Discussions and Questions Royal Enfield - Page 43
Is the Himalayan 450 an adventure bike still, or has it turned into a road tourer?
09 January 2025 10:50
What the Himalayan should have been from the get go is the 450. With the power and features it has the potential to be an all rounder. It's a little more road, but that's where most people ride. You might just need to be a little bit more skilled to push its limits, but it can still handle serious off road stuff.
Is the Himalayan 450 worth its price bump over the previous model with new features and performance?
09 January 2025 10:50
I believe RE has priced the 450 too high. The Himalayan may have more features and power, but part of the point of the Himalayan was it was affordable. But now it's up against bikes from more established adventure bike makers, and I'm not sure it measures up at that price.
Is the Himalayan 450 worth its price bump over the previous model with new features and performance?
09 January 2025 10:50
In my opinion the price increase is totally justified. The 450 is an absolute massive upgrade in every way: engine, chassis, electronics, build quality and so on. It's still a heck of a lot cheaper than most 'proper' adventure bikes and offers similar capabilities. You get a lot of bike for the money.
Is the Himalayan 450 worth its price bump over the previous model with new features and performance?
09 January 2025 10:50
I have both and I’d say the 450 is worth the extra money if you have it. It's just a more refined capable machine. In real world riding the improved engine and suspension make a huge difference by themselves. And with the better components, it’ll probably hold its value better too.
Is the Himalayan 450 worth its price bump over the previous model with new features and performance?
09 January 2025 10:50
I'm torn on this. The 450 is definitely a better bike, but it’s lost some of the Himalayan’s charm. The 411 was about affordable adventure, the 450 is going after a different market. It’s not the budget friendly option that the original was, but it’s still good value.
Is the Himalayan 450 worth its price bump over the previous model with new features and performance?
09 January 2025 10:50
But you have to think about what you get for that price hike. It’s not a bumped up 411, it’s an entirely new bike. Feature for feature, it's still a bargain when you compare it to other adventure bikes. I think RE had to raise the price to make all these improvements and I think they've hit a good balance.
Is the Himalayan 450 truly an upgrade over 411 or just a different bike?
09 January 2025 10:50
It's certainly not a direct upgrade, it's definitely a different bike. The 450 is a lot more road biased and feels like RE's attempt to take on bikes such as the KTM 390 Adventure. It's more powerful and has better tech, sure, but it's lost some of that simple, go anywhere spirit of the 411.
Is the Himalayan 450 truly an upgrade over 411 or just a different bike?
09 January 2025 10:50
In most ways I'd say it's an upgrade. The 450 answers a lot of the complaints people had about the 411 - more power, better brakes, and better build quality. It is a little heavier, but that extra grunt makes up for it. This is still a capable off road vehicle, it’s just more versatile for longer highway rides.
Is the Himalayan 450 truly an upgrade over 411 or just a different bike?
09 January 2025 10:50
I rode both and I would not call it an upgrade. It’s its own thing, more of a sport tourer with some off road chops. He was a true dual sport that could do it all. But the 450 is also more refined, and more complicated. It's not better, just different.
Is the Himalayan 450 truly an upgrade over 411 or just a different bike?
09 January 2025 10:50
I don't see it as a direct upgrade, I see it as an evolution. When RE realized that most Himalayan owners were using them more for touring than hardcore off-roading, they tuned the 450 to be better at that. It's still got OK off road capability but is much more comfortable and capable on long highway stretches.
Is the Himalayan 450 truly an upgrade over 411 or just a different bike?
09 January 2025 10:50
It is an upgrade in performance and features and a downgrade in simplicity and ease of maintenance. The 411 was a bulletproof and easy to fix anywhere. Working on the 450 with its liquid cooling and electronics in the middle of nowhere is going to be trickier. It's a trade-off.
The new 450 has Royal Enfield 'abandoned the spirit of the original Himalayan' though?
09 January 2025 10:44
Not at all. This is a natural evolution to the 450. It's the spirit of adventure, with needed improvements added. At heart, it’s still a Himalayan.
The new 450 has Royal Enfield 'abandoned the spirit of the original Himalayan' though?
09 January 2025 10:44
Absolutely. It’s just another generic adventure bike now. The 411 are gone, and so is their simplicity and charm.
The new 450 has Royal Enfield 'abandoned the spirit of the original Himalayan' though?
09 January 2025 10:44
It's a tough call. But the 450 is more capable, and lost some of that raw, basic appeal that made the 411 so special.
The new 450 has Royal Enfield 'abandoned the spirit of the original Himalayan' though?
09 January 2025 10:44
To remain competitive Royal Enfield had to evolve the Himalayan. But it's still there in a more modern package.
The new 450 has Royal Enfield 'abandoned the spirit of the original Himalayan' though?
09 January 2025 10:44
They've found a good balance. It’s more refined, but still a proper Himalayan. It's not quite as spartan as the 411, but that's not a bad thing.
The new 450 has Royal Enfield 'abandoned the spirit of the original Himalayan' though?
09 January 2025 10:44
It’s in the rider, not the bike. If you can ride the 450 with the same adventurous mindset, it’s every bit a true Himalayan.
The new 450 has Royal Enfield 'abandoned the spirit of the original Himalayan' though?
09 January 2025 10:44
They've abandoned the original concept, I believe. The 450 is trying too hard to be what it isn’t, something that would compete with more expensive, bigger ADV bikes.
Does the Himalayan 411’s low tech approach have a place in today’s motorcycle market?
09 January 2025 10:44
Absolutely! The biggest selling point of the 411 is its simplicity. Not everyone can, or wants, a computer on wheels.
Does the Himalayan 411’s low tech approach have a place in today’s motorcycle market?
09 January 2025 10:44
It's outdated. Today’s modern safety features and electronics aren’t bells and whistles, they actually make riding safer and more enjoyable.
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