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Royal Enfield pulled out all the stops when it introduced the all-new Himalayan 450, and rightfully so. The small-bore adventurer underwent a full makeover. A liquid-cooled single, stressed-member frame, Showa USD fork, and round TFT dash were among the highlights. The only detail RE held close to its chest was the price tag. Well, in North America, anyway.
One month removed from the Himmy’s October 2023 debut, Royal Enfield announced the model’s U.K. and European pricing (starting at £5,750 and €5,900, respectively). Armed with that knowledge, we Yankees we left to speculate the U.S. pricing all we wanted. Either way, Royal Enfield was in no rush to reveal it. Nearly eight months later, the Indian marque finally played its hand, announcing the Himalayan 450’s $5,799 starting price on Tuesday.
How does it compare to the competition?
The renewed Himalayan enters an increasingly crowded small-capacity market. Since Enfield unveiled the model, CFMOTO released the Ibex 450, a Chinese-made ADV aimed at both novice and experienced riders, with enough approachability to serve the former and enough performance to satisfy the latter. At least its 44-horsepower parallel twin, fully adjustable KYB suspension, and five-inch TFT display suggest as much. So does its $6,499 price tag.
That’s $700 over the Himalayan’s MSRP. Of course, the Ibex leans further toward off-road capability (on paper, at least). Whether or not that’s worth the markup will come down to the individual buyer's preference. Another way to put the Himmy’s new price tag into perspective is to compare it to less expensive rivals. The BMW G 310 GS and Triumph Scrambler 400X are two such examples.
With a 313 cc thumper and cast wheels (19-inch front and 17-inch rear), the 310 GS certainly makes concessions in the performance department. But what it gives up in off-road prowess, it gains in affordability. We’re talking $5,695 for the base model. Still, that's a mere $104 less than the Himalayan.
The Scrambler 400X takes things a step further. Its $5,595 starting price is the lowest on this list, but so is its suspension travel, at 5.91 inches fore and aft. As opposed to the Ibex and baby GS, the 400X doesn’t fall squarely in the entry-level ADV segment, but neither does the Himalayan. Both favor retro styling. The Enfield just aspires to tackle the trail. All for just $204 more.
Now, if dirt dominance is your purchasing metric, it’s impossible not to cross-shop the KTM 390 Adventure. At $7,599, it’s the most expensive option in the category, by far. A 43-horsepower engine, WP suspension, advanced rider aids (cornering ABS, off-road mode, traction control, etc.), and KTM’s off-road pedigree seemingly justify the cost.
At the end of the day, the Himalayan is the middle child in the small-ADV ranks, both in capability and price. That’s not a bad position to be in, especially coming from the Himalayan’s humble beginnings.
How does it compare to its ancestor?
What’s most surprising about the Himalayan’s new going rate is just how close it is to the outgoing model’s. In 2023, the 411 cc Himalayan cost $5,499. It featured an air-cooled, SOHC engine and a five-speed transmission. Its suspension was comfortable but undersprung. Its tech was nearly nil.
That all changed with the Himalayan 450. The new Sherpa 450 single earned dual overhead cams and liquid cooling. The chassis benefitted from a thorough rework. A full-color dash touted Bluetooth connectivity and Tripper navigation integration. All that for a $300 markup. Maybe the U.S. pricing was worth the wait after all.
| 2024 Royal Enfield Himalayan | |
|---|---|
| Price (MSRP) | $5,799 (base model) |
| Engine | 452 cc, liquid-cooled, four-valve, single |
|
Transmission, final drive |
Six-speed, chain |
| Claimed horsepower | 40 @ 8,000 rpm |
| Claimed torque | 29.5 foot-pounds @ 5,500 rpm |
| Frame | Steel tubular twin-spar |
| Front suspension | Showa 43 mm fork, non-adjustable; 7.9 inches of travel |
| Rear suspension | Showa shock, adjustable for spring preload; 7.9 inches of travel |
| Front brake | Single ByBre two-piston caliper, 320 mm disc with ABS |
| Rear brake | ByBre single-piston caliper, 270 mm disc with switchable ABS |
| Rake, trail | 26.5 degrees, 5.0 inches |
| Wheelbase | 59.4 inches |
| Seat height | 32.5/33.3 inches |
| Fuel capacity | 4.5 gallons |
| Tires | CEAT GRIPP RE F/Rad Steel RE, 90/90-21 front, 140/80-R17 rear |
| Claimed weight | 432 pounds |
| Available | August 2024 |
| Warranty | 24 months |
| More info | royalenfield.com |
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