind up

Hi Chris

It would be interesting to see what sells indeed. I’m not in the trade but I know that showrooms only sell newer, low mileage bikes and cars.

Both my wife and I ride GSs and between us we know a few GS riders both male and female, in this country and abroad, mainly through riding rather than the Internet. We are of an age where adventure bikes are much easier on our bones.

The GS was the 5th largest selling motorcycle in the UK in 2019 and I appreciate that some of them are not ridden that far and sold on in showrooms (there’s 2 in our garage :)) but it would be interesting to see the numbers. I say this because I’ve never met this mythical beast known as ‘The Starbucks GS Rider”.

Everyone I know that owns a GS uses them for intercontinental touring including light off-road at the very least. Some have business’ or families so don’t have the time to ride on a regular basis but they still have a yearly adventure with a few mates even if it’s just to do the Stella.

I’ve never met anyone, not anyone, who believes the videos of some world champion enduro rider riding a GS (or even a T7) has any relationship to them. I know some amazing riders who take their GSs on green lanes I struggle with on my 250 and even they realise it’s only realistic for professionals.

I may be living in a bubble and a bit naive but I suspect the numbers would not tell the whole truth either.
I bought my current standard GS from a BMW dealership. It was 4 years old and had 18K miles on the clock with all Adventure spec accessories.
The previous owner (who I spoke to) bought a brand new bike every 4 years and went on a 3/4K mile trip every summer then for the rest of the year just rode it when he had time - which wasn’t often. My bike had been to Morocco (which was serendipity because that’s where I took it 2 months later) among other interesting places. He assured me he’d never ridden it to Starbucks.

Of course we have other friends and riding buddies who ride other makes of Adventure bikes and there all pretty much the same - maybe it’s just a case of ‘birds of a feather, flock together’.
:mchappy::mchappy:bier

I suppose it boils down to how you define "overlanding". As for me travelling all over Europe I don't consider as overlanding. And I must say that when doing long trips in Europe I prefer my big GS, whereas when riding outside Europe the 1150 is too heavy, esp. with luggage. Then I favour my fairly light 650 twin. When it comes to off-road, which is more frequent on other continents, I can still enjoy the trip instead of batteling with the heavy beast :thumbup1:

Hi flip flop....
Think you need to go to Germany to find the Starbucks gs theres blinking loads of them.....mobile touratech catalogues. As an xtz1200 rider I absolutely get the easier on the back bit.....mines a comfy mobile sofa and it suits me down to the ground . Sounds like you and ur friends are a pretty rare breed , as there arent many riders who take their bikes off road , if our customer base is anything to go by.....certainly not on a multistrada !! I got mine muddy and workshops thought I'd lost it lol
BMW do pretty well selling the dream , looks like Ducati have caught on as the new mutley is ordered and specd at the factory .
What doesnt sell.....sportsbikes , Suzuki's, Fireblades etc , 600 cc race reps . What does sell is Ktm , Ducati and Yamaha........
I ride a tenere cos they dont go wrong.......simple as that , they dont look attractive and arent electronically overspeced but I know it will start on the button, bit like the fi blackbirds . Ride what you like and what suits you , fortunately we are all different but we all love two wheels says an ex benelli :funmeteryes:owner

As an afterthought our ex Honda salesman , who was their top seller in the UK once told me that if we were all honest the Nc750x is all the bike we ever would need . This was supported by our Kawasaki salesman who rode supersport competitively.....he reckoned he could take the Nc on a number of tracks and Do most of the competition !! Food for thought........owners love them and imho it's more of an adventure bike then my xtz .

Chris that is the perfect analogy for the GS. They are the Range Rover of the bike world.

Expensive.
Large.
Capable of their role.
A RR in the right hands is a formidable off road weapon, as is the GS.

But like the RR, the GS is at home doing big miles on formed roads in supreme comfort - two up, with luggage. There is virtually nothing that matches it for this role.

I said this before - the GS is a VFR1200 for the dirt. But the RR analogy is also perfect.

If the brief is as above, by a GS. If its not, buy something else. Correct tool for the job.

My next ADV bike will probably be the Honda X-ADV 750 to suit my current needs, and damaged body LOL...

:cool4: Absolutely. And not a speck of dirt :biggrin::biggrin:

The German thing is interesting but, sorry chaps, I’m still not convinced.

If you come to one of the GS meetings I go to you will see lots of immaculate GSs with touratech parts and it’s easy to make assumptions. But when you talk to the riders 90% are adventure riders i.e. long distance with some off-road thrown in. I’m not talking over landing here but Morocco, Nordkapp, Turkey etc. A few also do the fly/hire thing to SE Asia etc...
I’m not a great bike washer but plenty are and keep their bikes immaculate - doesn’t mean they don’t use them.
In fact one good friend took his brand new KTM 1290s on a winter green lane weekend in the Peak District. I lead the ride he took, he did everything and only crashed in the snow once - cost him £200 quid to fix the bike when he got home, he loved it.
The Southern Alps in mid September is full of German bikers, lots of them on, real money, classic bikes. Sure they stop and pose at the cafes but when they’re riding they go for it - not as much as the Italians though doh

I am not brand loyal but I love the look, feel and low centre of gravity that the boxer engine gives the GS. The Tenere and large KTMs I’ve ridden felt top heavy compared to a GS on the piste trails we do. Both GSs I’ve owned over the last 23 years have been very reliable. I’m hoping to ride the Americas and will consider a T7 - I thought is was brilliant on my, road only, test ride

As I’ve said, all this is just my experience and perhaps I just look through rose tinted glasses or maybe my subconscious recognises and draws me to like minded people.

Oh dear I appear to have gone off topic - a Covid lockdown will do that.

P.S My wife rode a Himalayan in the Himalayas - great bike. Like the GS it’s a heavy bike with a low centre of gravity. I also think a 650 twin will make it too heavy. To make it work they might have to make changes that would decrease the robustness, thus ruining the whole ethos of the bike.

bier

Flip flop
Enjoy what ever you ride and that's all that counts :funmeteryes:
My boss did a double take when I said I quite fancied a kymco 550...........you arent parking that outside was his response .
We dont sell BMW....however our head salesman rated his and could understand why people buy them . Personally I cant stand them but I really like the benelli tornado and the pulsar 180......so what do i know lol :innocent:

Slightly off topic....Fortunately I work in the clothing dept......but obviously we get to see and hear about what goes thru the workshops , some of it would put u off bikes for life .....
If u think I'm opinionated about certain makes of bikes then dont ask me for advise on what clothing or helmet to wear......
Honest but brutal comes to mind .Mind u cant be that bad as have alot of repeat customers who won t go anywhere else .

‘Honest but brutal in a caring way’ is how my wife describes me doh

I don’t even vaguely dislike any motorcycle. Yes it’s strange how some vehicles can go disastrously wrong - I have always been lucky. I had a Honda XLV 750 (import) once for about 2 years which had some kind of intermittent fault, no mechanic could fix it. Still I had a couple of good trips on it but had to sell in the end as it was my only transport and too unreliable - apart from that :mchappy:

Next time I’m visiting friends in Reigate I’ll pop in for some discounted clothing :thumbup1:bier
I really must clean the house now doh
Cheers for now

You will be more then welcome bier

:clap:

We are a stones throw from Gatwick.....not wishing g to advertise obviously :innocent: Click and collect at the mo .....:helpsmilie:

The chinese has copied the Himalayan. (Wonder if Royal Enfield takes this as a compliment or an insult...?)

https://www.zigwheels.com/news-featu...q2iYfWMQ-lEft0

Definate compliment IMHO but a bit of a PITA for them highlighting missing features. Good for buyers though.

Personally my building interest in Chinese bikes has been squashed by things like Fortnine's build cleanliness test, the fact every 3 year old bike I see is a mess, their endless ducking and diving with brand names and the political stuff that convinces me I might be buying from a less than ethical source*.

*I know my Honda includes Chinese content and that this is unavoidable, but I hope the established companies act in a better way, if only so they don't get caught.

Andy

Remember BMW, sporting a solid (and popular) Rotax engine in their 800cc bikes. Now they changed to 850cc engines produced in Loncin, China.



Funny enough they still call themselves "BMW" which means "Bavarian Motor Works" ?c?

The Rotax engine was assembled in Austria or wherever but the castings will have been a Turkish or Chinese supplier.

The Loncin factory will have some oversight by BMW employees but use the same group of suppliers for castings, chips etc.

The Han-Wei factory will have entirely Chinese oversight and the same suppliers.

A Chinese casting supplier will work to entirely different standards to a European one which has works councils or a US one where employees can simply quit.

There is thus a scale from plants in Germany to work camps in North Korea.

BMW don't want to be the target of poor publicity so will typically drive some of the European standards down their supply chain. I work for a large automotive company and be under no illusions the Indians and Chinese don't get 6 weeks paid holiday, paternity days and beer on the canteen table at Oktoberfest, but they'll tell you the European corporations treat them better than the worst of the local companies.

If any of these companies set up a forge in Munich however they would go bust trying to meet emissions and safety standards. The world draws a line at how much it is prepared to pay for these niceties but we can choose to avoid the worst of them.

Andy

I hold this guy's opinions in high regard as most of what he has to convey resonates with the type of rider that I am. I can 5herefore highly recommend this review of the Himalayan https://youtu.be/qcJ3TZhnbTQ

That bike he rode there was the very first carburated edition of the Himalayan, the BS3 model only sold in India and never exported out of India. And it sure had its problems that later mostly have been ironed out. And since a foreigner cannot even buy and register a bike in India - it will be impossible to buy this edition of the Hima for any other than Indian citizens and thus also its meaningless to post a review of a bike edition than cannot be purchased for all of us except indians.

We can watch Itchy Boots two first series and get a realistic and decent impression of the Himalayan. We can also watch an american rider who owns a ton of Harley Davidsons but still loves his Himalayan with its imperfections: https://youtu.be/bsu8OrvejaY

Another american that has bought a Himalayan: https://youtu.be/XM3DmaIz0fU

And a guy living in Alaska who have bought and made a very thorough review of the Hima: https://youtu.be/awf9q0E-j0M

I do get that, but much of this second part of this two wider review (first being on quality) is still relevant. In particular the ergonomics. I know some of this is being picky.

Royal Enfield Himalayan
 

Time will tell.

I am convinced that this excellent bike will be very common.
It is ecellent for what it is built for.
And gives very good value for the money.


https://photos.app.goo.gl/U9KAzH2MfLM58TBG9

https://photos.app.goo.gl/dp3pyWXi2pMSM4Rn9

Let us be fair and look at the model history and the market where RE is coming from. Compare this with the critic from the guy of your link. He is right in many things from a western view of modern bikes but he still forgets for whom the hima was built for.

It´s a bike with a very low price and brings a simple, reliable technic with it. Parts, Service and fuel costs are also cheap. Exactly what the indian market wants and for what is was contructed and designed for.

Look at Noraly from Itchey Boots and her trip. She used the 2019 indian model and got it changed later by Endfield Netherland into a european model because she had no chance to register and use it legal in the EU. She put her luggage in the paniniers, mounted a gps/mobile and off she the went. If I remember correctly the paid not more than 2500€.

Keep that in mind and than think of Ted Simon`s 500 cc Triumph Tiger, Sam Manicom`s BMW or of Gareth Jones who took 1951 Harley Panhead with no rear suspension trough Afrika. And think about ergonomics, technic and the price of a Hima as an adv bike.

I rode the hima from a friend last year for 6 weeks when he was suffering from C19. Riding this bike remembered me spontaneous to my 1303 VW from 1972 which I still keep as a summer vehicle. Solid Technic, still cheap in parts and equipped with brakes that force you to drive in an anticipatory way because otherwise you will bump into every car with ABS.

The hima isn`t up to date in a lot of things from a western view but it is honest bike. You get what you pay for and by the cheap price you must accept some quality issues which belong to the characteristic of a foreign market. The design isn`t modern but not ugly and for sure it´s ergonomics are not proportioned for a hard dirt road ride but it works funktional erverywhere in the world. If you want up to date quality, modern design/technic and well fitting ergonomics you need to spent much more to get it as a new bike.

By a new or used hima, equip it with bags or paniers and update the seat, install a fuel filter and a fuel pump protection, convert the front to led, cut of the stupid switch for the stand and if you need buy a 20L tank for form india to get a range of 700km. Costs peanuts compared to other bikes and you don`t need much more to start your trip.

Especially the point about how cheap and economical the Hima is compared to other models is worth noticing.

As our other member Ashford mentiones in the thread «Honda XRE or Royal Enfield Himalayan for riding south America» - The Himalayan is 20 % cheaper than the XRE300 in Colombia. That really illustrates the point, that a 411 cc bike with much more standard equipement produced in India is cheaper than a 300 cc bike produced in south America - in south America.