This is incredible. I used to own an Aprilia RS in the UK but have been wanting to get back into bikes. Granted here in Dubai we have different issues. But that bike looks incredible for touring in India.
Karl Rock in 2015 Indian: Where are you from? Karl Rock: I am from New Zealand. Karl Rock in 2020 Indian: Where are you from? Karl Rock: Dilli se hu bnch@d 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
that's why he showed the garbage behind the wall talking sweat about social distancing and sanitizing, he is smart knows to play his Indianness 😂😂 or rather newzelandness
Love your stuff Karl. Purchased a Himalayan 2 weeks ago and love it. First started riding in 82 and have ridden everyday, never owned a car. Clocked over 600.000 kilometres in the process. My current ride is a BMW 2010 R1200GS which I purchased new, the bike know has 134.000 kilometres on the dial. I love the Himalayan because it’s not perfect. It’s know become my daily commute ride, the GS only gets used on my days off. I love the Indian commonsense technology, you can turn off the service reminder without going to a dealer, you can clear fault codes within the high tech diagnostic tool. The local dealer hear in OZ can’t keep up with demand. I’ve lost count of how many people have come up to me and asked questions about the bike and these are people with 20K plus high tech adventure bikes.
That's great to hear Simon. Happy you're enjoying it! The bike does make people look, even in India 😀 I should've talked about that, I like the styling too
my father owns a BMW f900 xr and a Ducati Scrambler and used to own a Triumph Tiger. He travels to laddakh almost every month for riding a bike. The first time he went, he was skeptical about taking his expensive bikes because if there is some error there is no service station over there. So he decided to rent out a Himalayan in Leh. My god! He was shocked at how good it was. It feels smooth, its got a good suspension and its cheap. It doesn't at all feel under powered, even when compared to the super bikes. He said he was glad he didn't take those 300kg bikes because during river crossing, having a lightweight Himalayan breezed through those river-lets while his friends were struggling on their Tigers. He is a fairly respected rider and people often ask him which is the first bike they should get. My dad still, to this day tells people the first motorcycle you should get is a RE Himalayan
@@GadgetMart I don't know where you get your facts from but wet weight of the Himalayan is 199, for the tiger its 232, and for the 1250gs its 268. That's a huge difference. Not to mention the fact that the there is no service station for the tiger or bmw if anything goes wrong. It just doesn't make sense to take your own bike to laddakh. Also with the Himalayan, you dont really care if you hit it somewhere, or drop it or whatever cause its parts are fairly affordable, but with the superbikes, a tiny scratch can kill the resale value, and parts for it are very expensive.
Fateh Gyani I ride a 1150GS, it weighs around 230KG. The model that followed it was 30KG lighter. 2005-2010 ish GS. That’s the bike to own. Himalayan is dreadful on road.
the moment a bike in india costs the price of a german drivers license :D! great and interesting video :) sadly i am only allowed to ride scooters, and i dont think my brain can handle leftlane driving yet :D
I'm used to both left and right lane and right and left hand drive cars took me just a few days to get used to it but the problem we all face is forgetting what lane you should drive sometimes😂
@@jdmpassion8312 Überhaupt nicht. Das Fahren ist kein Recht sondern ein Privelig, Fahren zu dürfen sollte so schwer wie möglich gemacht werden und die Bedingungen noch mal verschärft
Hey this is the bike I am planning to buy for tours around Northeast..thanks for the review..I truly trust every word of it..cos u r an honest educated guy..respect bro✌️
@@the_God_of_Wrath KTM does make good bikes, dont get me wrong. But they are quite pricy, and for travelling in 3rd world countries not the best choice. I am doing adventure biking on motorcycles that every workshop in Pakistan and Siberia can fix again within hours. The most annoying thing about pricy adventure bikes, like KTM or BMW are the tires. Because they are tubeless, you dont get them anywhere in such countries. Maybe in the larger cities. In worst case you are waiting weeks for them to arrive, because they are stuck in customs or some shit like that. Before the complains come: Yes, several guys did drive through such countries with their KTMs, I know. There is also guys who are doing this with a Honda C90, or by bycicle. Anything is possible. Thats not my point. ;-)
You don’t know how uncanny the timing of this is.... I am in Melbourne Australia. Was looking at these last week and think they look awesome, but they are quite pricey. Thank you so much for the information, my list just got much shorter 😂 priceless! 🙏🏽
I came for the scammer vids, stayed for the travel and cultural info. You being a Himalayan guy is just a bonus. I bought mine here in the US in January and rode it home in the snow. I would so love to go to Rider Mania in Goa someday.
Although I am from the South i have backpacked all those North Indian states not on a bike but public buses and trains back in 2008-9. I literally slept in the stations and walked most of it for months. RE has the best centre of gravity i have seen on any bike, you can never fall off. I had RE in 2004 during my college days
I bought my bike in Canada. It wasn’t crazy cheap, but I wouldn’t trade it for a new KLR or Verses 650. I like the fact that it is not covered in plastic. My bike was very tight when new but I didn’t have the issues that you had. Mine is a 2021 so maybe it’s different, but I have no concerns about the brakes. The back brake is very strong and the ABS is not intrusive. If I’m on pavement and I slam on the brakes the rear tire chirps. The front brake is not as positive as other bikes I have owned; however, no matter what the surface of the road or off road in mud I know that I can hit the brakes without worrying about something strange happening.
A very balanced review Karl. Nice and honest. Thanks so much. I got a Himalayan that is 'scared to come out of the garage' in Pune, due Covid. So have booked the second one here for the North East India. Anyone wishing to ride around (when I am not) on them along the West coast and in the North East of India, be my guest. Let the pandemic ease out a bit first.
You're a riot Karl! I paid 6500cad for my 2018, taxes in.. no issues thus far. Servicing is expensive but easy enough to do yourself. Love the bike, has character in spades. Always enjoy your informative vids.. forget masks, we need oxygen tanks due to the WC being blanketed in heavy smoke from the Calif. Or, and Wa. State fires. Keep up the great work!
Really honest remarks on the bike! I felt like same during the 500km break-in period, but then it got better. I haven't got lots of rusting, but then I agree with using anti-rust type steel. The brakes are all right, considering the weight of the bike, but I'd recommend using rev matching and engine braking in addition to the brakes. Also, considering road driving conditions in India, I'd urge you to be careful. Sometimes not just animals, but people jump out of dividers and from nowhere. My general advice would be to accelerate on known roads. I wished we ever got the klr650, but with bs6 norms and everything, it's probably not going to happen and this is still a good bike for the purpose.
Your channel came across when I was searching for Himalayan videos, first video of yours tht I saw was 'RE in New Zealand' (something like tht) nd glad that I did. Good to see another himalayan video after a long time. PS: would love to ride together sometime!
@@KarlRock Wow super I am living in Tamilnadu if your planning to vist here I will definitely suggest to take a trip in the border of Western Gatz They such a blessing places to vist Theni, Tirunelveli, Kanyakumari, Coimbatore and never never miss Kodaikanal.. So if had some other plan it's ok Just pinnied the place because I have visited and got excited. Anyway welcome to Tamilnadu
Great review, strange that your himalayan rusted, my friend has got a bs4 himalayan since 2018 and its doing great. The engine is good for Indian roads. However if you need to go faster than 90kmph in good roads outside, you need a bigger motorcycle. Anyway its a great and reliable touring motorcycle, Noraly from itchyboots confirmed that.
I would get this exact setup if we had Royal Enfield service centers in the southern USA. A cost effective “under powered” adventure motorcycle would sell very well in this area to new and old riders alike. Great review Karl!
It's a 1 cylinder engine, it's like working on your lawn motor. Don't let lack of service center deter you. Any mechanic in the world can figure it out in 2 minutes.
Royal Enfield have travel gangs, way way better than any other motorcycle brand in India. The guys travel together very well organized, and some gangs go with wives too. Most of these gangs actually consist of middle aged well respected professional like lawyers, doctors, software engineers, bankers, government servants etc. They travel long distances. Worth a try. The other company which has similar (though fewer in number and frequency) are Thar off road 4x4 jeep of Mahindra & Mahindra. Those guys are a little more well off overall than Royal Enfield gangs, but with the same crazy adventure travel bee inside their heads!
Hey Karl. From the UK and lived in Mumbai for the past 3 years. Bought the BS4 6 months ago. Still have overheating problems (unless 50 degrees is the norm). Great video and subscribed... 👍👍👍
Actually i booked bs6 Himalayan in the month of july 2020. Till now not have taken the delivery. I live in hill station (Shimla) Himachal Pradesh. This will first bike till now so I planned based on your feedbacks. I welcome you and your wife to come to my place once corona finished off. I live in south extension delhi but my home town is Shimla.
Once this pandemic is over I'm going to India to buy this motorcycle and ride it around India as well, glad I found your youtube channel, it's fantastic!
Hi Karl I have been following you for quite a while n just wanted to say glad to see you back again with this Himalayan review. Stay safe. Hope yo see more content from you.
What a great vid. I've been thinking of getting a small bike with the ability to do green lanes and tracks and some highway in between. Noraly of Itchy Boots vlog got me interested in the Himalayan. Many informative vlog reviews later I ordered mine today ... 2021 model. Test rode and it passed every test! It's always interesting to read everyone commenting on getting better bikes which may suit them but not everyone wants 120+kph. I have a 2019 Goldwing for that but the wing doesn't do what the Himalayan does. It fills in the gap eg off road, local trips to the shops or popping into the city. Also small bikes are such fun per se. Himalayan shouldn't be a poor second choice. If it were, I would probably not choose it but it's great for was it does and for what it is. Above all ... have fun.
Rust issues can be solved with a simple maintenance. After washing or heavy rain wax the Himalayas thoroughly. I used Formula 1 carnauba wax which cost Rs. 400 or less. Never had a rust issue. And oh.. clean and apply oil on the chain occasionally so that they dont dry out and oiled it religiously after every wash or getting it drenched in the rain. Basic stuff really.
Turn your bags around if you can, you shouldn’t be getting to vibrations through your foot pegs unless you have a bad motor mount or they could be to tight. Take a look. Love the channel
Love you brother,,, your video is very much genuine, I mean it's real fact what u described about RE Himalayan, but it's informative. As you r from New Zealand I love New Zealand. It's a beautiful awesome place. If I could go there my life will be blessed . Thank you for your love for India. Jai Hind 🙏
I have 12,000 miles on mine. I have not had rust issues. There are nargles with the bike.. but love the breaks and clutch. I practice emergency breaking weekly and it is fine- abs also makes a change of the feel. It is a very comfortable bike to ride. Slow but comfortable
Excellent review of the Himalayan. the best I found on TH-cam. Honest and to the point. However I am wondering if indeed all Himalayan with ABS have really bad breaks or it just this one owned by Karl.
Karl one problem you didn't faced is Tyre Puncture. Himalayan have tube tyres but fortunately at Chandigarh, there is an Engineer who make the spoke wheel tubeless. I got my Interceptor tubeless at very reasonable price i.e. Rs. 4000/- for both the tyres.
Haha I had an 07 kawasaki versys 650, orange, and know exactly what you are talking about with vibration/buzzing/rattling changed to an 18 (bs4) himy and havnt looked back, love it, sit at 70/75 no probs at all! Went on a weekend camping trip fully loaded and sat at 70 for a 60 mile stint on a motorway, didn't batter an eyelid.... Oh and the rust, I acf 50 my bike twice a year, autumn and spring, 2 years later not even a rusty nut! Recommend 👍 happy riding people. Ps I'm in UK if that makes any difference to quality!
Bro I have the Himalayan among the other RE 's I own. Just ask the guys at the service center to adjust the disc brakes properly and check for air. The chain rusting can be easily fixed by a good chain lube or oil. The other rusting most of the parts are quite cheap compared to NZ standards that they can be replaced for the nuts and bolts I would recommend getting in touch with some other Himalayan enthusiasts they will be able to help you get them all replaced to stainless steel.. All your problems will be solved.
I've been riding REs off and on for about 12 years and still can't figure out why RE doesn't improve the brakes. That's one of the main reasons, why you can't cruise at 100kph, because you don't know if it will stop in time or not 😤😤😤
Unfortunately Indian Peoples Comparing This Bike With Other International Bikes That's the main Problem. They Don't Think About The Money They are Spending on this Beautiful Mechaine. Its absolutely Worth For This Money You are Gaving,
Karl, this was great - I have seen so many other reviews but this was/is the best and is exactly what I was looking for. I wanted to so so know whether this bike can start after putting it off for months and then to see if it get started and it does plus the service cost was less than local garage service. Awesome
Probably a lot of ppl might have already recommended ... thought i will share some stuff that i use on my bull... If i may ...... swap your rear view mirrors for Bajaj avenger mirrors[personal experience .. they are very good ... i use a STD 500.. quite heavily accessorised .. even during high vibrations loss of rear view is still manageable ... try to go for some after market handle bar with a cross bar and a riser ... will help reduce the mirror vibrations to a good extent so your loss of rear view reduces even further .... acerbis hand guard[comes with an internal sturdy aluminium frame] is reasonably good ... not the greatest ... economical and saves your hand during a crash and/or from flying objects on the highway ... since you have toured a lot ... may be you can add some extra white lights[flood or focus] ... will help you during your night travel ... a few others could be .,. a good ecu unit... remote start + theft alarm + hazard lights etc.. these days you get lithium batteries ... if you know some ebike shop .. they can get you a 12V-20 Ah battery ... easy to re-charge ... fast charging available ... much lesser cases of failures ... you can take a windshield flip from bandidos pitstop ... engine guards with sliders ... the list is quite big .... Safety is not a requirement ... it is a lifestyle ... specifically if you tour on your motorcycle in india ... I am alive and ready for my next ride [ whenever that happens ] because i put in so much of safety in my bike ... Keep riding .. safely ... you are the best gift to your family ... :)
Your point is well taken on buying used over a new Himalayan. But the price will still be the same. A good used bike will run you about $5K and you dont know if it it will need $2K worth of work done on it or not. No warrranty! RE gives 3 years for mostly the same amount of money. And I like the bike. It's simple easy to work on, easy to fix and they stopped making the KLR so parts will start going way up. I know I use to have a V45 Magna and a simple plastic side panel was $100 and that was 10 years ago. RE will make the Himalayan most likely until I am dead and long gone! The Bullet started production in 1932 and they are still making them!
Karl replace the clutch wire with a longer clutch wire use the clutch wire from the bullet... And for the rusting you'll have to do an anti-rust treatment on the chassis and chain... For the panniers you'll have to get rain covers... Ride safe... Happy adventures...
It sounds like it takes a few hundred miles to loosen up the RE engine. The 500 is like that that's why it's important to stick to the recommended speeds until its run in, but you knew that anyway I'm sure, great honest review....happy biking!
You Karl Rock are a rare find . No bullsxxxx real world reliable info ...No macho nonsense and a seemingly decent fellow ! Love your assertiveness also in dealing with people . All this comes from a discerning, cynical and often disappointed older man with a life of much world experience. Thanks for your work . If I have time to watch more maybe I will join your premium feed.Bill in UK
If you like a light clutch pull: Kawasaki. When I went shopping, the Kawasaki's all stood out positively with a light clutch pull. I picked up a Z900RS last year, love it. Not really suitable for the rough roads though.
About the break in period.... It feels rough because it is supposed to be that way, bike come with crude oil when it come from the factory, and in the first service... They change oil and add proper engine oil... After which it becomes truly smooth.
I am from Europe and i would also buy it second hand... the biggest issue we have here is that RE Spare Parts are not availble... the basic parts are there Oilfilter / Airfilter to do the service and charge you a lot for it but if you want it to do it yourself. It is not possible to get the parts
Great review and good advise at the end. Looking at one here in Canada and new they are about $8000 after taxes. I can buy a 5 year old BMW f800GS for less money. I did test drive the Himalayan and really loved the little bike but I just can’t justify that kind of money.
Karl is incredible
He left his job so that he could guide people effectively
We appreciate you very much karl.
Praketh Yes, press F to pay respect to Karl
f
F
Ha ha ha.......n therese people are typing that "eef" word here!! Lmaf!! :D
Never knew PewDiePie could ride a motorbike in india
Hahaha
He never will as he has no legs
😂😂😂😂
🙄
Ha Ha Ha... Something new 😁
For me, nothing beats a scooter in India! :P
Perfect 👌🏻 I've seen a Scooter go to Leh and back
Absolutely right 👍🏼
LOL
Absolutely coz shaft drive systems are way more reliable than chain drives
Nahi chahiye ji😂😂
This is incredible. I used to own an Aprilia RS in the UK but have been wanting to get back into bikes. Granted here in Dubai we have different issues. But that bike looks incredible for touring in India.
Right Bro. You can rent a bike in dubai for certain rides in winter i guess?
@@KarlRockwhat is the current price. In usa its 5500
Karl Rock in 2015
Indian: Where are you from?
Karl Rock: I am from New Zealand.
Karl Rock in 2020
Indian: Where are you from?
Karl Rock: Dilli se hu bnch@d
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
😂😂😂😂😊
that's why he showed the garbage behind the wall talking sweat about social distancing and sanitizing, he is smart knows to play his Indianness 😂😂 or rather newzelandness
I didn’t understand the last part but got the idea. Thank you for the laugh 😁.
Karl when will you and your wife go to watch India Newziland Cricket match ?
Travelling in foreign lands on bikes looks awesome. You and the ADVChina guys are solid blokes.
Thanks 🙏
🖕🏻Corona country
I like how people in the comments are helping Karl out. Giving tips for more efficiency. Great video Karl!
Karl has been in India so long he even does the head wiggles
and says na
Hahaha and he started saying "nah" "nah" at the end of every sentence 😂
Head wiggle is a requirement as per Indian immigration requirement.
Love your stuff Karl.
Purchased a Himalayan 2 weeks ago and love it.
First started riding in 82 and have ridden everyday, never owned a car.
Clocked over 600.000 kilometres in the process.
My current ride is a BMW 2010 R1200GS which I purchased new, the bike know has 134.000 kilometres on the dial.
I love the Himalayan because it’s not perfect.
It’s know become my daily commute ride, the GS only gets used on my days off.
I love the Indian commonsense technology, you can turn off the service reminder without going to a dealer, you can clear fault codes within the high tech diagnostic tool.
The local dealer hear in OZ can’t keep up with demand.
I’ve lost count of how many people have come up to me and asked questions about the bike and these are people with 20K plus high tech adventure bikes.
That's great to hear Simon. Happy you're enjoying it! The bike does make people look, even in India 😀 I should've talked about that, I like the styling too
I just hit 2,000 miles on my Himalayan on 4 July. I am changing my oil very soon ... Cheers!
Congrats!
Karl Rock ... Thanks ... Jai Hind 🇮🇳
Fourth of July. Cause baby your a firework
India has the bravest cows in the world.. LEDGEND!!!
Yes. We worship as Goddesses you kill and eat them
@@thunderbirdrider8740 it's a fact
India is the biggest slaughter house of cows in the world , go save your goddesses
Robby Jarvis They RULE here bro.😂
@@thunderbirdrider8740 lots of cows are starving in Yogi's Cowshala and dies..
my father owns a BMW f900 xr and a Ducati Scrambler and used to own a Triumph Tiger. He travels to laddakh almost every month for riding a bike. The first time he went, he was skeptical about taking his expensive bikes because if there is some error there is no service station over there. So he decided to rent out a Himalayan in Leh. My god! He was shocked at how good it was. It feels smooth, its got a good suspension and its cheap. It doesn't at all feel under powered, even when compared to the super bikes.
He said he was glad he didn't take those 300kg bikes because during river crossing, having a lightweight Himalayan breezed through those river-lets while his friends were struggling on their Tigers. He is a fairly respected rider and people often ask him which is the first bike they should get. My dad still, to this day tells people the first motorcycle you should get is a RE Himalayan
It's true... Those big heavy bikes make off-roading harder
RE Himalayan 199kg
Triumph tiger 800 XC 200kg
2008 BMW GS 1200 200kg
Go figure
I know which one I would take
@@GadgetMart I don't know where you get your facts from but wet weight of the Himalayan is 199, for the tiger its 232, and for the 1250gs its 268. That's a huge difference. Not to mention the fact that the there is no service station for the tiger or bmw if anything goes wrong. It just doesn't make sense to take your own bike to laddakh. Also with the Himalayan, you dont really care if you hit it somewhere, or drop it or whatever cause its parts are fairly affordable, but with the superbikes, a tiny scratch can kill the resale value, and parts for it are very expensive.
Fateh Gyani I ride a 1150GS, it weighs around 230KG. The model that followed it was 30KG lighter. 2005-2010 ish GS.
That’s the bike to own.
Himalayan is dreadful on road.
Fateh Gyani Where do you get your facts from? A Tiger 800 isn’t 232KG
the moment a bike in india costs the price of a german drivers license :D!
great and interesting video :)
sadly i am only allowed to ride scooters, and i dont think my brain can handle leftlane driving yet :D
Der ist in Deutschland aber auch echt viel zu teuer wie ich finde :(
I'm used to both left and right lane and right and left hand drive cars took me just a few days to get used to it but the problem we all face is forgetting what lane you should drive sometimes😂
🤣
@@jdmpassion8312 Überhaupt nicht. Das Fahren ist kein Recht sondern ein Privelig, Fahren zu dürfen sollte so schwer wie möglich gemacht werden und die Bedingungen noch mal verschärft
Hey this is the bike I am planning to buy for tours around Northeast..thanks for the review..I truly trust every word of it..cos u r an honest educated guy..respect bro✌️
Thanks Bhai! It will serve you well in NE.
Bro I used a RE Himalayan to travel across whole Northeast India, the 7 states seven sisters, go for it with blind fold on
Go for ktm adv bikes..
@@the_God_of_Wrath KTM does make good bikes, dont get me wrong. But they are quite pricy, and for travelling in 3rd world countries not the best choice. I am doing adventure biking on motorcycles that every workshop in Pakistan and Siberia can fix again within hours. The most annoying thing about pricy adventure bikes, like KTM or BMW are the tires. Because they are tubeless, you dont get them anywhere in such countries. Maybe in the larger cities. In worst case you are waiting weeks for them to arrive, because they are stuck in customs or some shit like that.
Before the complains come: Yes, several guys did drive through such countries with their KTMs, I know. There is also guys who are doing this with a Honda C90, or by bycicle. Anything is possible. Thats not my point. ;-)
You don’t know how uncanny the timing of this is.... I am in Melbourne Australia. Was looking at these last week and think they look awesome, but they are quite pricey. Thank you so much for the information, my list just got much shorter 😂 priceless! 🙏🏽
$7490, ride away, is not pricey...? Show me a comparison bike for less
I came for the scammer vids, stayed for the travel and cultural info. You being a Himalayan guy is just a bonus. I bought mine here in the US in January and rode it home in the snow. I would so love to go to Rider Mania in Goa someday.
Although I am from the South i have backpacked all those North Indian states not on a bike but public buses and trains back in 2008-9. I literally slept in the stations and walked most of it for months. RE has the best centre of gravity i have seen on any bike, you can never fall off. I had RE in 2004 during my college days
It’s such a beast bike I wish I can buy it outside of India looks so cool I’ll definitely try to ride it when I visit India one day
It's available all across globe
Yea you can buy it in London
Shashank Sharma yeah ik but it isn’t worth
Timothy On iPad don’t be daft. Plenty of Brit reviews on here.
Fallin Bing what are you on about?
I bought my bike in Canada. It wasn’t crazy cheap, but I wouldn’t trade it for a new KLR or Verses 650. I like the fact that it is not covered in plastic. My bike was very tight when new but I didn’t have the issues that you had. Mine is a 2021 so maybe it’s different, but I have no concerns about the brakes. The back brake is very strong and the ABS is not intrusive. If I’m on pavement and I slam on the brakes the rear tire chirps. The front brake is not as positive as other bikes I have owned; however, no matter what the surface of the road or off road in mud I know that I can hit the brakes without worrying about something strange happening.
A very balanced review Karl. Nice and honest. Thanks so much. I got a Himalayan that is 'scared to come out of the garage' in Pune, due Covid. So have booked the second one here for the North East India. Anyone wishing to ride around (when I am not) on them along the West coast and in the North East of India, be my guest. Let the pandemic ease out a bit first.
Sending a huge shoutout from Canada 🇨🇦 great vid thanks
They are awesome bikes.
I fell in love with them after I rode one in the Himalayas and when I got home I bought one.
Love your video
The service workshop is surprisingly neat and clean.
You're a riot Karl! I paid 6500cad for my 2018, taxes in.. no issues thus far. Servicing is expensive but easy enough to do yourself. Love the bike, has character in spades.
Always enjoy your informative vids.. forget masks, we need oxygen tanks due to the WC being blanketed in heavy smoke from the Calif. Or, and Wa. State fires.
Keep up the great work!
2:17 literally you can feel off-road adventure inside the cities of India 😂
You seem like a person with a lot of purpose in life. Hope you find success with your channel.
Really honest remarks on the bike! I felt like same during the 500km break-in period, but then it got better. I haven't got lots of rusting, but then I agree with using anti-rust type steel. The brakes are all right, considering the weight of the bike, but I'd recommend using rev matching and engine braking in addition to the brakes. Also, considering road driving conditions in India, I'd urge you to be careful. Sometimes not just animals, but people jump out of dividers and from nowhere. My general advice would be to accelerate on known roads. I wished we ever got the klr650, but with bs6 norms and everything, it's probably not going to happen and this is still a good bike for the purpose.
Your channel came across when I was searching for Himalayan videos, first video of yours tht I saw was 'RE in New Zealand' (something like tht) nd glad that I did. Good to see another himalayan video after a long time.
PS: would love to ride together sometime!
Ah cool, you're a rider! Hope to see you on the road one day then. I think my next ride will be Tamil Nadu
@@KarlRock Wow super I am living in Tamilnadu if your planning to vist here I will definitely suggest to take a trip in the border of Western Gatz
They such a blessing places to vist Theni, Tirunelveli, Kanyakumari, Coimbatore and never never miss Kodaikanal..
So if had some other plan it's ok
Just pinnied the place because I have visited and got excited.
Anyway welcome to Tamilnadu
Hari Haran make him trip on mushrooms💆🏼♂️
My husband already did. There are quite a few here in Christchurch NZ
Cool :) I've seen a few around NZ!
Hows the performance?
@@bisnesjaya55 it's perfect for what he needs it for. He's not going to win any races, but it's incredibly economical and a great commuter.
U have few of mass shooting too😂😂
your blogs are just so cool Karl! Keep it up man
I live in a very rainy part of the USA and i agree the Royal Enfields here always sport some rust somewhere.
A Rock review - simple, honest, and, to the point!
Karl rock do visit South India, You will enjoy the trip!
I own himalayan BS4 too and I can relate each and every point you have said.
Malayali aano
Gotta love the style of the "old school" Enfield's. Ahh, the good ol days
Great review, strange that your himalayan rusted, my friend has got a bs4 himalayan since 2018 and its doing great. The engine is good for Indian roads. However if you need to go faster than 90kmph in good roads outside, you need a bigger motorcycle. Anyway its a great and reliable touring motorcycle, Noraly from itchyboots confirmed that.
I would get this exact setup if we had Royal Enfield service centers in the southern USA. A cost effective “under powered” adventure motorcycle would sell very well in this area to new and old riders alike.
Great review Karl!
It's a 1 cylinder engine, it's like working on your lawn motor. Don't let lack of service center deter you. Any mechanic in the world can figure it out in 2 minutes.
Royal Enfield have travel gangs, way way better than any other motorcycle brand in India. The guys travel together very well organized, and some gangs go with wives too. Most of these gangs actually consist of middle aged well respected professional like lawyers, doctors, software engineers, bankers, government servants etc. They travel long distances. Worth a try. The other company which has similar (though fewer in number and frequency) are Thar off road 4x4 jeep of Mahindra & Mahindra. Those guys are a little more well off overall than Royal Enfield gangs, but with the same crazy adventure travel bee inside their heads!
Such a good review, honest and open.
Your channel deserve millions of subscribers
Hey Karl. From the UK and lived in Mumbai for the past 3 years. Bought the BS4 6 months ago. Still have overheating problems (unless 50 degrees is the norm). Great video and subscribed... 👍👍👍
Actually i booked bs6 Himalayan in the month of july 2020. Till now not have taken the delivery. I live in hill station (Shimla) Himachal Pradesh. This will first bike till now so I planned based on your feedbacks. I welcome you and your wife to come to my place once corona finished off. I live in south extension delhi but my home town is Shimla.
Once this pandemic is over I'm going to India to buy this motorcycle and ride it around India as well, glad I found your youtube channel, it's fantastic!
Thanks for the review Mr. Karl,booked it on 31st , waiting for it to come, regards from Dehradun.
0:14 you had to add the drums for people to notice that joke, that’s why I like watching your videos 😂
I added them because it was a really lame joke 😁
Karl Rock 😂
Hi Karl I have been following you for quite a while n just wanted to say glad to see you back again with this Himalayan review. Stay safe. Hope yo see more content from you.
Really honest review 👍👍👍
What a great vid. I've been thinking of getting a small bike with the ability to do green lanes and tracks and some highway in between.
Noraly of Itchy Boots vlog got me interested in the Himalayan. Many informative vlog reviews later I ordered mine today ... 2021 model. Test rode and it passed every test!
It's always interesting to read everyone commenting on getting better bikes which may suit them but not everyone wants 120+kph. I have a 2019 Goldwing for that but the wing doesn't do what the Himalayan does. It fills in the gap eg off road, local trips to the shops or popping into the city. Also small bikes are such fun per se.
Himalayan shouldn't be a poor second choice. If it were, I would probably not choose it but it's great for was it does and for what it is.
Above all ... have fun.
Thanks for the review Karl. Ride safe.
Gonna be an interesting video!
Rust issues can be solved with a simple maintenance. After washing or heavy rain wax the Himalayas thoroughly. I used Formula 1 carnauba wax which cost Rs. 400 or less. Never had a rust issue. And oh.. clean and apply oil on the chain occasionally so that they dont dry out and oiled it religiously after every wash or getting it drenched in the rain. Basic stuff really.
Good review buddy, I test rode when here in Birmingham uk, loved it apart from those mirrors omg
Cheers
Mitch
Turn your bags around if you can, you shouldn’t be getting to vibrations through your foot pegs unless you have a bad motor mount or they could be to tight. Take a look. Love the channel
Yayyy! Another video!
Very informative..thanks for mentioning about the rust issue and water issue with panniers
My dream bike... Royal Enfield Himalayan..... Nice video,Dada.... Namaste...
With love from Assam ,7sisters
North East India
Love you brother,,, your video is very much genuine, I mean it's real fact what u described about RE Himalayan, but it's informative. As you r from New Zealand I love New Zealand. It's a beautiful awesome place. If I could go there my life will be blessed . Thank you for your love for India. Jai Hind 🙏
Great honest review. And your Hindi Rocks! Jai Hind!
Loved the review and found it helpful... Still buying one in the UK tho :/ ignoring that advice lol 😆 😅
I have 12,000 miles on mine. I have not had rust issues. There are nargles with the bike.. but love the breaks and clutch. I practice emergency breaking weekly and it is fine- abs also makes a change of the feel.
It is a very comfortable bike to ride. Slow but comfortable
I like how there are a bunch of RE bag/boxes/parts just thrown behind that wall.
Nice review and honest. I have a Himalayan and took it to the Himalaya, it was the best days of my life
01:59 those guys are in bajaj chethak, they are legends
Hey , nice review u should also start reviewing bikes along with scam vloging , ur views are practical n easy to understand !!!
Excellent review of the Himalayan. the best I found on TH-cam. Honest and to the point. However I am wondering if indeed all Himalayan with ABS have really bad breaks or it just this one owned by Karl.
Karl one problem you didn't faced is Tyre Puncture. Himalayan have tube tyres but fortunately at Chandigarh, there is an Engineer who make the spoke wheel tubeless. I got my Interceptor tubeless at very reasonable price i.e. Rs. 4000/- for both the tyres.
After long time a outdoor video .I love this video
More are coming 😊
@@KarlRock looking forward to them
Haha I had an 07 kawasaki versys 650, orange, and know exactly what you are talking about with vibration/buzzing/rattling changed to an 18 (bs4) himy and havnt looked back, love it, sit at 70/75 no probs at all! Went on a weekend camping trip fully loaded and sat at 70 for a 60 mile stint on a motorway, didn't batter an eyelid.... Oh and the rust, I acf 50 my bike twice a year, autumn and spring, 2 years later not even a rusty nut! Recommend 👍 happy riding people. Ps I'm in UK if that makes any difference to quality!
Thanks! Glad you're enjoying. I think the export versions they use higher quality steel due to some regulations
Bro I have the Himalayan among the other RE 's I own. Just ask the guys at the service center to adjust the disc brakes properly and check for air. The chain rusting can be easily fixed by a good chain lube or oil. The other rusting most of the parts are quite cheap compared to NZ standards that they can be replaced for the nuts and bolts I would recommend getting in touch with some other Himalayan enthusiasts they will be able to help you get them all replaced to stainless steel.. All your problems will be solved.
Just get a new chain, new brake pads for
I've been riding REs off and on for about 12 years and still can't figure out why RE doesn't improve the brakes.
That's one of the main reasons, why you can't cruise at 100kph, because you don't know if it will stop in time or not 😤😤😤
Unfortunately Indian Peoples Comparing This Bike With Other International Bikes That's the main Problem. They Don't Think About The Money They are Spending on this Beautiful Mechaine. Its absolutely Worth For This Money You are Gaving,
Karl, this was great - I have seen so many other reviews but this was/is the best and is exactly what I was looking for. I wanted to so so know whether this bike can start after putting it off for months and then to see if it get started and it does plus the service cost was less than local garage service. Awesome
Probably a lot of ppl might have already recommended ... thought i will share some stuff that i use on my bull...
If i may ......
swap your rear view mirrors for Bajaj avenger mirrors[personal experience .. they are very good ... i use a STD 500.. quite heavily accessorised .. even during high vibrations loss of rear view is still manageable ... try to go for some after market handle bar with a cross bar and a riser ... will help reduce the mirror vibrations to a good extent so your loss of rear view reduces even further .... acerbis hand guard[comes with an internal sturdy aluminium frame] is reasonably good ... not the greatest ... economical and saves your hand during a crash and/or from flying objects on the highway ... since you have toured a lot ... may be you can add some extra white lights[flood or focus] ... will help you during your night travel ... a few others could be .,. a good ecu unit... remote start + theft alarm + hazard lights etc.. these days you get lithium batteries ... if you know some ebike shop .. they can get you a 12V-20 Ah battery ... easy to re-charge ... fast charging available ... much lesser cases of failures ... you can take a windshield flip from bandidos pitstop ... engine guards with sliders ... the list is quite big ....
Safety is not a requirement ... it is a lifestyle ... specifically if you tour on your motorcycle in india ... I am alive and ready for my next ride [ whenever that happens ] because i put in so much of safety in my bike ...
Keep riding .. safely ... you are the best gift to your family ... :)
I was waiting for this video
That's my favourite bike too and planning to buy one.This video is enough to convince my decision to go for it
Nice bike 👍❤ i hope your safe there and i like that you put the clips down so we know what part of the bike your talking about
Thanks!
Glad you are healthy again Karl.
Your point is well taken on buying used over a new Himalayan. But the price will still be the same. A good used bike will run you about $5K and you dont know if it it will need $2K worth of work done on it or not. No warrranty! RE gives 3 years for mostly the same amount of money. And I like the bike. It's simple easy to work on, easy to fix and they stopped making the KLR so parts will start going way up. I know I use to have a V45 Magna and a simple plastic side panel was $100 and that was 10 years ago. RE will make the Himalayan most likely until I am dead and long gone! The Bullet started production in 1932 and they are still making them!
Karl replace the clutch wire with a longer clutch wire use the clutch wire from the bullet... And for the rusting you'll have to do an anti-rust treatment on the chassis and chain... For the panniers you'll have to get rain covers... Ride safe... Happy adventures...
Lovely sweet video and review bro.
It sounds like it takes a few hundred miles to loosen up the RE engine. The 500 is like that that's why it's important to stick to the recommended speeds until its run in, but you knew that anyway I'm sure, great honest review....happy biking!
You Karl Rock are a rare find . No bullsxxxx real world reliable info ...No macho nonsense and a seemingly decent fellow ! Love your assertiveness also in dealing with people . All this comes from a discerning, cynical and often disappointed older man with a life of much world experience. Thanks for your work . If I have time to watch more maybe I will join your premium feed.Bill in UK
If you like a light clutch pull: Kawasaki. When I went shopping, the Kawasaki's all stood out positively with a light clutch pull. I picked up a Z900RS last year, love it. Not really suitable for the rough roads though.
4:34 This is where the old RE Parts go...
I am eagerly waiting your channel to hit 1million subscribers😍🎇
Nice review !
Hi Karl as a fellow enduro/adventure biker, India looks great
karl explained well than other youtubers with crazy cinematography
Thanks Bro
This video is informative and hilarious! The mirrors “don’t extend enough so they stare at your pits”.
About the break in period.... It feels rough because it is supposed to be that way, bike come with crude oil when it come from the factory, and in the first service... They change oil and add proper engine oil... After which it becomes truly smooth.
Yes... I already bought after watching your video... Thanks 🙏
Honestly all Royal Enfields are amazing!!
actually they are amazing but these shapes of Himalayan and interceptor 650 are amazing
Until u own one
@@parveshsingh8756 😂😂😂
Agreed
@@BondJFK seriously avenger and dominar😂
It's a mind blowing review 👍
This is such a good video :))
Been busy missed ya video time to catch up 🤩🤪
I think the 650 will be a good seller in the USA. We typically cruise at 120kph or more. A six speed gear box is a must!
Ace review thanks for posting :)
karl this review has cleared all of my doubts about Buying this bike thank you so much for the neutral perspective review
I am from Europe and i would also buy it second hand... the biggest issue we have here is that RE Spare Parts are not availble... the basic parts are there Oilfilter / Airfilter to do the service and charge you a lot for it but if you want it to do it yourself. It is not possible to get the parts
ok ! teeke !! thank you karl it was very informative.
Great review and good advise at the end. Looking at one here in Canada and new they are about $8000 after taxes. I can buy a 5 year old BMW f800GS for less money. I did test drive the Himalayan and really loved the little bike but I just can’t justify that kind of money.