Royal Enfield Himalayan unveiled in India

Motorcycle manufacturer Royal Enfield on Tuesday (February 02) unveiled its all-terrain bike Himalayan to cater to the growing offroad segment. “So, the idea was to build a model which can play a variety of roles, including off-road”, said Siddhartha Lal, MD and CEO. The engine has also been fitted with a counter balancer to reduce vibrations, which should make the Himalayan, the smoothest and the most refined Royal Enfield yet. The Chennai-based two-wheeler maker said sales of models with engine capacity up to 350cc stood at 44,234 units last month as against 25,799 units in January, 2015, a jump of 71 per cent. Sales of models with engine capacity exceeding 350cc stood at 3,476 units last month, up 11 per cent from 3,128 units in the year-ago period. The engine is mated to a 5-speed gearbox that drives the rear wheel.

The new bike gets 300mm front discs, 240mm for rear disc break, 21 inch alloys and 220mm ground clearance. The company would also sell accessories to go with the “go anywhere” bike.

The new motorcycle is classified as an adventure tourer and has been built on an entirely new engine platform.

With the new bike, the company hopes to make adventure touring more accessible for aspirational Indian riders. The products would be in the range of 250 cc and 750 cc, it added.

When asked about upgrading engines to BS 1V and BS VI levels, Lal said: “We have the technology and we can be ready whenever it is required”.

Having established its business firmly in the domestic market, the company is now eying major markets across the world to sustain its growth momentum.

The story of Royal Enfield is nothing short of a fairy tale. The monoshock suspension at the rear is a first for Royal Enfield and a must for this nature of motorcycle which has to tackle hard terrain.