Imagine this: Months of sleepless nights consumed by thoughts of exploring vast canyons and breathtaking landscapes. I’d often wander into motorcycle dealerships, gazing longingly at a wide array of bikes, yet I was never quite ready to take the leap. That was, until 2018, when I encountered the Royal Enfield Himalayan. There was something undeniably captivating about this rugged, adventure-ready machine. I soon became obsessed—devouring every bit of motorcycle content I could find about the bike.

Fast forward a year later, and I was finally riding home on my first adventure bike — a 2019 Himalayan. If someone had told me back then that just a few years later, I’d be on the saddle of the all-new 2025 Royal Enfield Himalayan—an entirely reimagined machine—tearing through stunning canyons and scaling jaw-dropping ridges alongside some of the best minds in the industry, I wouldn’t have believed it. 

Testing the new Himalayan 450 was a surreal adventure, and few places could make for a more stunning backdrop than Utah’s Rocky Mountains. Having logged 22,000 miles on the original Himi, I was both eager and apprehensive about how its successor would perform in the high altitudes, notorious for slowing the original underpowered machine to a crawl above 7,500 feet.

Our journey began at the picturesque Daniels Summit Lodge, where morning dew clung to every surface, adding a nice touch to our ride. As we hit Highway 40, it became clear that this new Himalayan had much to offer. To my surprise, the throttle response felt strikingly similar to the original’s—an impressive feat considering the new model employs ride-by-wire technology and a completely modern water-cooled powerplant with nearly double the horsepower (24.5 HP vs 39.5 HP). This consistency makes it incredibly forgiving for novice riders, ensuring that “whiskey throttle” moments are kept at bay. Yet, when you twist the throttle harder, the newfound power is exhilarating, delivering the performance I’d always wished for.

Cruising at a steady 75 mph, with bursts up to 85, I began to explore the new bike’s chassis and the capabilities of the 452cc DOHC, 4-valve Sherpa engine. To put it plainly, it’s very good. Gone is the lazy handling of its predecessor; this Himalayan leans into turns with confidence and joy. The brakes? Greatly improved. The front brake has a firm, consistent feel that stops the motorcycle with a degree of confidence not found on the original, and though the rear has a bit of ambiguity to the pedal feel, it still delivers when you muscle it down. This stretch of highway confirmed it: the quirks I once chalked up to “character” while riding the original have been erased. The new 450 feels like a legitimate modern motorcycle.

As we veered toward Simmons Canyon, Utah’s diverse landscape left us in awe. In less than 30 minutes, I had transitioned from Canadian Rockies-esque vistas to the iconic red rock canyons the state is famous for. While not the grippiest, the stock tires proved their worth as we navigated slippery roads covered in red clay mud from a recent storm. Soon, we hit properly unpaved tracks, and the stunning scenery deepened as we followed the Strawberry River — the rumble of an approaching thunderstorm adding an edge of excitement to our ride.

After briefly discussing the challenging off-road sections ahead, the weather turned, and the sky unleashed heavy raindrops. The newly graded roads, strewn with loose gravel, added an element of unpredictability. At one point, I hit a sizable rock, but the Himalayan’s Showa front fork handled it gracefully, a testament to its improved suspension.

Just when I thought the experience couldn’t get any better, we left the main road and ventured into the heart of the backcountry. Navigating a water crossing, one of many we would tackle, I was really enjoying the moment. This was not just a ride; it was a celebration of everything I loved about motorcycling, amplified by the beauty of Utah. 

From then on, the road began to ascend, and we quickly found ourselves exceeding the alpine line. The improved balance from the Himalayan’s new suspension was immediately evident. While the original was capable, it often lacked the confidence-inspiring feel of a performance-oriented machine. As we navigated creek crossings and deep ruts, it became abundantly clear that the 450 was a vastly more capable bike than its predecessor.

Emerging from the canyon onto an expansive plateau, the view opened up like the rolling hills of the English countryside, now at over 8,000 feet. The track transformed into a rally-like stage, filled with high-speed stretches and sweeping turns over undulating terrain. We encountered large whoops and G-outs that invited us to test the Himalayan’s limits. And what a surprise.

Those familiar with the original will remember the terrifying moments of hitting ruts or hard landings at speed—often resulting in a precarious dance of bike and rider. Not so with the new 450. One obstacle, a series of closely spaced whoops, became a point of discussion during our lunch break. As the terrain led me into it more quickly than expected, I made the call to hammer down rather than brake. The result was revelatory: the hit from the whoop and subsequent landing were solid, yet the bike quickly absorbed it, continuing its forward momentum at over 60 mph. In stark contrast, that exact scenario on the original would have likely led to disaster. We stopped for lunch after a few sections of slippery mud—enhanced by the 90/10 tires we were equipped with. The consensus among my fellow riders was unanimous: we were astounded by the value of this machine. Unfortunately, we also learned of a few mishaps; some riders had gone down in the aforementioned slick mud, one suffering a knee injury that would end their day early. I hoped we were done with our muddy escapades, but it turned out I was sorely mistaken.

As we set off again, the track continued to climb, with our ride leader warning us about slick hills ahead. As we approached nearly 10,000 feet, the engine proved its worth, showcasing a power I had never experienced with the original due to its sluggishness at high altitudes. Suddenly, the dry track turned swampy, transforming our smooth gravel road into a treacherous quagmire. Navigating steep descents filled with ruts, rocks, and branches became daunting, especially on tires better suited for pavement. I managed to pick my way down the first section, but a momentary lapse in judgment led to an unplanned dismount. With the track slick as ice, my fall was inevitable, sending me sliding downhill like a kid on a slip-and-slide.

Quickly getting to my feet and with my gear now covered in a thin layer of mud, I rushed to upright my trusty companion. However, the slick ground made lifting the bike nearly impossible without help, which thankfully arrived in the form of a more cautious rider navigating the mess behind me. Back on the two wheels, I quickly caught up with the ride leader, who had paused to let the whole group arrive. This was an excellent point to wait, too, on account of the coming challenge.

Before us lay a steep, rutted climb, slick with mud—so treacherous that even the camera crew’s four-wheel drive vehicle struggled to maintain traction. When it was our turn, we pulled off and began the ascent. Halfway up, our leader paused, and I found myself wedged in one of the massive ruts, forced to navigate my way out to continue. As our leader struggled, spraying me with fresh mud, I recalled my “enduro training” and shifted my weight as far back as possible. Surprisingly, the new Himalayan clawed its way up effortlessly.

As we progressed, the path wound through countless peaks and valleys, punctuated by muddy water crossings of uncertain depth. Yet, the Himalayan handled these challenges as if they were tailor-made for such rugged terrain. After what felt like hours of sloshing through mud, we finally returned to dry gravel tracks and, shortly after, back to asphalt.

Reflecting on the day’s dirt tracks, the new Himalayan felt right at home off-road. Despite its less-than-ideal tires and the slick, saturated conditions, we not only made it from point A to B but also had an absolute blast doing it. My single mistake during this stretch resulted in a hard impact with the ground. Yet, the bike sustained no damage—only requiring a quick mirror adjustment and a tweak of the factory-installed handguard, which was easily handled with the bike’s included toolkit.

By late afternoon, the only thing between us and cold beverages was a 30-mile stretch of fantastic twisty road. As I kept pace with our ride leader DJ, Mark and Ed, who helped develop and engineer the bike we were perched upon, we sped toward Strawberry Reservoir.

A paved dogfight broke out as we tucked and rallied through the sweeping turns. As the saying goes, boys will be boys, and we found a collective camaraderie in racing our bikes back to base. I won’t disclose our exact speeds on that twisting two-lane road, but let’s just say the GPS later revealed we easily exceeded what the original Himalayan could manage, even if dropped from a cliff—all while cruising above 7,500 feet. With the 450 performing far beyond my expectations, we reached Highway 40 in what felt like record time, pounding the remaining three miles of super-slab back to Daniels Summit Lodge.

As we dismounted and gathered to share our thoughts, I was struck by how much everyone loved this machine, especially given my history with Royal Enfield. In my opinion, there’s no better bike in this segment at this price point. The starting MSRP is just $5,799 USD, only $300 more than the old Himalayan. To Royal Enfield’s credit, somehow they’ve managed to retain all of the new rider friendliness of the old machine, while also making it exhilarating for seasoned riders alike.

While no motorcycle is perfect, I struggled to find faults with this one. Even at 80+ mph, the ride was surprisingly smooth for a single. The front brakes performed admirably during tight turns, and the overall balance retained that familiar “Himalayan” feel, now refined and polished. And although the rear brake feels vague, it doesn’t detract from the riding experience. The suspension is great for a bike of this size and price range, bolstered further by the all-new Showa front fork. And the Sherpa 450 Engine now with 6 gears instead of 5? A completely-transformed platform. The power and responsiveness are there when needed, erasing the original’s limitations on highways and the constant need to keep the throttle wide open to maintain a moderate pace—on or off-road, especially at altitude. 

But keep in mind that with more performance and more-sophisticated tech (e.g. shim-under-bucket valves), the new Himalayan is not as easily serviceable in your own garage as it once was. However the airbox and valve covers are easily accessible for those who choose to do their own maintenance, and the valve adjustment service interval has improved from 3,500 miles to 12,500 miles (after your 12,500-mile inspection).

Reflecting back on the predecessor model, that bike was a fun, relatively inexpensive, and easy-to-maintain machine, best suited for local day trips, especially those below 6,000 feet on two-lane highways or unpaved roads. The new model, however, is an entirely different beast. It retains the ethos of its predecessor, while maturing into a truly capable motorcycle that can venture nearly anywhere with relative ease.

For context, a few years ago I upgraded my 410 Himalayan to a 2022 Aprilia Tuareg 660 since I felt I was ready for a more capable bike as my skills progressed.  I couldn’t help but draw comparisons between the Aprilia and the new 450 Himalayan, despite them being very different machines. I wondered if I could rewind time and I had this 450 Himalayan, would I have felt the need to upgrade to the Tuareg? While the Aprilia outperforms the new Himalayan in nearly every way, that improvement comes at a price—twice that of the 450. So is the Tuareg really twice as good? Twice as fast? Twice as capable off-road? Twice as comfortable? The more I ask myself, the more I’m forced to accept that it isn’t, and the New Himalayan stands tall as arguably the best bargain in its class.

Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 Specs

Author: Ken Morse

While Ken’s two-wheeled exploits began only a few years ago, he’s no stranger to adventure. Since 2006, he’s been wandering all over the U.S. in various four-wheel drive toys, exploring as much hidden terrain in the backcountry as possible. Having straddled his first motorcycle in 2019, he quickly became obsessed and made the switch to two wheels. Now he spends most of his free time riding, wrenching and traveling on adventure motorcycles from his base in California’s Sierra Nevada Mountain Range.