Is there a Royal Enfield Scram 450 in the pipeline?

At the launch and first ride of the new Royal Enfield Guerrilla 450 in Barcelona, ​​I kept thinking about this new roadster from Royal Enfield. What will it look like as a scrambler? After all, the Guerrilla 450 has the stance, has block-pattern tires and has the Sherpa 450 engine it shares with its ADV sibling, the new Himalayan. In fact, during the product presentation, at least from certain angles, the Guerrilla 450 had a very unmistakable scrambler-ish vibe to me, also accentuated by the fat, block-pattern tires.

Read also: Royal Enfield Guerrilla 450 First Ride Review

The Royal Enfield Scram 411 based on the latest generation Himalayan 411 platform is still on sale.

The story of the Scrambler

Historically, when the first scramblers started appearing on the motorcycling scene in the 1950s and ’60s, they were actually stripped down and modified versions of street bikes. They were made lighter with stripped bodywork and in many cases added engine protection as well as longer travel suspension for dirt duty. The idea behind the scrambler motorcycle was that whoever wanted a scrambler had to build it themselves. In recent years, however, scramblers have become production models readily available straight from the showroom.

Read also: Is a Royal Enfield Scrambler 650 in the works?

The Guerrilla 450 is a modern roadster, set in a segment that will be new ground for Royal Enfield.

Coming back to the Guerrilla 450, the idea behind the introduction of this modern roadster was to take on a segment that Royal Enfield had no model in, at least in the brand’s modern history. And it’s a booming segment, with Indian-made models like the Triumph Speed ​​400, Harley-Davidson X440 and its cousin, the Hero Mavrick 440 in Royal Enfield’s sights, and perhaps even taking on other more expensive models from the partnership Bajaj-KTM like 390 Duke and Husqvarna Svartpilen 401.

The Royal Enfield Guerrilla 450 is a global product and will cater to the mid-sized single cylinder roadster segment worldwide.

The jury is still out on how commercially successful the Guerrilla 450 will be, but it will also appeal to global markets, where affordable and affordable single-cylinder motorcycles seem to be slowly and surely coming back into motorcycling fashion.

Read also: Future Royal Enfield Scram 650, Classic 650 spotted on test

The RE Guerrilla 450 is available in five colors in three variants.

RE’s Next Factory Scrambler – 650 or 450?

The next logical step for Royal Enfield will be to extend the Sherpa 450 platform and introduce a factory scrambler. And it should be. After all, there’s the Triumph Scrambler 400X to think about and Hero MotoCorp’s upcoming scrambler based on its 440cc platform, which will spark fresh interest in the mid-size scrambler segment. With Yezdi’s 350cc adventure bike already under development, an updated Yezdi Scrambler cannot be ruled out either. So, will a Royal Enfield Scram 450 appear soon?

Read also: Royal Enfield Interceptor Bear 650 Design Revealed

The existing scram 411 is likely to continue for some time. So a Scram 450, even if possible, will probably come at a later stage.

Possible, but unlikely very soon, at least in the current calendar year. Vita says that although the Himalayan 411 has been replaced by the new Himalayan, the Scram 411 will continue to be in production. The point is that the 411 engine will have to be kept running, at least to satisfy the sizable number of Himalayan 411 customers already in the market. And following Royal Enfield’s ongoing product strategy, the brand’s next scrambler will be on its 650 Twins platform, which will go into production later this year.

Read also: Royal Enfield Scram 411 Review

The RE Guerrilla 450 will need some tweaks to the chassis geometry and suspension to make it a worthy scrambler, something we can expect to see in the near future as a custom build.

Area for improvement?

From our experience with the Guerrilla 450, it is a promising bike. With a few tweaks, it could be an interesting and fun scrambler. If Royal Enfield is aiming to dominate not just India but also global markets in the mid-size motorcycle segment, a 450cc production scrambler could be just what is needed to launch new possibilities across geographies and demographics.

The Guerrilla 450 is an agile and fun roadster with sharp dynamics.

But first, a wish list. The Royal Enfield 450 chassis is already very capable and intuitive, as we found in both the Himalaya and the Guerrilla 450. A scrambler will need a bit more suspension travel; even 180-190mm should be enough and maybe a 19 inch front wheel. These are small changes that very capable RE and product engineering teams are skilled and experienced enough to think about and modify. And, quite possibly, they could have already been thought through on the drawing boards of new model possibilities at Royal Enfield’s technology centers in the UK and India.

Better low-end torque, noticeably more mid-range refinement in the Sherpa 450 can make all the difference between a good bike and a great bike.

More importantly, the Sherpa 450 needs better low-end torque; with a slightly wider torque curve starting at around 1800-2000 rpm. Maybe a simple gear change can address that or a different ECU map. More refinement in the midrange will also be a welcome change. With these small changes, we believe that Royal Enfield can have a very capable scrambler that will not only take on the competition but may also ignite more interest in scramblers in general. And it’s a segment that seems to be waiting in the wings for takeover, not just in India but across the world.