Royal Enfield rolls into 2022 with an updated version of its globetrotting Himalayan. New electronics and fresh paint choices join with the same thumper engine that powered its predecessors. The factory maintains the “go-anywhere” design that delivers a bona fide dual-surface ride.
The Himalayan relies on an air-cooled thumper for power. This is one of the engines designed in-house by Royal Enfield, so it’s not one of the designs inherited from its British beginnings.
It’s a long-stroke engine with a 78 mm bore and 86 mm stroke for a 411 cc displacement and a mild, 9.5-to-1 compression ratio that will tolerate cheap gas. The Himalayan 411 produces 24.3 horsepower and 23.6 pound-feet of torque. That doesn’t seem like much for an adventure-tourer, but at this price point, you’re not going to get the same performance as you would in more expensive bikes.
A single over-head cam times the poppets and keeps the top end light and uncomplicated. The clutch is a standard design without a slipper feature, and it sends power through a five-speed, constant-mesh transmission with a tough, chain-type final drive.
This is the same drivetrain used on the Scram 411, so the 80 mph top speed from that model should be just about right across the board. Electronic fuel injection meters the hydrocarbons, but that’s the only electronic engine-control feature on the bike.
Form follows function, so the Himalayan is all business in its adventure layout. This model carries not one or the other but both a fork-mount, close-fit fender, and a tripletree-mount mudguard. I doubt this was necessary for function, so it lands in the aesthetics category.
A cyclops headlight splits the night and mounts the blinkers high out of harm’s way. Up top, a rally-style windshield offers the pilot some protection, just not very much, and isn’t sufficient to keep you dry.
The glass may not protect the rider, but it does protect the instrument cluster. The cluster combines analog gauges with LCD displays and the Royal Enfield navigation assist we first saw on the Meteor. That’s right, it connects through your smartphone to give you turn-by-turn guidance over hill and dale, which is surprisingly advanced for such an essential machine.
A tubular guard protects the fuel tank. The factory slapped on a bash plate down low to protect the engine cases and frame members.
The tank carries 4 gallons and comes shaped to support body English techniques. This allows for a standing rider position for technical off-road work.
A pillion pad and flip-up footpegs join a beefy J.C. rail to complete the passenger’s amenities. The taillight rides high in the tip of the tail, while the blinkers and plate mount to the mudguard assembly for a clean, off-road look.
Tubular members on the Himalayan make up the half-duplex split-cradle frame, as well as the kicked-up subframe, and tank-guard elements. Details such as the bellow fork gaiters and stock handguards speak to its off-road chops.
Laced wheels on the Himalayan are always preferred once the blacktop turns to brown. It’s the same with the 21-inch front rim preferred for rough terrain, ahead of a 17-inch wheel.
The rubber comes in a dual-surface tread for both urban and country riding, though it seems to have an off-road bias, and is certain to have good performance when riding on loose materials.
Right-way-up, 41 mm forks float the front end on 200 mm (7.87 inches) of suspension travel ahead of a rear monoshock that provides for 180 mm (7.08 inches) of travel. This is plenty for moderate terrain, but a little shy of enough for heavy-duty work.
A twin-piston caliper bites the 300 mm front disc with a 240 mm disc and single-pot anchor out back. Here we find some welcome technology. The switchable ABS lets you set both ends to “On”, turn the rear wheel “Off” so it will lock up and slide, or turn the whole thing off altogether for some flexibility and control.
The 2022 Royal Enfield Himalayan costs $5,299. All of the colorways are the same price. You can choose between Mirage Silver, Granite Black, Rock Red, or Lake Blue with ample blackout treatment across the board.
Royal Enfield pits itself against the Big Four with this build, so I think it’s fair to compare it to the same. To that end, I grabbed the DR-Z400S dual-sport from Suzuki.
Right out of the gate, the Suzuki presents a trimmer build with only a single front fender/mudguard, and up top, the flyscreen is almost vestigial. No handguards either, so there’s that, too.
Suzuki powers its entry with a liquid-cooled thumper. It generates 39 ponies and 29 pounds o’ grunt against 24.3/23.6 for a clear advantage over the RE ride.
Wheel size is comparable with both bikes leading off with a great big 21-inch hoop. Again Suzuki steps up with adjustable suspension dampers front and rear for another little victory.
The 11.3-inch front-fork travel and 11.6-inch rear shock travel handle rougher terrain than the Himalayan will tolerate. However, the DR-Z400S shuns ABS altogether, so credit to Royal Enfield for going the extra mile.
With all of these advantages, it should come as no surprise that Suzuki hands Royal Enfield its biggest win at the checkout with its $7,099 starting MSRP. That leaves $1,800 on the table, a significant amount at this price point.
“Credit where it’s due, Royal Enfield is trying to get the most out of its 411, and this is a great use for it. ABS makes it safer than the average bear, and of course, the price is nice. On the downside, this engine isn’t very old, so we don’t know what is going to wear out/break first.”
My wife and fellow motorcycle rider, Allyn Hinton, says, “I wanted to like this bike, but I just can’t. Fit and finish are poor at best. The bike has problems with lackadaisical performance, cracking frames, and tire punctures. There’s a reason why this is the lowest-priced adventure bike on the market.”
“That said, it is the lowest-priced adventure bike on the market. If you just want a plaything to mess around with and you don’t care if you break it, this might be what you’re looking for. Just be aware that as a commuter, heading up the Interstate is a nerve-wracking adventure since the bike really struggles to maintain 70 mph.”
“For a head-to-head, I might have gone with the KTM 390 Adventure. However, the Himalayan is so far out of the league of real adventure bikes, it would be embarrassing. So yeah, putting it head-to-head with a dual-sport is appropriate.”
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2023 Royal Enfield Scram 411 – Performance, Price, and Photos
2016 – 2022 Suzuki DR-Z400S / DR-Z400SM – Performance, Price, and Photos
Royal Enfield Scram 411 Is A Stripped Back Himalayan