Will the Himalayan 450's less expensive price tag and slightly lower feature set cannibalize sales from the Bear 650's more premium features?
The Bear 650 from Royal Enfield represents an interesting dynamic within their product range, especially in conjunction with the Himalayan 450 that was recently launched. Those considering the Himalayan 450 might ask if the Bear 650 offers them more power and some premium features. As such, the positioning of products and market segmentation within Royal Enfield's range is questioned. Others say that the Bear 650 could overshadow the Himalayan 450, and cannibalize its sales if the price difference isn’t big enough. Some think that the two models serve two different types of riders, that the Himalayan 450 is more about off road and the Bear 650 is more about on road with some ability to occasionally go off road. It also debates if Royal Enfield has clearly demarcated these models in the marketing and target audience.
No, they go after different riders. If you’re a serious off road enthusiast, the Himalayan 450 is for you, however, if you are more the urban rider who occasionally takes trails, the Bear 650 is for you.
So I think there will be some cannibalization. If the price difference isn’t great, many will be tempted to buy the bigger engine.
RE knows what they're doing. However, it’s likely that the Bear 650 is going to be priced much higher, keeping things very separate.
I am actually confused now as someone in the market for an ADV bike. For my mostly on-road use, the Bear 650 seems more attractive.
The Himalayan 450 has an edge in true off road capability. It will still be preferred by real adventure riders over the heavier Bear 650.
I think RE is smart to provide options. Not everyone needs a full ADV bike like the Himalayan, but they still desire something that looks rugged.
Marketing is going to be the difference. RE can coexist without too much overlap if they position these bikes correctly.
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Discussions and Questions Will The Himalayan 450S Less Expensive Price Tag And Slightly Lower Feature Set Cannibalize Sales From The Bear 650S More Premium Features
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