Royal Enfield Himalayan city comfort, suspension, service costs, ownership review – Introduction

The Himalayan has now completed a year with us, and it’s time for the bike to be returned to Royal Enfield. Over the past year, the bike has gone on a couple of long rides out of the city, but most of the 6,648km on the Odo have been clocked within the metropolis. During this time, the bike has made my 70km round-trip commute far more enjoyable than it has any right to be.

I’ve spoken about this before, but the Himalayan’s size, seating comfort, and superb suspension have won me over. With the engine, it’s not quite so straightforward, and I find myself wishing for more character after a few days of continuous commuting. However, the moment I take a break from the bike (which happens far more often than I’d like with the travel schedule), I get back on it and find myself enjoying the mid-range punch. That being said, RE still has work to do when it comes to damping out the handlebar vibrations at highway cruising speeds.

Seating and suspension comfort are both outstanding.

That I have enjoyed riding the Himalayan 450 is without doubt, but the experience has not been free of flaws. First, there was the issue of the bike pulling to the right when the handlebar was released. This took ages and multiple visits to the showroom to be sorted, and I was given to understand that it came down to correctly torquing some of the bolts that connect the engine to the frame.

17-litre tank is top-heavy, but it also makes the bike feel big.

We also had the toggle switch on the left-hand switchgear fail, and it was replaced under warranty. But even when it works, I find the switch fiddly enough that I avoid using it altogether. This means that even though there is quite a bit of tech within all the menus on that pretty circular TFT display, I never bother with it. Thankfully, this has had no negative effect on the riding experience.

The joystick switch is fiddly to use and needs redesigning.

Finally, there’s the infamous cone-set issue. It first started to get loose at about 5,000km, which I reported on in the previous report. I was told by the folks at the service centre that it was tightened, as the bearing didn’t need to be replaced. However, less than 1,000km later, it has gotten loose again and is now considerably worse than it was the first time. For something that was such a well-known issue with the old Himalayan 411, it’s surprising to see it continue in the all-new model. It’s also been disappointing that the service centre has not reset the service warning after two separate services, and it shows up every time I start the bike.

The steering cone set bearing keeps getting loose.

But as I write this, I’m reminded that while there have been niggles, there have never been any serious breakdowns (or letdowns). The bike has always started when I’ve asked, and every ride has been enjoyable. Whenever I conclude a long-term review of a motorcycle, I always ask myself if I’d buy one. Usually, the answer is no, but here, I could see it being a yes because this bike fits my particular needs for a large, quick and super comfy bike that can steamroll through the mess of our local road system. The Himalayan has truly excelled at that role.

Also See: New Royal Enfield Himalayan long-term review, 5,200km report

New Royal Enfield Himalayan long-term review, 1,900km report

New Royal Enfield Himalayan long-term review, 1,000km report