Royal Enfield Himalayan Review | Owners honest review | BS4 | Good and Bad
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 26 ส.ค. 2020
- Honest review of my Royal Enfield Himalayan BS4. The things I like and the things that I do not.
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I bought one last spring and love it. I live on the edge of the desert and mountains in Utah and have access to hundreds of miles of trails and dirt roads out my back door. It isn't fast, but is great for what I use it for. It carries me fine even though I'm a big, fairly tall man and weigh about 300 lbs. I'm an avid fly fisherman and I bought it mainly to get me to some of the more remote fishing spots in the mountains of northern Utah. I'm getting to be an old man and don't enjoy going super fast on the paved roads as much any more so the slower top speed is not a big issue with me. 65 mph is plenty fast enough for me. So far I've not been disappointed.
It's the only bike for average people like me 😂😭😭
That sounds perfect!
I've had my Himalayan three years now and I love it - so much so that I am in the throws of trading it in for a new one, having been offered a great trade in price. I am very pleased to hear you make the point that you have to UNDERSTAND the philosophy behind the design of the bike. I completely agree with all your comments and have found the same good points and bad points as you. I find it very STABLE off road - it doesn't get kicked off line when you hit something which gives me great confidence. What it has buckets loads of is.....CHARM! It's a lovely place to be. The bike is not about thrills, it's about FUN. There's a difference Riding along back roads in Wales, the bike is in its element . I am hoping to take mine on an organized trip to Morocco in September. 2,400 miles, 600 of which are off road. Wish me luck! Thanks for the video - really enjoyed it. Well done.
Thanks for watching and commenting bud! 👍 Jealous of the Morroco trip, that sounds amazing!!!! Good luck! 🙌👏
@@2WheelFreak Yeah, thanks. I am going with Adam Lewis who runs Big Sky Riders and I am doing the Atlas 8 tour. Some good footage on TH-cam. Cheers.
I like the engine sound.
Like I said, it’s subjective! Quite a few people commenting they like it also. 👍
I like it too :)
Spot on! yes it is subjective but at the end of the day it's a single cylinder engine. If you don't like the sound of a single then spent £12k on a multi cylinder adventure bike. Simples!
I agree. Sounds beautiful to me.
I like the engine noise too, but love the exhaust noise more!!
One of the better reviews of this bike. Great footage too. Thanks a lot. Great job.
Thank you! ☺️ Appreciate it
good honest review m8 :)
i am ordering one on my next days off...just sold my 2018 R1200GS (1350mls on the clock)) as it wasn't worth dragging out of the garage to nip to town on or go the 8 miles to work, i always just took my 2019 400cc burgman scooter and loved the chilled out ride to work on a small engine, so a 2021 Himalayan Adventure with full boxes will suit me now at 54 years old, i have had sports bikes since 1989 rid them faster than i should have done and never been without a bike, its now time to ride nice in my 'autumn years of biking', take in the scenery and enjoy real world biking without riding ahead of yourself on roads you know and anticipating the apex of the next bend knee down with a mate behind you wanting to undercut you :)
I will still take the Himalayan to Spain (after lockdown is raised) , just at a more enjoyable pace :D
Good fair review. I love mine in Australia.
Great review I love mine always makes me smile
Think your review on these bikes is bang on, I also suffered was engine cutting out when ticking over, it getting sorted today.
Never-the-less love my little put put.
Love the common sense honesty of this review. Looking at buying an “Adventure Bike” soon as getting older and after several operations, the riding position on my Ducati 600ss is just not comfortable any more (being a single seat with virtually no padding, it never was really). Reviews like this are definitely making me think seriously about a Himalayan - thanks 🇦🇺👍
Love mine and I feel I can take it just about anywhere!
Yep, great wee bike, good all rounder 👌
a nice honest and fair review. Thank you!
Are you familiar with the channel 'Itchy boots'?. She rode the himalayan across loads of countries, this thing must be very reliable to do that especially when going off road as well. And awesome edit as always.
Thanks buddy!! 👍 Yeh, itchy boots is where I learned about the bike, she must have single handedly made Royal Enfield a fortune! 🤣
@@2WheelFreak 😂😂🤣🤣🤣 Nailed it
... Legend says that RE has her huge photo in their production factory for Himalayan.
Jack of all trades master of none😊 brilliant bike only thing I changed on mine was fit better quality brake pads not for stopping just originals corrode badly ...cheers from dave
Great review! I bought one a month ago and cant stop riding it. I live in the mountains west of Denver Co I cant believe where it will go. Today I did a pretty steep section on a jeep trail and just about bit off to much, it did it thou. I am finding out coming back down the steeper trails is more challenging than going up. Glad I bought it and am having blast!!!
to the point. Loved that. I bought one a few months ago, after coming from a selection of Ducati's, triumph's, and big kwaks. I live in the Middle East and I really wanted a bike I could use on and off-road. works a treat, does what it says on the tin. I ride with lads on GS's and the likes. Obv I can't keep up on the highways, but most of the time the 24hp single works just fine. I've raised the bike with an upgrade from Cooperb motorcycles in the UK, with a longer custom Hagon shock and fork extensions, giving me great clearance across the desert trials and improving the road handling when licking on in the twisties. Its a niche bike, full of character, and tbh, way more fun to ride than any of my 150hp ++ old bikes!
Subbed! Nothing beats an owners opinion. So fed up with people reeling off the figures and writing the bike off. It’s all about the experience, not numbers. Picking mine up in 109 hours and counting 🤣
I just bought a 2021 and they have addressed the side stand with a shorter one. Great videos. Mike
Yeh, I figured they would change the stand, it couldn’t just be me having this problem! Thanks for watching and commenting bud! 👍
I have just got one after watching some of your videos and agree with everything you say. I agree with everything you say. Now I go down narrow roads and lanes where I have never been, great little adventure bike love it.
That’s awesome! 😁🙌 Glad you are enjoying, it’s a great little bike! 👍
was out on my honda 700 transalp and me a guy on Himalayan at a set of traffic lights outside kippen when we set of he was quick didt know it was a 400cc . transalp now sold might get a test ride on a himalayan !. great video mate a decent off roading in scotland .
A good review I have a himalayan to yeah I find the seat uncomfortable to as you say about the side stand I have shorten mine by about 17mm that seems to have sorted that I have had loads of fun on mine I hope to do some touring next year hope you enjoy your bike as much as I have ride safe
Great video. I'm lucky enough to call those my local roads. Can't wait to try them out with my new Himi!
One of the best most honest reviews I have seen. Well done Mate and greetings from South Australia.
That was an excellent very honest review.Royal Enfield should take note of such a reviews.Cheers.
Thanks for watching buddy! 👍🙌
absolutely love the look of these. motorway speed is bit of a concern as it would end up doing lots of miles when touring. nice review mate.
imho allow extra time and stay off mways, when i tour to northern scotland i plan a route along interesting roads and take a b&b en route. I used to grit my teeth for hours on the M74 - miserable way to begin a holiday!
Thanks for the video. Great footage and an honest review. I watched your videos and was inspired to buy a new 2021 model. Loving it. Keep the videos coming.
Great review, mate. I love this bike as your first bike, it feels to me that it would be somewhat forgiving of your rider errors which other bigger bikes just wouldn’t be, as the throttle is less aggressive. The lack of power might become an issue after some time and lead to you moving up to a bigger bike but this is a great bike to learn your craft off road and on for a good couple years first.
Your footage is absolutely amazing!
Thank you!!!! ☺️ Appreciate you watching and commenting! 🙌
I liked your honest review. I see they shortened the kick stand on the latest model. As well as a few other changes. I thought I would mention a tire combination I saw on another site. Some guys running KLR's found their main problem was the front tire washing out and not a rear traction issue.. So they use the Continental TKC 80 on the front and a Shinko E-705 on the back. I liked this idea and used it on my BMW 650 single last summer. It works so well because the shinko has good off road grip and the continental is sticky on the pavement.. So no down side really. I did a 3000 k trip last summer with lots of dirt riding and couldn't be happier. And of course, better mileage from the rear tire.
Another really helpful, good review
I'm in the UK and looking at it as a second bike.
Get the Royal Enfield touring seat, exactly the same but much firmer foam plus it has the RE logo embossed onto it, and much comfier for long rides I can tell you 😃👍🏻
Very reasoned, balanced and sensible review.
An honest review from the perspective of abroad rider. You should remember that Himalayan was designed for Indian Himalayan roads which is ultimate testing ground for the rider as well as the bike. Speed ............. ? No, no, no.... not in your fat chance,unless you want to land in a deep death gorges. Hence, it has that tractor pull which will take you everywhere and reach you to your destination. If you need speed and modern comforts opt for Yamaha Tenere 700. but that bike will be useless in Indian Himalayas unless you have logistic support. With Himalayan you can confidently travel alone provided that you replace the company battery with Lithium battery and replace the stock tyres with good 50/50 offroad tyres. You can chug all day long but the engine will not let you down. At a cheap price you will have to sacrifice comfort or the efficiency of the Japanese bikes but on the long run run it is better investment. So mate, cheerup and enjoy the ride.
Awesome review and thanks for sharing big love from Australia 😊
Thanks for the review. Good to hear an opinion from a guy who owns the bike
Thanks for your vlog good honest review appreciated looking for a good simple second bike to go a bit of green lane in exploring the smaller trails and backcountry roads this has interested me from it's release in the UK 👍
Nice video again, not into adventure bikes but strong video with pros and cons of the bike. Well done mate another great edit.
Thanks guys!! 👍 Yeh, I figured it wouldn’t be the kind of bike you guys like! 🤣
I bought a Royal Enfield Hymalayan last may and after 5000 miles, I really love this bike. Riding my Hymalayan daily is always a great Adventure and a good fun for me ! Thanks for sharing this nice video ! 👍
Useful review mate. Very honest. Cheers
Top notch review, thank you. I'm not so worried about higher speeds as I think I'd be more inclined to abuse it if the range was there. It'll force me to use it more on B-roads which I'd like to explore and savour. Also I'm quite fond of the chug chug engine sound, it's slow but stately :-)
What a great review, your w natural mate, good work 👏🙏😁
Excellent review. I have done 4000km on my BS4 here in Australia. Added a Lextek muffler (major weight saving), PowerCommander ECU, K&N air filter and a 16-tooth front sprocket. Improved acceleration and fuel delivery, and now cruises all day at 100kmh at 4500 rpm. First sub-1 litre bike I have owned since the mid-80s, and can’t stop grinning each time I ride it.
How do the changes affect the off road performance?
2WheelFreak Increased power and torque easily compensate for taller gearing.
excellent review, probably the most honest on here
A very good honest review well done
What a good review! You answered all my questions I had. Great job.
Spot on Commentary!
Honest opinion 👍Lovin Himalayan already, I'd love to see you in Himalayas someday.
Please do write if you're ever planning to visit India🙏. I ride and explore, worked with Enfield for sometime and honestly, I wasn't satisfied at all with the first generation Himalayan, however, it's been improved much and quite capable now.
Good stuff and overall fair review thank you.
Great review. I really fancy one of these. I generally ride rural roads around the wolds and we dont have motorways here in Lincolnshire. My old 1200 Bandit is getting to be too much for me, I certainly dont need 100 BHP these days. Years ago I had a Suzuki SP370 which I loved. I see the Himalayan as a modern SP without the crap electrics and a kick start that loved to kick back.!
Cracking review!
I agree with everything you said except the engine sound. I really like it and I have a full free flow exhaust system which has released a pony or 2 and sounds wonderful. Cheers. Pete. Australia.
Thanks for watching bud! Yeh, the sound is subjective, like the looks! A few people told me they like the sound but it doesn’t do anything for me.. I think the street twin ruined me.
Good review. I see you have a non-standard screen. I found the stock screen to be intolerably noisy and took it off. Happy with the bike after a year and a half, previous bike was a Triumph 955ST.
Had mine since September 2020. Love it, but agree with everything you say!
This was/is a very very good review! :-)
I'm actually contemplating swapping my 2018 himalayan in...... For a 2021 himalayan!! I love it!
Is the 2021 bad ?
No, it's really good! Has a little power taken away for emissions but don't think it makes any difference!
Aye..👍
Another great wee video.. agree totally with all your opinions ...Great👍🏴🥃🏍
Thanks Bill!!! 👍 Looking forward to your video from the weekend! 👀😁
This is one of the best reviews I have ever watched pure common sense and plenty plenty of good detail if you are in the market for one of these or similar Thanks for that fella A*
Have you or are you doing any more reviews on bikes ??? Last but not least where the hell did the music come from that was epic !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! what band is that ????????????
Thanks bud! 👍 I’ll be doing a review of the KTM 390 Adventure at some point as I’ve just changed to that bike. My latest video has a link in the description to where I get all my music, can’t remember the band or song name though! 🤔
A concise assessment of the bike. Every bike out of the showroom has likes and dislikes, and are then developed to the owners taste. Including the likes of the BMW R1200/1250 GS. The himmy is no different. Fit decent sintered brake pads, and the brakes are fine. Fit better tyres and as you say it transforms the bike. There are various option to increase power and increase performance. One bug bare of mine was the side stand as you rightly said. That was easily rectified with an angle grinder and a welder :). They are a basic bike that are very easily maintained and cheap to run, but are very easily adapted to what ever the owner wishes them to become
Loved the review. I did have an oh crap moment with the stand :) . I haven't found anyone that has done a full brembo conversion. And yeah I like the exhaust as it has a bit of bass but not a fan of the clunky engine sound.
I've put 5,000km on mine and aside from the speed limitations I've found my Himalayan to be a great bike. Looking forward to seeing more from you.
My pal has a Himmy 411 and he’s a serious off road rider that used to ride enduro for a Honda team , he really rates its ability to travel off road not race but travel , his take is that its will look after you off road and get you where you want to go on the road , he has done over 23 000 miles on his all over Europe and apart from consumables and a leaky oil pressure switch he has had any trouble at all with it, he has a Honda firestorm too but rides the Himmy much more often as he doesn’t worry about it but im sure his Honda has its own bedroom 😁
Fortunately, they’ve corrected the side stand length on the 2021 model. Can’t wait to take delivery on mine in about a month! Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
Enjoy buddy!!! 😁 Glad they listened about the stand. Thanks for watching and commenting! 👍
why do people still moan about this bike (or any trail/dual sport bike) on the motorway? just keep off them, they are so fekin boring anyway.
Unique looking bike bro. Never came across one in person. Love it ✌
Thanks bud!!! Not heard from you in ages!!! Are you back yet??
I also generally agree with your good and bad points. I have not tried motorways and doubt I will, but for badly maintained smaller roads and light off road, like fire trails it suits me fine. It is possible to have adventures without riding on a motorway. Accept it for what it is and it can be fun but ask it to do something outside its comfort zone and you will regret it.
I just done a Wales/Devon trip on my 2018 himalayan, I agree with the power, sits at 70 fine but that's all if you don't want her screaming! I planned my routes 'avoiding motorways' and it added about an hour to each long section, but that's OK with me, I wasn't in a rush, I saw things I wouldn't have seen otherwise, the bike was brilliant through mountain passes fully loaded with gear, achieving 84mpg...... But sometimes.... Just sometimes you want to overtake the car in front and can't! No big deal! Good vid!
Dan Wilson yep, great bike if your not in a hurry! Thanks for watching and commenting! 👍
At 62 l'm not in a hurry anymore 60-70 mph is where it's at for me there days.
@@mark.e.p I'm 39 and agree with you totally!!
I did the same thing on mine this past summer and agree 100% with what you said. Although the white is of course the faster sports model 🤣.
@@senseibo4401 hahaha, dammit, should have gone for white!! Mines sleet so obviously mine is faster in the snow 😜
As you said, it's all subjective! Look at the Himalayan as a 2 wheeled Land Rover. It'll take you anywhere pretty much without much fuss or drama. You can mend it with a hammer (Jeremy Clarkson style 🤣🤣). Joking! But you know what I mean.
The factory objective was "To build something to take you over the Himalayas". They did it, period!
Nice honest video
Love then music at the beginning 🤘
Please do more off-roading videos of re himalayan 👍
Great review and agreed with everything especially what you say about the looks, it gets a bad rep on that but I think it looks fantastic from every angle. I have the RE touring seat on mine, its still a bit soft but its way better and a few hours in the saddle is no longer a problem. My backside couldnt take 30mins on the old seat.
Where did you get it from??
@@danwilson8390 Got mine off ebay but it came from India although Hitchcocks do them aswell.
Subscribed.
Not my style of bike but fantastic video mate!
Watched to the end and enjoyed it.
Thanks for watching mate!!! 👍😁
I get your frustration with the sidestand, my Africa Twin has the same problem.
Howdy I have 2 Yamaha TW200s and love them but here in Central Oregon I tend to ride to the S E from here so I wanted a bike that could get me farther easier so ,when I started looking I ran acro Itchy boots I watched some of her TH-cam videos then went and road a new one. That did it I liked it, I liked it and started looking for a used one ,because I'm 72 and even though ther are a great price ,being retired we need to make every $ count. I found a low mile 2019 with many extras and started to miles on it . Of the 11 different bikes I have had over 55 years the Himalayan is the best gravel/ back road dirt road/trail bike I have had . Ya One of the first things I did was shorten the side stand and add a larger plate to it .
Nice review
I love the way this bike looks, but feels severely underpowered.
This would be a perfect choice if they pair it with the interceptor’s 650cc twin.
Top notch review..
Good honest review
A brilliant honest review.
Thanks for watching bud! 👍
So honest and realistic.
Grazie mille for a great review.
Thank you for watching and taking the time to comment, appreciate it!! 👍😁
thank you !!
Thanks for a well detailed and comprehensive review. Nothing missed out or glossed over. I particularly like the fact you highlighted the frankly awful sound of the engine which would drive me nuts over time. Hope you put some footage of your upcoming tour on here.
i am from nepal.and regular watch your video
Thank you for watching and commenting!!! Hopefully I will visit Nepal some day! 👀👍😁
Good Review 👍 .. thanks.
Like any road .. used within its Design Intent and Capabilities, not a problem.
Built and for use in 3rd World Environments. Keep that in mind and all is well.
Sharp 'finger tip' front brakes on a dirt road .. Naah. You shouldn't be travelling that fast anyway .. enjoy the ride and the journey.
Superb review covered a load of the points I was wondering about that I hadn't seen covered elsewhere. Thanks for posting :) I've been going back an forward between the himmy, crf250 rally an cb500x for my next bike. Had the 1200gsa te an it was a total nightmare.
That’s a hard choice between those 3 bikes!! 🤔 The CB500x seems aimed slightly more towards road and the CRF Rally seems aimed slightly more off road than the himi.. Any one of these is a good choice buddy, depends what your aiming to do!
In the future I am aiming to move to the Yamaha Tenere 700. That for me is almost the perfect bike! (Just a bit high)
@@2WheelFreak indeed mate they all seem to offer slightly different flavours, hoping to go to Iceland an Norway with my dad on idential bikes. Real weigh up between the motorway capability of the cb500x but by the time you put the rr kit on you are up to a t7 as you say. Currently leaning towards a himmy or a Rally at the moment shall be interesting once the Rd250c sells :)
@@adaptableadventurerider I’m sure you’ll love whichever one, as long as you are aware of the weak points and are happy to live with them! 👍 I’m quite short and can barely touch the ground on a T7, but I think it’s the perfect choice at the moment! I will get the low seat and lower linkage.. a lot of people say never lower but I think it’s more important to feel confident, lowering brings it to same clearance as himi.. I can live with that!
@@2WheelFreak indeed confidence to put your feet down is very important I always think the gsa was a nightmare for that + the unreliability was a pain. The t7 sure does look nice. Be interesting to see the husky norden 501 when it comes out.
Had all three, CB500X, definitely not an off-road bike, has the looks but not the capability in my view. CRF250, a very capable bike for what it is but not for distance riding due to it's small fuel tank capacity and the horrible seat! Give me the Himmi all day long.
Perfeita avaliação desta moto. Penso exatamente igual em todos os pontos criticados.
Nice review
Good review
Good honest review mate...You still got it, lol
Still have it at the moment, but I am in negotiations for a possible change...
new rider here and this review helpped into making the buying decision. cheers! sound track name?
They sound brilliant with the Indian Red Rooster exhaust on.
Just found your channel. Hope you're doing alright, I see you haven't posted for 3 months. Hope to see more of your adventures. Don't let COVID keep ya down. Take your vitamins D3, Zink, Selenium, and vitamin C. Blessings.
Thanks for th great vid..l am not a fast rider..but l would like a little bit of poke on a bike..l am test driving a new one of these in a few weeks time..l really like everything else you are saying about the bike..
Ps ...€6,150 is the price of a new one here in lreland ..
Super saludos desde Ecuador 😎🇪🇨👏👏👏
👍🙌👋
surprised just how good a wee bike it was. Low seat height, plush suspension and bags of torque on a well mapped fuel system makes for easy off road riding
Yeh, they are well worth the money if you don’t mind the slower on-road pace. 😁
Bought one yesterday seat is like a plank of wood and i cant see past myself in the mirrors. Apart from that im well happy.
Great review. What is it's comfortable cruising on road speed please? Our motorway speed in NZ is 60mph.
James Grierson 60mph is fine! It’s most comfortable at 55mph.. but 60 is about the speed I cruise at on our UK motorway (speed limit 70mph)
For us it's expensive because we have much more cheap bikes around here with good fuel economy.acording to your thoughts i guess it have a good break but the tyres not letting to do it because it's belongs to off-road.
Hi there ! thanks for all the reviews ;-) Was asking myself about the kind of camera you're using to get such kind of shoot like at 4'54 ? Is someone setaed behind you filming at the same time ? Or are you using some kind of 360° device ? Many thanks by advance. keep doin the great work
Hi, thanks for watching! I use the insta360 one x camera for a lot of the 'external' views. It mounts on a pole which it automatically deletes so it looks like floating. 👍
You didn't mention the screen. I found with the stock screen the wind noise in my helmet awful, so have changed to the lower screen plus, ear plugs, still not brilliant. Looks like you have the taller option, is that any good?