Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 exhaust spied for the first time, looks sleek and sports a tiny muffler cover too
The upcoming Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 has been spied again, this time revealing the exhaust for the first time. It looks sleek with a tiny muffler cover and a big leap forward from Royal Enfield’s usual design language.
Royal Enfield is usually known for making everything large and macho. But, such a strategy is set to change with the launch of the Himalayan 450 as the latest adventure bike is every bit un-Royal Enfield. Bearing no resemblance to the existing oil-cooled Himalayan, the upcoming 450 is expected to be a giant step-up with segment standard technologies and features.
Royal Enfield’s use of tiny muffler means the bike will be well refined with mild exhaust note similar to the Japanese bikes that sport tiny mufflers. By using a small exhaust, Royal Enfield has also followed the path taken by Suzuki which is using a smaller exhaust for its adventure bike, V-Storm SX 250, a direct lift from the Gixxer SF 250.
It must be seen how this tiny exhaust performs in the mud and slush as there are high chances of the engine getting hydro-locked.
The Himalayan 450 is expected to get a 450cc, liquid-cooled, 1-cylinder engine that is likely to deliver 40 HP and 45 Nm. The motor might be mated to a 6-speed transmission. All these are first for Royal Enfield which is the reason the 450 is every bit un-Royal Enfield.
The tyres used in the spied bike are not full-fledged off-road tyres but similar to those seen on the KTM 390 Adventure meaning they are designed to do high-speed duties in addition to off-roading.
But, unlike the KTM, these tyres would be slapped on to 21-inch front and 17-inch rear rims on wire-spoked wheels for tackling rough terrains. The USD forks at the front are a welcome addition for surefooted off-road experience.
The rear has some resemblances to the Yezdi Adventure. For example, the edge of the seat buried under the luggage carrier, the short curved rear fender are traits seen on the Yezdi. The spied bike has conventional box-section swing arm.
As far as features are concerned, Royal Enfield is expected to offer a host of them along with customization, a trend started with the Meteor. There might be ride-by-wire throttle, riding modes, and switchable ABS too. The tank is expected to be 20-litre in capacity which should compensate range issues due to drop in fuel economy from the bigger engine.
