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BHPian rishi.roger recently shared this with other enthusiasts.
Went for a proper ~30m+ no-restriction test ride (with my wife as a pillion). Fortunately, the dealership had the 805mm seat height installed according to them and I was very easily able to flat foot on the bike with both my feet planted on the ground firmly and even then some room to bend the leg (I’m 5’7″). I think people with 5’5″ should be easily able to ride the motorbike with low seat height accessory.
The engine is happy to rev but not as much hyped in Media. Yes, it has a very nice power surge after 3k rpm but I think you would not want to red-line it all the way. It feels harsh after say 6k rpm and IMO that band from 6-8.5k rpm is not as enjoyable. The sweet spot feels between 2-6k rpm where you don’t feel any stress or harshness creeping in. Also, that range is very practical and enough. I wasn’t bothered by buzz/vibes at all unless I was going beyond 6k rpm which would translate to ~120kmph in the last drive.
I was expecting a lot more engine knock and poor low-down torque but to my surprise, it wasn’t that bad. 10/10 it won’t stall in the city even in bumper-to-bumper traffic, unlike KTMs.
Very noticeable even at 16-17 deg-C ambient temperature, while wearing denims and outdoor boots. I was riding it moderately. I’m not surprised though as I was expecting it, coming from a similar machine.
They’re great but I think people have over-hyped it in media reviews. They do an excellent job in filtering out tiny bumps and smoothening out mid-size jolts but you’re still going to feel the bad roads – just that with the 21″ wheel, small bumps or breakers won’t slow you down.
Rear brake is wow! Crazy! Front brake is very good and progressive. Braking on this bike is definitely one of a kind!
The bike is not as top-heavy as the Dominar. It’s heavy? Yes, but I think it’s manageable if you’re able to flat-foot it to an extent. On Dominar, even with a flat foot, it was a task. The handle is quite agile. The bike can be flicked but you need to gain confidence. The only situation where I felt the bike could pose a bit of a challenge was for cornering addicts, but that too would be more about trust and the learning curve. I was able to lean upto a fair extent but I didn’t have all my gear so I didn’t push too hard – and it was a wise decision, IMO.
I rode it in dense city traffic and it wasn’t too much struggle (except for peak summers where heat might become a challenge).
I didn’t really mess around with the tripper-dash console. However, I noticed that it wasn’t distracting at all. I had everything that I needed. In fact, it also seems to have a sensor which sets the mode from light to dark depending upon light sensitivity. (I noticed this when I entered a tunnel – and my phone wasn’t paired with it for any map info).
The first thing I told my wife “I am going to change this and replace it with the Dominar’s or some better RVMs the moment I get the bike”. It honestly felt very small and the adjustment was horrible. Not sure if it was an issue with the particular bike but unfortunately they only had one unit in the showroom.
The bike is extremely practical and fun to handle on bad roads and city as well. However, I don’t think it’s the bike I would recommend to my friends if they want something for the sheer pleasure of motorbiking on decent roads. I really couldn’t connect with the engine in a way where I could say that I was able to feel the heart of the machine (Long stroke feel has spoiled me). It felt like any other ordinary engine but responsive and with more power.
If I wanted a machine with a great engine, particularly in terms of feel/signature, the 650s from RE are excellent. It makes me think that should I wait for RE to launch a Himalayan with a 650cc heart?
I must say this again, Himalayan 450 is excellent in terms of practicality. RE engineering team has knocked this one out of the park, but it also seems true to me that it won’t win any medals in the design/looks/finish or feel department.
Am I getting it? Yes, definitely because motorbiking is not just about taking the feel from the engine for me but also the ability to take it anywhere and everywhere without worry (this is precisely where Himalayan seem to tick everything on my list).
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