Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 Off-roading By CS Santosh

Royal Enfield is developing two new models in the new 450cc platform- Himalayan 450 and Scram 450 which are expected to be launched this year
Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 Off-roading by CS Santosh
Differences between both bikes
Expected Specs & Launch

Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 Off-roading

Royal Enfield is developing two new models in the new 450cc platform- Himalayan 450 and Scram 450 which are expected to be launched this year

Royal Enfield has its platter full with plenty of models currently under development. This includes motorcycles like new-gen Bullet 350, Classic 650 and Shotgun 650 to name a few. These upcoming bikes are slated to be launched in the coming future. Apart from the models mentioned above, the Chennai-based manufacturer is also developing a more powerful Himalayan. The new adventure tourer will be accompanied by a scrambler iteration as well.

With the Triumph 400 range just unveiled, it was expected of Royal Enfield to make some noise regarding their upcoming Royal Enfield Himalayan 450. And they have done just that, via ace rider CS Santosh’s social media account.

Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 Off-roading

Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 Off-roading by CS Santosh

CS Santosh is among the top off-road and enduro motorcycle racer of India. This is not the first time he has been helping promote Royal Enfield. Back in 2016, he was the rider when the Royal Enfield Himalayan 411 was showing its off-roading skills. At that time, the footpeg had broken in the promo video. No such issues this time around.

As we can see in the video teaser, this is still a test mule – and not a production ready bike. It has likely been shot in Bangalore, where CS Santosh has his Big Rock Dirtpark. Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 is seen being taken through its paces across the dirt track. Take a look at the video below.

Himalayan 450 is underpinned by a new architecture with completely new body panels. As the development process continues, the prototype appears to inch closer to the final production-spec version. Along with Himalayan 450, we will also get Scram 450. Both models share a lot in common apart from the chassis and engine. For instance, both bikes get a similar fuel tank shape along with identical headlights, taillights and turn indicators that are likely to be LED units.

Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 Off-roading

Differences between both bikes

That said, there are a lot of variations in styling between both these bikes. The most prominent of all is a single-piece seat setup in the new Scram 450 as opposed to a split seat setup in its ADV sibling. Further, the latter comes with a luggage rack which is missing in the scrambler. Scram 450 also misses out on a flyscreen upfront which will be a standard offering in Himalayan.

While both bikes offer a tall stance, Himalayan 450 rides slightly higher thanks to a larger front wheel which is likely to be a 21-inch unit. On the other hand, Scram 450 should get a 19-inch front wheel while the rear unit is expected to remain a 17-inch unit for both. This should provide Himalayan the extra edge over its scrambler sibling when it comes to tackling harsh conditions, although both machines will be equally adept while off-roading.

There is a presence of a different bike in the video

Suspension setup on both bikes looks identical although travel offered might be slightly different. Both bikes will benefit from upside-down front forks but the one seen in Scram 450 is covered with gaiters. Another interesting variation is positioning of the instrument console in both motorcycles. While in Scram it is more conventional, in Himalayan the circular cluster is more upright and at your face.

Expected Specs & Launch

The biggest highlight on both bikes will be a brand new heart. Both Himalayan 450 and Scram 450 will be powered by a 450cc single-cylinder, liquid-cooled motor that is expected to dish out around 40 bhp of peak power. Transmission is likely to be via a 6-speed gearbox comprising a slipper and assist clutch. We expected both bikes to make an appearance later this year with an official launch soon after.