Sensible R.E. Himalayan review

[SteveC#222]

I'm sure the Himalayan will get panned by the Motorcycle press, but here is a pretty decent real world review.
".....Bladdy good it is too?..."

I'd quite like to try one.

[manxie]

Thanks SteveC. Looks like a nice bit of kit! 411cc .... is that what an ordinary Enfield is? (499 I think?) If so, I wonder why they didn`t put it in this? After saying this, he recons it will sit at 70mph all day. Yes, I wouldn`t mind a go on one of these myself, if I get chance I`ll pop in to Mr Dedman`s (local RE Dealer) shop for a skeet at one in the flesh ...... nice one, thanks again. Steve.

[SteveC#222]

Thanks SteveC. Looks like a nice bit of kit! 411cc .... is that what an ordinary Enfield is? (499 I think?) If so, I wonder why they didn`t put it in this? After saying this, he recons it will sit at 70mph all day. Yes, I wouldn`t mind a go on one of these myself, if I get chance I`ll pop in to Mr Dedman`s (local RE Dealer) shop for a skeet at one in the flesh ...... nice one, thanks again. Steve.

Completely different engine, all new design.  It's a long stroke designed for torque rather than power - about 20bhp I think? - but ideal for off road where torque is more important than speed. This is why the motorcycle press will hate it coz it don't go fast.  If the engine proves reliable it looks like a good bike for real adventure touring ( rather than roughing it on a slightly rough green lane) as it enough performance, looks easily fixable if anything breaks and has been developed by the time proven method of destruction testing - if something breaks make it bigger/stronger until it stops breaking. I really like it.

[iansoady]

has been developed by the time proven method of destruction testing - if something breaks make it bigger/stronger until it stops breaking. I really like it.

I went to an interesting talk by Ken Sprayson at the National Motorcycle Museum a few weeks ago. He was telling the story of the original Norton Commando frame (designed by Stefan Bauer who knew nothing about bikes but had several doctorates to his name apparently).

Ken looked at the prototype frame and told Bauer it would break the down tubes below the steering head and also told him how to fix the problem. On testing at MIRA, frames duly broke in said places. Rather than take Sprayson's advice, Bauer kept strengthening the downtubes. All this did was make the frame break somewhere else.

Eventually Bauer had to admit Sprayson was right.

[Andy M]

Its a proper go anywhere bike. If it is tough and simple it will do well with long distance riders. The first ones out in India weren't ready and the usual Bullet wallah roadside repairers knew even less than they do about Bullets and didn't help the reputation.

The obvious comparison is the 10000 pound CCM. I'd take the Enfield.

The paper press really won't get it, but that's why they are on their way out.

I don't think it will sell well in the UK though. The Charlies want KTM's and whatever keeps their Touratech collection mobile. What off road distance we have can be done on an XT600 or MT500 or even a Bullet. Dirt competition riding is totally different.

Andy

[SteveC#222]

Seems a very sensible bike, though I suppose the UK version will have to have fuel injection and anti lock to pass the Euro cr4p regulations.

I always said if I had £5k to spend I'd get the Continental GT but now I'm not so sure. The GT is very pretty but it is still a slow bike trying to look like a fast bike wereas  the Himalayan seems 'honest' if that makes any sense. 

[johnr]

i like the look of these, but ive seen a fair few reports of frame breakages and footpegs snapping off under very light off road use. it will be interesting to see how things pan out, because its ticking boxes for me is that.

[SteveC#222]

I know a lot of the early ones that were sold to the Indian home market had problems - opinion was that the factory was using the owners as testers.  They were sold into the Australian and NZ markets last year with some upgrades so they may have been better. They've just come into the UK market so hopefully the faults should have been sorted?

[guest2053]

Im subbed to marks channel on youtube, he seems a nice guy and makes some decent videos.

As a RE owner and fan of course i think its a cool bike but id wait a while before buying one so that the kinks can be ironed out.  There will be teething problems im sure as with all new things, and theyll be sorted in time.  Thats why the bullet engine is pretty reliable today because its had so many years to have the problems ironed out of it lol.

Theyll sell loads of them in India and other countries like that where people actually ride their bikes as transport and want a decent, simpler machine.  However theyre probably not either expensive or fast enough to get enough bragging rights for the UK market to want them in any big way, im sure our motorcycle press will pan it even though its probably a decent machine that would take you anywhere.

[CrazyFrog]

TBH, it's always been the case that if the motorcycle press give a bike the thumbs down, there's a very good chance I'll like the bike in question...

[guest2083]

I believe a customer in India actually sued the factory because he had so many problems with his, I don;t know whether there's been an outcome yet though or what it was.