Will there be a RE Himalayan 650? » EngineOctane

India’s favorite dual purpose adventure bike, the RE Himalayan has been awaited with a larger 650cc engine for quite some time. The Royal Enfield Himalayan is one of the most popular dual purpose motorcycles across the globe.

The bike’s only downfall was that it produced less power than its rivals. So when is the Himalayan 650 coming? well let’s find out.

Earlier, the manufacturer suggested that the Himalayan will share the engine with the Interceptor 650 and the Continental GT 650. It was speculated that the launch will take place in the first quarter of 2020. However, Royal Enfield is currently busy with the launch of their upcoming cruiser. Meteor motorcycle (New Thunderbird). And also with the COVID-19 crisis, we will have to wait longer than expected.

Himalayan 650 engine

Royal Enfield Himalayan is quite popular among world tourers, even a popular YouTuber (Itchy boots) uses RE Himalayan for touring. So RE is thinking of having a bigger 650cc engine on it. The 650cc engine on the Interceptor and Continental GT produces a peak power of around 47PS at 7250rpm and 52Nm at 5250rpm. However, the Himalayan 650 is expected to have an optimized engine that suits for better offroading, of course the engine will comply with BS6 norms.

Due to the bigger engine, the weight will increase by around 5-7kg, hopefully the RE will manage the weight distribution more suitable for offroad. For reference, the current RE Himalayan weighs 199 kg and gets a 411 cc fuel-injected engine. The engine produces a maximum power of nearly 24.3 HP and a maximum torque of 32 Nm.

Compared to the 650cc engine, the Himalayan 650 will have a torque increase of around 20Nm. This could be good for difficult offroad sections.

Also Read: Hero Xpulse Rally Edition

Hardware

The hardware bits are expected to be the same as the current Himalayan. It will have 41mm front forks with 200mm travel and rear monoshock suspension with 180mm travel. The bike will have a 21-inch front wheel and a 17-inch rear wheel, both of which are spoked wheels. Thanks to the spoked wheels, the bike comes equipped with tubeless and not tubeless tires. Braking function of the motorcycle is handled by a 300 mm disc at the front and a 240 mm disc at the rear. These brakes are then assisted by dual-channel ABS, but the rear brake is switchable so that it contributes to better off-road use.

Prices

The price of Himalayan 650 will see a significant increase compared to the current model. The price is expected to be around 2.5-2.9 lakhs (ex-showroom). It should arrive in India around the first quarter of 2021. The current model is priced at 1.86-1.91 lakhs (ex-showroom). We expect the RE to offer both the 411cc and 650cc engine options. The bike competes with other dual purpose bikes like Hero Xpulse 200, BMW G 310GS and KTM 390 Adventure.