I have a Himalayan 450, I bought it a few months ago at the start of the summer. It is a magnificent machine! It offers real-world performance at an amazing price (I have owned an Africa Twin 1100 in the past). I love my 450, it provides all the things I like and need in a motorcycle. I can confirm that it’ll do 80+ mph consistently on a motorway, but this is not what it was built for. I strongly recommend this bike to anybody who has doubts.
@@fredjashar9586 Ah, “motorway” is the English word for what American’s call “freeway.” It’s okay on the motorway for short journeys, say 30 - 50 miles, and it will hold 80mph. But this is not what it’s best for, it’s much better on the twisties and smaller country lanes, including unpaved tracks. It’s quite a big framed bike for its capacity and it will take a pillion but you need to be conscious that it’s only 40 bhp. I have a larger machine which I use for two-up tours and day trips.
This company takes pride in building a quality motorcycle. They create brand loyalty and a relationship for a lifetime for people who enjoy motorcycles. This is a standard to be proud of and is why they have been around for so long. If a dealership comes close to me here in America, I am sure going to check them out. Thanks to your shows you have brought the Legends of Royal Enfield to my attention and the World.
@@sureshkumar054 Royal Enfield has earned it around the world from what I have observed here on you tube. You should be proud. God Bless you my friend.
I wanted to believe that, and I have bought 3 Royal Enfields over the past 5 years. The build quality has been fine. My problem has been the recent collapse in the price of my meteor because of the way they dumped so many bikes on their main supplier. The parts supply was also a disaster. I was planning on buying the shotgun this season but won't buy anymore. They have shot themselves in the foot and clearly didn't care about the brand loyalty they had built up in the UK.
Good afternoon Stewart. Sunday I got talking to a guy who has one of these bikes when we stopped for a cuppa. I was well impressed feeling the artwork on his tank. I didn't feel any ridges at all! I think RE just keeps getting better and better as each production model comes out! In a previous vid you mentioned how people will talk to you about Royal Enfield bikes. My best ever encounter yet was sitting at traffic lights when a car pulled up next to me. A young Indian lad I'm guessing about 10 or 12 leaned out the rear window and said... Hay Mr! My granddad builds them bikes back home in India. His parents face dropped. So I replied, really? We you can tell your granddad from me he's doing a great job coz I luv it. He grinned from ear to ear bless him, and his mother sat smiling at me. A very enjoyable appraisal of this bike but I'm keeping my RE 650 Super Meteor twinn sir! Safe riding 👍😊...
I'm waiting for RE to produce an inline 6....not. Why do people in the comments always want one size up from what is already on offer and is more than they really need? As Nathan the Postman remarks, this is to hide their inadequacies as riders🎉🎉🎉
Exactly. Every damn motorcycle review on TH-cam is filled with comments like that. No matter what size engine there's always somebody saying you'll outgrow it or it's not fast enough. Blah blah blah. Same with cars. Very annoying.
Lots of people would rather talk about doing something than actually do it. But that's embarassing, so they have to make up a justification to save face. I'm not going to go ask that girl out because she's only a seven. If she was a nine, I'd totally talk to her. But instead I'll just sit here with my hands in my pockets while I wait for my nine to show up.
I finally had a chance to see the 452 Sunday on the One Ride in Leon, Mexico. My first generation Himalayan, a 23 is crude in comparison, but, my little tractor is durable. I have 10,000 miles on it since I bought it in July last year, 6,000 of those spent on Mexican roads, sometimes, no roads. If the new Himalayan is as durable as my little Hoss, they have a winner. 👍
Thank you Stuart. I just wish to mention that some of these features on this bike are not standard. Like the screen is the taller option. Tubeless wheels are not standard on the whole range . The handle bar mount pad. Luggage. The hand guards. (if you mentioned this sorry I missed it). But I think this will be my next bike. A Jack of all trades.
I've never been an off road bike rider. Never really liked adventure bikes. That said, the stuff that the motorcycle industry is coming up with is real nice. This Royal is a perfect example. Congratulations on your bike.
To be perfectly honest Stu, I purchased a BMW GS1200 from new several years ago. The bike was not used in the winter and only got wet when I washed it. After three years I decided to sell the bike to fund the purchase of my Goldwing DCT. I was very disappointed with the finish of some of the components fitted to the bike, in particular some of the fasteners where looking decidedly corroded. I thought all the fasteners on the bike were made from stainless steel but obviously not. The exhaust and it’s mounting brackets were also looking rather tired too. For a bike that was always garaged and only ridden on dry summer roads I was rather disappointed with the overall quality of the bike. I suppose the fittings etc on the bike were specified by the Accountants at BMW as opposed to the Engineers.
I had the opportunity to borrow this bike earlier this season from the local dealer and found myself all of a sudden having put over 50 miles to the clock. A very comfortable and nice ride for sure. If it was not for me owning a pretty new Scram 411, I would probably have bought this bike right away. 😆👍
Great video Stu. I think Royal Enfield are the masters of the matt/eggshell paint finish. They've been building motorcycles for the military since the 1950's after all and my Battle Green Classic 500 also has flawless matt paintwork and there is a lot of it on the military style 500's!! My 411 Himalayan also has a matt finish on its tank and it too is flawless. This new 450 is most definitely a step up for Royal Enfield when it comes to the competition. I wouldn't give the Triumph 400's or KTM 390's a second glance tbh. I don't like all these TFT screens though but interestingly there is an analogue screen option on the new Himalayan 450.
A really comprehensive walk around Stuart. I really like this bike. I had a good look and a sit on one last November at the EICMA show. I was also impressed with the quality. A great value bike. Probably all any of us need. Looking forward to the ride review. (BTW, it was great to meet you and Paula last week)
I keep hearing that the majority owner of the company, a Mr Sid , has been working very hard to elevate the brand royal Enfield and what it stands for.. Can't wait till 2025 to get my hands on the new Himalayan
Balanced,informative review as ever Stu .As a 450 owner , I would compare this bike with the pre 2007 F650GS ( which I also owned ) , but much better . I am considering putting a one tooth larger front sprocket on to lower revs around 60 mph as I mostly do road riding .
As a F650gs owner i would like to know what is so much better ? I realy like the new Himi .But when comparing both bikes specs my 20 Year old F/ GS still winns.
Thanks Stu ! The most anticipated review of the last year and worth the wait ! Plenty of gravel back roads here in Vermont to explore. Appreciate your input very much.
I've owned BMW'S. 1970 R75/5, 1976 R 90/6, 1985 K100RT, 1988? K75RT, 1988 R100RS, 1998 K100RS, 2005 650 Paris Dakar. I agree, BMW does not have the quality it used to. I presently ride a 2019 Moto Guzzi V7iii Stone, quality like the old days, best bike yet..... UNTIL. I have just ordered a 2025 Royal Enfield 450 Himalayan. I am amazed at the foresight of this company. 10 years in R&D and they hit a market hotspot bullseye! The outstanding handling on and off road,engine performance and fuel economy, 6spd trans, excellent Showa suspension, comfortable seat, amazing looks, superb quality, unbelievable price, 3yr unlimited mileage warranty that also covers accessories. The only downside is, it won't be here until spring. Oh yeah, almost forgot. The drive by wire throttle takes some getting used to. It takes more of a turn to get things boiling than a cable setup. I suppose this could be reprogrammed.
Good review Stuart, it's the first review bike I've seen that's clearly been fitted out with I'd say all the availble Enfield accessories, full touring kit, touring seats, engine bars, protective guards both headlamp and radiator, oh and the taller touring screen which incidentally most reviewers say makes little improvement over the standard screen. Looking forward to your suming up 👍
Great detailed review. "Royal Enfield are way ahead of everybody", at this price point, AGREED. I trust your scrutiny as you've got experience with RE's and others as well. Thank you. I plan on buying a Himalayan. Which model, I'm still deciding. I've awakened to the great value of the 411, as a shorter rider. I am having a hard time finding a newer, low mileage example on the used market, so I may have to spend more on this new model. Since I am 167 cms, and because I like my feet as flat as possible, and I've also heard its a bit top-heavy, I will have to decide when I sit on it. This paint scheme and accessories are exactly how I would like mine.
Thanks Stuart. A couple of points: That Himalayan 450 has the taller wind deflector (screen) fitted, which is an option. This is the premium model which has that awesome (IMHO) paint scheme, which is the only one available with rims for tubeless tyres - "lesser" models need tubed tyres. Royal Enfield have really improved their production standards and now make one of the best quality motorcycles available - and that at such a palatable price point!
Good morning Stu. Another very good video. The bike seems to have a very high spec. You almost made me want one. It’s certainly got features that I would have liked on my Interceptor. I am looking forward to to the main review.
Fun Fact : CEAT Limited (formerly, Cavi Elettrici e Affini Torino) like royal Enfield used to be a European brand during the great war before they were taken over . Now its a Indian tire company that is growing back to be its former self
Brilliant video as always Stuart and I really like the look of these 450's, especially with the luggage and boxes on the front frames. The top down view is awesome, is that a USB charger under that pad on the handle bars 😃👍🏻
I bought one in the Hanle Black because I like black and I prefer a gloss finish. I've just hit the 300 miles running in period. Thoughts so far - quality is what you should expect from a modern motorcycle, so on a par with Japanese and European machines. Handling on the road so far is very good. I expected it to be slow handling with the 21 inch front wheel, but this isn't apparent. The tyres are good for road riding, but will be too easily clogged on muddy trails, so I'm planning to change those out for 50/50 tyres. Compared to the Scram that I had before, it is more peppy and revs easily and I have taken a pillion and it is more than competent with her on the back - she was happy with the passenger comfort. It reaches and holds dual carriageway speeds easily, so would be a decent all round commuter, trail rider and tourer. For the money, with a three year warranty it is hard to beat. I'm a happy customer.
You've got your hands on a Himmy. I love my 411. I suspect I'll be giving one of these a test ridevat some point. Very interesting observations. Thank you.
Welding ? , Stewart my Brother ,, most of the welds on Motorcycle Chassis are ' Fillet ' welds , yes there are a few ' Butt ' welds for sure . Boilermaker welder of 40 yrs here , and yes I am impressed with my Interceptor frame welds . Great review as always .
Great walk around, Stu! It was indeed Norton, that introduced the Isolastic suspension system, which was a game changer in the class. I’m pretty sure that others will point that out, as well, but I’ll likely not be reading all their responses……😉😎
I absolutely love the sculpted shape of the front mud guard! It has a little up turn right at the tip that I like. I know that’s just a little thing,but I simply despise the down turned tip on the fender of my Honda 300 Rally and the KLR 650.
Great walk around and explanation of the features. As someone else has commented, perhaps in one of the future videos you could go through what is standard and what extras have been added, and their cost, to the bike Royal Enfield have supplied to you. I think the basic bike is quite good value for money, but the price once you start to accessorise starts to creep to a point where it’s going to loose sales to the Triumph 400’s and the CF Moto MT450. At the moment what’s working in RE’s favour, is the availability of those other models and people’s willingness to put down deposits and wait 6 months for bike to come back into stock.
Thank you for this detailed look at the new 450. Rode a KLR650 all over the Sonoran Desert years ago and always said that it may not get me there fast, but it would get me back. I'm in Cambodia and the Himalayan 450 is now available here. The simplicity and functionality looks like it could make a good explorer. I ride around town on a bodged up SuperCub (and loving it), but this gives me thought for something to cover the variety of surface conditions I encounter. Your review has been very helpful!
Like you I like the classic look on a motorcycle. Same with cars. Having said that I still drive a 4x4 SUV because of it´s practicality and towing ability. This would be the motorcycle SUV. Not very pretty but a superb travelling companion. I like how you take the practical aproach and I like what RE has done with this bike. It was important for them to get it right after the status that the old Himi achieved and I think they got it right. And it is almost ready to go from the unboxing, although to go around the world some items need to be added. It is good to get a review from a grown up rider with life long riding experience, who is focusing on the important stuff. Well done, and I look forward to the next part of this review.
Thanks Stuart for your great reviews! I've done a fair bit of reading about this bike and last week took a test ride. I agree, quality has improved a lot and I'm seriously considering buying one. However, there are a few things that argue against quality. There is no excuse for releasing the bike with the side stand the way it is. I'm a big guy with long legs so it's not a big deal to me personally but could be a very big deal to some. The 411 I owned had a worthless ambient temperature gauge and the compass was a joke - more like a wheel of fortune. I've read that the 450's temp. gauge is better but still not very accurate. Another obvious failure is the small, dim turn signal indicators on the TFT. This is a safety issue, IMO. I know all bikes have their quirks and the rider can adapt to them but obvious design errors make me question whether more serious design details in the engine have been overlooked.
ooh thats a bit of a leap! i think you might be overthinking things where the engine is concerned. RE have wonderful reputation for engine design and quality.
Value for money, yes please bring it on! Let's be honest the big manufacturers are taking the Mickey with their pricing, thankfully Royal Enfield have a different take on reality!
A really nice review thanks i do like Royal Enfield a lot & would love to own one even at 74 years Young my best wishes to you from the Philippines ❤️💪👍😉😀😁🏁🏍️🛺🐑🇵🇭🏴⭐
Your on about the decal on the tank and I can see the decal runs into the inward shape of the side bulge and edge of the rearward indent where you may not feel a ridge , cleverly done .
👋 Stu seems like quite the piece I like alot of it's features but am definitely waiting for R.E to do a classic 650 + maybe a 750 aircooled twin got the interceptor to accompany my t100 triumph l/c 40000 miles on the triumph. About 5000 on the R.E and I just got it in May looking forward to many more , as always great video maybe I'd get one just to "green lane" really nice the rear light obliteration . Not to keen on the dial.😂 I don't believe it'd be a deal breaker.
Good review... I find centre stand more of a pain than the side stand issues people say about because it can be a pain to get it off when loaded... almost like it goes back at an angle more than others, but it's not overly hard
Nice honest review and I agree this seems a quality bike and on par with bmw ( 20 years of various R1200's but not a GS) and the Hanle Black paint is comparable to my old black 2007 R1200S. Maybe the eu ordered water based paints here are not as deep as the RE use? Frame paint and cable routing, wiring etc and underseat observations do appear as good as any other machine and this is one third the price of a new bmw R1200RS SE (my other bike is a 2017 model) Looking forward to having my first service tomorrow and having access to another 2000rpm!
Thanks for the detailed reveiw of the Himalayan 450. One concern I have is repairing the electronics, the ride by wire trottle and rider modes etc. I'm watching this from Fiji, where there are no dealers and so will have to do all the mainternance myself. Do you know what the tecnical support for this bike is like. Thanks Simon
A good walk round Stu..... Not my cup of darjeeling but horses for courses, how much does this cost with all the bells and whistles fitted extra for the adventure dreamers who looking the part is essential?
I like it. I’d like to see more light on the back but perhaps it looks brighter in person than on the camera. My only reservation is the amount of digital trickery. Admittedly it’s not something I’m used to, but it’s smart and I’d get used to it. BUT, I noticed there’s a miles to go before service icon. Is that going to cause problems for those of us who like to and are quite capable of servicing our own bikes I wonder? Is it going to mean a trip to the dealer to clear red flashing warning lights? That would be a real pain and could be pricey. Look forward to the on road review 🙂
My reservations about the 450 Himalayan are the apparently very peaky engine and the tubeless rims. I love the tubeless rims, but Hagon's told me that they are nearly impossible to true and consequently they will not work on those wheels. I don't know how the wheel manufacturers do it, maybe they have a special jig?
Craig, from Doghouse Customs, had a nightmare trying to true similar timeless rims. He's built thousands of tubed and spoked rims, but he eventually gave up on the spoked, tubeless rim he was trying to true.
Stuart, many thanks for an extremely comprehensive review of the new Himalayan. RE just keep moving it to a higher level and are certainly setting a benchmark for others to achieve. One question that has been driving me crazy for a very long time - please tell me what the heck TFT stands for???
Thin Film Transistor: A type of transistor that's used in LCD displays to improve image quality. TFT displays are also known as active-matrix LCDs. They offer the best resolution of all flat-panel techniques, but they're also one of the most expensive.
I like your videos and I am ok withthe quality RE delivers. But I do not think that it is on a level with BMW. I had an Interceptor 650 and the bike was great. But not as good as my GS. So far I have not had the chance to check the new 450. So perhaps my view is not fully right....
himalayan is better quality than a gs no doubt about. an interceptor is not a Himalayan and it is 3 platform genetations older than the Himalayan so is nowhere near the same quality.
one big thing i didn't see you addressing that was a big part of the marketing is the navigation on the new speedo screen, have you been able to test that out yet? looks like a big step up from the old tripper
It works well, however you need to keep the phone screen on which will drain the phone battery quickly. I use it inside city and got a car play device for longer trips.
Hmm. For some reason they are still not really ashore here in the USA. I think we get version 2 here for all of the new releases from RE. Looking forward to seeing one in the flesh. Seems beyond expectations!
People do miss a major point here - the RE is one of the few bikes designed from the ground up as an ADV bike - engine, chassis etc - look at the T7 uses a road bike engine…
Nathan the postman was not impressed with it. Compared with the 411cc older one. Seems they had some trouble in India with after market engine guards causing the engine to "Drop" ??
Hello there. Just for understanding, how much did this bike costed in total with all that official additional accessories, that your had installed on it?..
Another comment… I have bought the touring screen and I have to say it’s not it’s not great… nor is the standard screen, I suffer significant wind buffet with both. I am waiting for a third-party screen to be available, it’s such a new bike that the accessories market has not caught up with it yet. In my opinion, the screen is the only weakness of the bike.
Hey Stu, great walk around of the Himmy, I have the exact same one here in Chennai and just rigged my Givi 36l panniers to the Royal Enfield pannier racks, the boxes are 36l and are slightly longer which makes putting on the center stand a bit harder Also because of the lean angle of the side stand, one can't seem to stand on the side footpeg for mounting and have to basically swing ones leg over , have u found this when you were mounting and dismounting from the bike? Regards Noel
@@stuartfillingham hey Stewart, with the previous Himalayan i always used the side stand /footpeg, approach , and been fairly chunky had no issues with the previous Himmy over the course of 5 years, and judging by the beefyness of this machine, it should pose no issue . The throw your leg over approach gets hindered quite a bit if doing long touring and one has a bag slung across the pillion area, and thus the cowboy mount as I think it's called is preferable lol
lol no me neither and ive done substantial miles on this bike. problem is most you tube reviews are just cut and paste versions of other reviews they have watched. i dont watch other reviews so my opinion is based on my own judgement.
I'm amazed the rear lights are legal, they are dangerous, the indicators are over powered by the brake lights. They aren't as bad as BMW but still not safe
Can anyone say if we can buy Ceat tyres in the UK ? As someone who was very happy back in the 80s the with indestructable Pneumant tyres. I do not want or need soft, sticky, short-lived tyres and I was hoping the Ceat range may be a more sensible option.
The Himalayan is a nice bike but in my opinion, completely let down by the digital display and that would be the only reason for me not buying one ! The digital display just looks wrong on a RE bike or any bike to me and I hate this trend of a TFT display on practically every bike today and car. Make it optional ! I don't need modes or any of that other Shite !
Another great walk around review, thanks Stu. Also another great bike from RE except for that display. Give me two nice dials and a couple of idiot lights that suits me as the idiot riding it.
I need to have another look but I have same paint scheme I don't think there's a lacquer over the tank, my impression was its a matt finish tank with stickers. Its a fantastic bike thats got lovely plush suspension and pin sharp handling for its type.
The slit in the handguards is a bit daft - everything else is well thought out and while i am sure that somebody somewhere reasoned for it in a super aggressive manner, as a UK all weather rider i see zero advantage and it would drive me to an aftermarket solution
@@stuartfillingham granted but unless you slap muffs over them or can fit some bark buster blizzards, you're needing a 2nd set if you do want a bit of wind cover, just an odd slit and a new one on me
BMW build quality ha ha. Ivve bought a number of bikes new and the worst, byy far, was a BMC K75C. eg. 4000km, both fork seals leaking, 10k km, speed failed. Then speed sender in right angle drive failed. Speed failed again, alternator drive, rear drum shoes return spring broke, paint faded badly, many other things. What a dud. Compared with for example, Virago 750 - 40k km, not one thing failed, didn't even need valve clearance adjustment.
And thus you learned the bitter way, that BMW does NOT stand for Bayerne Motoren Werk but rather Bring My Workshop and Break My Wallet over my Big Money Waste of a Bee eM trouble-yeW 😆😈
I have a Himalayan 450, I bought it a few months ago at the start of the summer. It is a magnificent machine! It offers real-world performance at an amazing price (I have owned an Africa Twin 1100 in the past). I love my 450, it provides all the things I like and need in a motorcycle. I can confirm that it’ll do 80+ mph consistently on a motorway, but this is not what it was built for. I strongly recommend this bike to anybody who has doubts.
Black & Gold with Gold Wheels. That would be my choice.
If I may ask, how does it go on a freelance, and is it suitable for a pillion passenger? Thanks
Freeway!
@@fredjashar9586 Ah, “motorway” is the English word for what American’s call “freeway.” It’s okay on the motorway for short journeys, say 30 - 50 miles, and it will hold 80mph. But this is not what it’s best for, it’s much better on the twisties and smaller country lanes, including unpaved tracks. It’s quite a big framed bike for its capacity and it will take a pillion but you need to be conscious that it’s only 40 bhp. I have a larger machine which I use for two-up tours and day trips.
This company takes pride in building a quality motorcycle. They create brand loyalty and a relationship for a lifetime for people who enjoy motorcycles. This is a standard to be proud of and is why they have been around for so long. If a dealership comes close to me here in America, I am sure going to check them out. Thanks to your shows you have brought the Legends of Royal Enfield to my attention and the World.
Proud to be an Indian brand
🤦@@sureshkumar054
@@sureshkumar054 Royal Enfield has earned it around the world from what I have observed here on you tube. You should be proud. God Bless you my friend.
@@vincesacca5025 thank you God bless you too my friend
I wanted to believe that, and I have bought 3 Royal Enfields over the past 5 years. The build quality has been fine. My problem has been the recent collapse in the price of my meteor because of the way they dumped so many bikes on their main supplier. The parts supply was also a disaster. I was planning on buying the shotgun this season but won't buy anymore. They have shot themselves in the foot and clearly didn't care about the brand loyalty they had built up in the UK.
Good afternoon Stewart. Sunday I got talking to a guy who has one of these bikes when we stopped for a cuppa. I was well impressed feeling the artwork on his tank. I didn't feel any ridges at all! I think RE just keeps getting better and better as each production model comes out! In a previous vid you mentioned how people will talk to you about Royal Enfield bikes. My best ever encounter yet was sitting at traffic lights when a car pulled up next to me. A young Indian lad I'm guessing about 10 or 12 leaned out the rear window and said... Hay Mr! My granddad builds them bikes back home in India. His parents face dropped. So I replied, really? We you can tell your granddad from me he's doing a great job coz I luv it. He grinned from ear to ear bless him, and his mother sat smiling at me. A very enjoyable appraisal of this bike but I'm keeping my RE 650 Super Meteor twinn sir! Safe riding 👍😊...
I'm waiting for RE to produce an inline 6....not. Why do people in the comments always want one size up from what is already on offer and is more than they really need? As Nathan the Postman remarks, this is to hide their inadequacies as riders🎉🎉🎉
Exactly. Every damn motorcycle review on TH-cam is filled with comments like that. No matter what size engine there's always somebody saying you'll outgrow it or it's not fast enough. Blah blah blah. Same with cars. Very annoying.
You will need to have a big engine if you have a small ego or a tiny pen......
Lots of people would rather talk about doing something than actually do it. But that's embarassing, so they have to make up a justification to save face. I'm not going to go ask that girl out because she's only a seven. If she was a nine, I'd totally talk to her. But instead I'll just sit here with my hands in my pockets while I wait for my nine to show up.
I finally had a chance to see the 452 Sunday on the One Ride in Leon, Mexico. My first generation Himalayan, a 23 is crude in comparison, but, my little tractor is durable. I have 10,000 miles on it since I bought it in July last year, 6,000 of those spent on Mexican roads, sometimes, no roads. If the new Himalayan is as durable as my little Hoss, they have a winner. 👍
Thank you Stuart. I just wish to mention that some of these features on this bike are not standard. Like the screen is the taller option. Tubeless wheels are not standard on the whole range . The handle bar mount pad. Luggage. The hand guards. (if you mentioned this sorry I missed it). But I think this will be my next bike. A Jack of all trades.
I've never been an off road bike rider. Never really liked adventure bikes. That said, the stuff that the motorcycle industry is coming up with is real nice. This Royal is a perfect example. Congratulations on your bike.
To be perfectly honest Stu, I purchased a BMW GS1200 from new several years ago. The bike was not used in the winter and only got wet when I washed it. After three years I decided to sell the bike to fund the purchase of my Goldwing DCT. I was very disappointed with the finish of some of the components fitted to the bike, in particular some of the fasteners where looking decidedly corroded. I thought all the fasteners on the bike were made from stainless steel but obviously not. The exhaust and it’s mounting brackets were also looking rather tired too. For a bike that was always garaged and only ridden on dry summer roads I was rather disappointed with the overall quality of the bike. I suppose the fittings etc on the bike were specified by the Accountants at BMW as opposed to the Engineers.
They saved several Euros on each bike only to lose thousands in lost sales.
@@d.f.9064 very good point!
I had the opportunity to borrow this bike earlier this season from the local dealer and found myself all of a sudden having put over 50 miles to the clock. A very comfortable and nice ride for sure. If it was not for me owning a pretty new Scram 411, I would probably have bought this bike right away. 😆👍
What a great review Stuart, really objective and I am really looking forward to your final appraisal. Keep up the good work
Great video Stu. I think Royal Enfield are the masters of the matt/eggshell paint finish. They've been building motorcycles for the military since the 1950's after all and my Battle Green Classic 500 also has flawless matt paintwork and there is a lot of it on the military style 500's!! My 411 Himalayan also has a matt finish on its tank and it too is flawless. This new 450 is most definitely a step up for Royal Enfield when it comes to the competition. I wouldn't give the Triumph 400's or KTM 390's a second glance tbh. I don't like all these TFT screens though but interestingly there is an analogue screen option on the new Himalayan 450.
Very interesting video, didn't expect a Himalayan review from you. thankyou.
A really comprehensive walk around Stuart. I really like this bike. I had a good look and a sit on one last November at the EICMA show. I was also impressed with the quality. A great value bike. Probably all any of us need. Looking forward to the ride review. (BTW, it was great to meet you and Paula last week)
I keep hearing that the majority owner of the company, a Mr Sid , has been working very hard to elevate the brand royal Enfield and what it stands for.. Can't wait till 2025 to get my hands on the new Himalayan
Balanced,informative review as ever Stu .As a 450 owner , I would compare this bike with the pre 2007 F650GS ( which I also owned ) , but much better . I am considering putting a one tooth larger front sprocket on to lower revs around 60 mph as I mostly do road riding .
As a F650gs owner i would like to know what is so much better ? I realy like the new Himi .But when comparing both bikes specs my 20 Year old F/ GS still winns.
Thanks Stu !
The most anticipated review of the last year and worth the wait !
Plenty of gravel back roads here in Vermont to explore. Appreciate your input very much.
I've owned BMW'S. 1970 R75/5, 1976 R 90/6, 1985 K100RT, 1988? K75RT, 1988 R100RS, 1998 K100RS, 2005 650 Paris Dakar. I agree, BMW does not have the quality it used to. I presently ride a 2019 Moto Guzzi V7iii Stone, quality like the old days, best bike yet..... UNTIL. I have just ordered a 2025 Royal Enfield 450 Himalayan. I am amazed at the foresight of this company. 10 years in R&D and they hit a market hotspot bullseye! The outstanding handling on and off road,engine performance and fuel economy, 6spd trans, excellent Showa suspension, comfortable seat, amazing looks, superb quality, unbelievable price, 3yr unlimited mileage warranty that also covers accessories. The only downside is, it won't be here until spring. Oh yeah, almost forgot. The drive by wire throttle takes some getting used to. It takes more of a turn to get things boiling than a cable setup. I suppose this could be reprogrammed.
Good review Stuart, it's the first review bike I've seen that's clearly been fitted out with I'd say all the availble Enfield accessories, full touring kit, touring seats, engine bars, protective guards both headlamp and radiator, oh and the taller touring screen which incidentally most reviewers say makes little improvement over the standard screen.
Looking forward to your suming up 👍
Stuart and a Himi - finally it happens - Great!
Great detailed review Stu!! Glad to see you're peat free....😊
Enjoying this almost perfect mid segment motorcycle
Great detailed review. "Royal Enfield are way ahead of everybody", at this price point, AGREED. I trust your scrutiny as you've got experience with RE's and others as well.
Thank you. I plan on buying a Himalayan. Which model, I'm still deciding.
I've awakened to the great value of the 411, as a shorter rider. I am having a hard time finding a newer, low mileage example on the used market, so I may have to spend more on this new model. Since I am 167 cms, and because I like my feet as flat as possible, and I've also heard its a bit top-heavy, I will have to decide when I sit on it. This paint scheme and accessories are exactly how I would like mine.
Thanks Stuart.
A couple of points:
That Himalayan 450 has the taller wind deflector (screen) fitted, which is an option.
This is the premium model which has that awesome (IMHO) paint scheme, which is the only one available with rims for tubeless tyres - "lesser" models need tubed tyres.
Royal Enfield have really improved their production standards and now make one of the best quality motorcycles available - and that at such a palatable price point!
Good comments.. First person I see who gives his opinion on the painting of a motorcycle...👍
Good morning Stu. Another very good video. The bike seems to have a very high spec. You almost made me want one. It’s certainly got features that I would have liked on my Interceptor. I am looking forward to to the main review.
Bardzo dobra recenzja.... jestem nowym posiadaczem właśnie takiego modelu. Dziękuję
Fun Fact : CEAT Limited (formerly, Cavi Elettrici e Affini Torino) like royal Enfield used to be a European brand during the great war before they were taken over . Now its a Indian tire company that is growing back to be its former self
Brilliant video as always Stuart and I really like the look of these 450's, especially with the luggage and boxes on the front frames. The top down view is awesome, is that a USB charger under that pad on the handle bars 😃👍🏻
Thanks 👍 and yes it is!
I bought one in the Hanle Black because I like black and I prefer a gloss finish. I've just hit the 300 miles running in period. Thoughts so far - quality is what you should expect from a modern motorcycle, so on a par with Japanese and European machines. Handling on the road so far is very good. I expected it to be slow handling with the 21 inch front wheel, but this isn't apparent. The tyres are good for road riding, but will be too easily clogged on muddy trails, so I'm planning to change those out for 50/50 tyres.
Compared to the Scram that I had before, it is more peppy and revs easily and I have taken a pillion and it is more than competent with her on the back - she was happy with the passenger comfort. It reaches and holds dual carriageway speeds easily, so would be a decent all round commuter, trail rider and tourer. For the money, with a three year warranty it is hard to beat. I'm a happy customer.
You've got your hands on a Himmy. I love my 411. I suspect I'll be giving one of these a test ridevat some point.
Very interesting observations.
Thank you.
I have a New Himi 450 on order it will be sharing garage space with my interceptor, Super Meteor and 411 Himi
Welding ? , Stewart my Brother ,, most of the welds on Motorcycle Chassis are ' Fillet ' welds , yes there are a few ' Butt ' welds for sure .
Boilermaker welder of 40 yrs here , and yes I am impressed with my Interceptor frame welds .
Great review as always .
so where were you the other week when i asked for advice on welding terminology?
@@stuartfillingham I work FIFO in Australis 12 and one ,, ( aussie workers know this ) 84 and 72 hour working weeks Boilermaking .
Great walk around, Stu! It was indeed Norton, that introduced the Isolastic suspension system, which was a game changer in the class. I’m pretty sure that others will point that out, as well, but I’ll likely not be reading all their responses……😉😎
Ey up Stu. Always a good day when you post!
I absolutely love the sculpted shape of the front mud guard! It has a little up turn right at the tip that I like. I know that’s just a little thing,but I simply despise the down turned tip on the fender of my Honda 300 Rally and the KLR 650.
Great walk around and explanation of the features. As someone else has commented, perhaps in one of the future videos you could go through what is standard and what extras have been added, and their cost, to the bike Royal Enfield have supplied to you. I think the basic bike is quite good value for money, but the price once you start to accessorise starts to creep to a point where it’s going to loose sales to the Triumph 400’s and the CF Moto MT450. At the moment what’s working in RE’s favour, is the availability of those other models and people’s willingness to put down deposits and wait 6 months for bike to come back into stock.
Thank you for this detailed look at the new 450. Rode a KLR650 all over the Sonoran Desert years ago and always said that it may not get me there fast, but it would get me back. I'm in Cambodia and the Himalayan 450 is now available here. The simplicity and functionality looks like it could make a good explorer. I ride around town on a bodged up SuperCub (and loving it), but this gives me thought for something to cover the variety of surface conditions I encounter. Your review has been very helpful!
Like you I like the classic look on a motorcycle. Same with cars. Having said that I still drive a 4x4 SUV because of it´s practicality and towing ability. This would be the motorcycle SUV. Not very pretty but a superb travelling companion. I like how you take the practical aproach and I like what RE has done with this bike. It was important for them to get it right after the status that the old Himi achieved and I think they got it right. And it is almost ready to go from the unboxing, although to go around the world some items need to be added. It is good to get a review from a grown up rider with life long riding experience, who is focusing on the important stuff. Well done, and I look forward to the next part of this review.
Thanks Stuart for your great reviews! I've done a fair bit of reading about this bike and last week took a test ride. I agree, quality has improved a lot and I'm seriously considering buying one. However, there are a few things that argue against quality. There is no excuse for releasing the bike with the side stand the way it is. I'm a big guy with long legs so it's not a big deal to me personally but could be a very big deal to some. The 411 I owned had a worthless ambient temperature gauge and the compass was a joke - more like a wheel of fortune. I've read that the 450's temp. gauge is better but still not very accurate. Another obvious failure is the small, dim turn signal indicators on the TFT. This is a safety issue, IMO. I know all bikes have their quirks and the rider can adapt to them but obvious design errors make me question whether more serious design details in the engine have been overlooked.
ooh thats a bit of a leap! i think you might be overthinking things where the engine is concerned. RE have wonderful reputation for engine design and quality.
Value for money, yes please bring it on! Let's be honest the big manufacturers are taking the Mickey with their pricing, thankfully Royal Enfield have a different take on reality!
Good review Stu.
RE ought to do a little tool box to replace the crossbar pad for those who want to. Ooh! dragon's den idea 😊
A really nice review thanks i do like Royal Enfield a lot & would love to own one even at 74 years Young my best wishes to you from the Philippines ❤️💪👍😉😀😁🏁🏍️🛺🐑🇵🇭🏴⭐
Good review on the 450. I would love to take one for a ride. I think I prefer the instruments on my 411 though.
Your on about the decal on the tank and I can see the decal runs into the inward shape of the side bulge and edge of the rearward indent where you may not feel a ridge , cleverly done .
👋 Stu seems like quite the piece I like alot of it's features but am definitely waiting for R.E to do a classic 650 + maybe a 750 aircooled twin got the interceptor to accompany my t100 triumph l/c 40000 miles on the triumph. About 5000 on the R.E and I just got it in May looking forward to many more , as always great video maybe I'd get one just to "green lane" really nice the rear light obliteration . Not to keen on the dial.😂 I don't believe it'd be a deal breaker.
Good review... I find centre stand more of a pain than the side stand issues people say about because it can be a pain to get it off when loaded... almost like it goes back at an angle more than others, but it's not overly hard
Nice honest review and I agree this seems a quality bike and on par with bmw ( 20 years of various R1200's but not a GS) and the Hanle Black paint is comparable to my old black 2007 R1200S. Maybe the eu ordered water based paints here are not as deep as the RE use? Frame paint and cable routing, wiring etc and underseat observations do appear as good as any other machine and this is one third the price of a new bmw R1200RS SE (my other bike is a 2017 model) Looking forward to having my first service tomorrow and having access to another 2000rpm!
It’s nice except for the digital gage its too busy for my tastes
The should offer a analog option
Looking forward to the full review
Thanks
The display has analog mode and you can select the information shown Speed/RPM/ODO. Is that too busy?
@@tamasvarga67 it’s still a digital display and yes
It’s just not for me, but that’s ok
Still a nice bike I bet
A good , detailed walk around.
Without doing any research yet, I am curious about the difference in service requirements compared to the previous 411. What a great looking bike.
Thanks for the detailed reveiw of the Himalayan 450.
One concern I have is repairing the electronics, the ride by wire trottle and rider modes etc.
I'm watching this from Fiji, where there are no dealers and so will have to do all the mainternance myself.
Do you know what the tecnical support for this bike is like.
Thanks Simon
A good walk round Stu..... Not my cup of darjeeling but horses for courses, how much does this cost with all the bells and whistles fitted extra for the adventure dreamers who looking the part is essential?
i worked it out to around 7.5 k with all the add ons shown.
@@stuartfillingham Still good value to feel like Jupiter's travels, Ewan McGregor etc......
I like it. I’d like to see more light on the back but perhaps it looks brighter in person than on the camera.
My only reservation is the amount of digital trickery. Admittedly it’s not something I’m used to, but it’s smart and I’d get used to it.
BUT, I noticed there’s a miles to go before service icon.
Is that going to cause problems for those of us who like to and are quite capable of servicing our own bikes I wonder?
Is it going to mean a trip to the dealer to clear red flashing warning lights? That would be a real pain and could be pricey.
Look forward to the on road review 🙂
Greetings, all! You can very easily reset the service interval reminder at will. Plenty of instruction videos on YT, for your reference.
👍
Thank you for such an excellent review. 😎
My reservations about the 450 Himalayan are the apparently very peaky engine and the tubeless rims. I love the tubeless rims, but Hagon's told me that they are nearly impossible to true and consequently they will not work on those wheels. I don't know how the wheel manufacturers do it, maybe they have a special jig?
Craig, from Doghouse Customs, had a nightmare trying to true similar timeless rims. He's built thousands of tubed and spoked rims, but he eventually gave up on the spoked, tubeless rim he was trying to true.
hi Colin - as an owner the engine is not peaky quite the opposite, pretty torquey, it will also happily rev round to the 9k redline.
The bike you have there looks like top of the range with all the added features on. Be very interesting to know pricing
Stuart, many thanks for an extremely comprehensive review of the new Himalayan. RE just keep moving it to a higher level and are certainly setting a benchmark for others to achieve. One question that has been driving me crazy for a very long time - please tell me what the heck TFT stands for???
Thin Film Transistor: A type of transistor that's used in LCD displays to improve image quality. TFT displays are also known as active-matrix LCDs. They offer the best resolution of all flat-panel techniques, but they're also one of the most expensive.
@@tartancobbler7242 Thank you so much for ending the mystery. I wouldn’t have guessed that one in a thousand years!
@nickduffy8482 I would never have guessed but thanks to search engine.....
I like your videos and I am ok withthe quality RE delivers. But I do not think that it is on a level with BMW. I had an Interceptor 650 and the bike was great. But not as good as my GS. So far I have not had the chance to check the new 450. So perhaps my view is not fully right....
himalayan is better quality than a gs no doubt about. an interceptor is not a Himalayan and it is 3 platform genetations older than the Himalayan so is nowhere near the same quality.
Lacquer over graphics would stop the graphics degrading through UV damage.
one big thing i didn't see you addressing that was a big part of the marketing is the navigation on the new speedo screen, have you been able to test that out yet? looks like a big step up from the old tripper
It works well, however you need to keep the phone screen on which will drain the phone battery quickly. I use it inside city and got a car play device for longer trips.
I've noticed on your bikes before, despite all the rain there are a lot of granules in the road water getting into all the nooks and crannies.
Hmm. For some reason they are still not really ashore here in the USA. I think we get version 2 here for all of the new releases from RE. Looking forward to seeing one in the flesh. Seems beyond expectations!
People do miss a major point here - the RE is one of the few bikes designed from the ground up as an ADV bike - engine, chassis etc - look at the T7 uses a road bike engine…
Nice piece of kit. Cheers.
Nathan the postman was not impressed with it. Compared with the 411cc older one.
Seems they had some trouble in India with after market engine guards causing the engine to "Drop" ??
Very usefull video👍
🏍💨
Hello there. Just for understanding, how much did this bike costed in total with all that official additional accessories, that your had installed on it?..
There are a lot of optional accessories on that bike. It would be nice to know the total cost with all those, including fitting costs
Another comment…
I have bought the touring screen and I have to say it’s not it’s not great… nor is the standard screen, I suffer significant wind buffet with both. I am waiting for a third-party screen to be available, it’s such a new bike that the accessories market has not caught up with it yet. In my opinion, the screen is the only weakness of the bike.
Hey Stu, great walk around of the Himmy, I have the exact same one here in Chennai and just rigged my Givi 36l panniers to the Royal Enfield pannier racks, the boxes are 36l and are slightly longer which makes putting on the center stand a bit harder
Also because of the lean angle of the side stand, one can't seem to stand on the side footpeg for mounting and have to basically swing ones leg over , have u found this when you were mounting and dismounting from the bike?
Regards
Noel
i never put my weight on the side stand if i can help it bit yes, swinging a leg over is difficult with the luggage fitted.
@@stuartfillingham hey Stewart, with the previous Himalayan i always used the side stand /footpeg, approach , and been fairly chunky had no issues with the previous Himmy over the course of 5 years, and judging by the beefyness of this machine, it should pose no issue .
The throw your leg over approach gets hindered quite a bit if doing long touring and one has a bag slung across the pillion area, and thus the cowboy mount as I think it's called is preferable lol
The “tube” contains a fair few reports of vibration on this bike but personally when I test rode it I didn’t find it intrusive.
lol no me neither and ive done substantial miles on this bike. problem is most you tube reviews are just cut and paste versions of other reviews they have watched. i dont watch other reviews so my opinion is based on my own judgement.
I'm amazed the rear lights are legal, they are dangerous, the indicators are over powered by the brake lights. They aren't as bad as BMW but still not safe
dont take video rendition as been a true representation of colour and brightness
Loved bike in bikers community around world
Hopefully they eventually go for a 750 Vtwin Himalayan,I'll trade the T100 on it in a blink.
Dream on...pointless, market saturated in the middle weight class
Your video title is really funny 😂😂
Walking round in circles! You found the burial mounds….
Hi thank you for sharing your review I am hoping to get one next year I have subscribe God bless
Thanks for the sub!
Can anyone say if we can buy Ceat tyres in the UK ? As someone who was very happy back in the 80s the with indestructable Pneumant tyres. I do not want or need soft, sticky, short-lived tyres and I was hoping the Ceat range may be a more sensible option.
Personally I hate the design of the paint finish. It looks like the paint has chipped and the metal is showing through.
Looks like a Dalmatian. There are other finishes for sure.
Other finishes won’t be getting tubeless spoke wheels..typical RE thing
I WOULD LIKE TO ASK ABOUT THE FEELING OF THE CLUTCH.I MEAM ISIT ROUGH OR SMOOTH
K1200RS , most disappointing bike I have owned, looking through the comments, BMW is getting a rinsing.
The old bikes were so much better made
What brand are your crash bar bags?
Anyone know where to buy the frame bags?
Is the luggage removable for when you aren’t touring?
Of course
Yes, the luggage is an accessory purchase.
The Himalayan is a nice bike but in my opinion, completely let down by the digital display and that would be the only reason for me not buying one ! The digital display just looks wrong on a RE bike or any bike to me and I hate this trend of a TFT display on practically every bike today and car. Make it optional !
I don't need modes or any of that other Shite !
Another great walk around review, thanks Stu. Also another great bike from RE except for that display. Give me two nice dials and a couple of idiot lights that suits me as the idiot riding it.
how much is stock on the bike?
👍
I'm not a fan of the laquer over sticker. Because that means you cannot easily take them off if you don't like them.
I need to have another look but I have same paint scheme I don't think there's a lacquer over the tank, my impression was its a matt finish tank with stickers. Its a fantastic bike thats got lovely plush suspension and pin sharp handling for its type.
Himalayan or Super Meteor... Arrrghhhh. Doing my head in.
Saw a brand new super meteor for 5k yesterday... just checked and theres one at 5.3k today.
Forget the Himalayan. Buy the Guerilla and modify a little. Does the job better.
Can you be more specific? Which job exactly? What mods?
The slit in the handguards is a bit daft - everything else is well thought out and while i am sure that somebody somewhere reasoned for it in a super aggressive manner, as a UK all weather rider i see zero advantage and it would drive me to an aftermarket solution
Well the hand guards are not actually intended for weather protection.
@@stuartfillingham granted but unless you slap muffs over them or can fit some bark buster blizzards, you're needing a 2nd set if you do want a bit of wind cover, just an odd slit and a new one on me
My user name has changed all by its self
Build it with the 650 twin and im onboard
It'll take a year at least. Spy shots are all over.
What for. This has enough power. Wasted money.
And it will be too heavy 🙄
👽 .... .. up
Hard bags are a hard no for me. Hard bags will f#$% you up..
Made in india
BMW build quality ha ha. Ivve bought a number of bikes new and the worst, byy far, was a BMC K75C. eg. 4000km, both fork seals leaking, 10k km, speed failed. Then speed sender in right angle drive failed. Speed failed again, alternator drive, rear drum shoes return spring broke, paint faded badly, many other things. What a dud. Compared with for example, Virago 750 - 40k km, not one thing failed, didn't even need valve clearance adjustment.
And thus you learned the bitter way, that BMW does NOT stand for Bayerne Motoren Werk but rather Bring My Workshop and Break My Wallet over my Big Money Waste of a Bee eM trouble-yeW 😆😈
Why would you compare it to BMW? It's not remotely similar. They both 2 wheels, but that's about it. SMH.
I was comparing build quality. are you a bit slow?