Everyone’s excited about the new Himalayan, and with good reason. Royal Enfield’s affordable, capable and ultra manageable 411cc adventure bike has been a segment darling since it arrived in North America back in 2018, and this next-gen version, due for a reveal at next month’s EICMA, promises even better things. 

Up until now there has only been a barrage of unofficial spy shots of the Himalayan 450 prototype and the briefest of ankle and earlobe teaser videos from Royal Enfield to show us what the new bike might look like, but thanks to recent postings across the iconic Indian manufacturer’s social pages, we finally see it in its final form, both in photos and a new video series preview. 

We already knew the next-gen Himalayan will be powered by a freshly-cast and liquid-cooled 452cc single and the new video reveals the new engine will act as a stressed member within a newly-designed chassis. That new mill is expected to give the 24-horsepower Himalayan a much- appreciated power increase, expecting a jump to around 40 hp. 

We can also assume that because the bump in output involves the dynamics of liquid cooling it will be felt primarily in the mid to high ranges that affect highway speeds. And as anyone who has traveled on the current 411cc version will tell you, enjoying a little more top end while traveling between off-road adventures will be the finest of gifts. 

In the official photos we see a Himalayan that is larger and curvier than the super angular original, although the bike doesn’t appear to have lost any of its winning retro flare in the transition. There is a new, less blocky fuel tank, as well as what looks to be a larger round headlamp topped by a reshaped windscreen. Below that assembly is a longer, more tapered front fender.

Behind the screen sits an all-new single element digital instrument pod that will replace the busy cluster of analog and digital gauges found on the current bike. This is perhaps the biggest departure from RE’s typically classic execution, though we’ve seen this type of modernity, entering the picture with the recent addition of the Tripper pod, which uses Bluetooth and an app for trip planning. A switch seen on the bike also hints of the possibility the new model will include rider aids beyond the already available switchable ABS. 

The 450 Himalayan features a split seat instead of the modular bench unit on the current bike and we see a lot of new hardware and mounting points intended to accommodate a greater variety of luggage. Lighting on the new models is full LED. In the video clip showing the bike on the production line, we see brake lighting is integrated into the turn signals stocks rather than as a separate, central unit, though this adaptation may not be seen on US models.

The video clip published to Royal Enfield socials and website teases not only the new bike, but a new film series celebrating the model and its intentions. The forthcoming video is called “The Final Test” and features a small pack of freshly built Himalayans riding off from their birth plant near Chennai, India, to — where else? — the Himalayas, specifically a crossing of the world’s highest drivable pass, Umling La, which crests at 19,024 feet. 

Royal Enfield’s marketing team of riding enthusiasts loves creating a good video series around the company’s products, as we’ve seen with “90 South,” which followed Himalayan riders as they conquered the South Pole, and this new film appears to be cut from the same high-end cloth. 

In the new series we’ll get to ride along with 24 people as they relay-ride a set of freshly-built 450 Himalayans on a journey of 5500 kilometers that seems to  involve plenty of adventurous situations. The theme of the film, which reflects this particular dot of Himalayan bike’s timeline, is change. “The all-new Himalayan is a creature of its environment. A profound, mystical space that is always changing.”

So, the countdown is on, both to the full launch of the all-new Himalayan during the kick-off of the annual EICMA in Milan next month, and the video series that celebrates the new bike. You can watch the official time clock for the bike reveal on Royal Enfield’s website, or stay tuned here and we’ll keep you up to date on all things 450 Himalayan. 

Author: Jamie Elvidge

Jamie has been a motorcycle journalist for more than 30 years, testing the entire range of bikes for the major print magazines and specializing in adventure-travel related stories. To date she’s written and supplied photography for articles describing what it’s like to ride in all 50 states and 43 foreign countries, receiving two Lowell Thomas Society of American Travel Writer’s Awards along the way. Her most-challenging adventure yet has been riding in the 2018 GS Trophy in Mongolia as Team AusAmerica’s embedded journalist.