Chennai-based niche bike maker Royal Enfield has embarked on readying the updated version of its purpose-built motorcycle, the Himalayan, for the Indian market. And going by the looks of things, it is geared to replace the current BS-III version of the model with a BS-IV engine.
It was widely reported last week that the Himalayan has not been on sale in India since April 2017, as Royal Enfield put sales of the current BS-III engine version of the Himalayan on hold. However, bookings for the Himalayan are still open and the model is very much part of the company's portfolio for the market, as reported by Autocar India. The report also says that Royal Enfield is hopeful of commencing delivery of the BS-IV models of the Himalayan by mid-August this year.
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Royal Enfield Himalayan BS-IV
While Royal Enfield had updated its Bullet range (Bullet 500, Bullet 350 and Bullet ES) with a fuel injection engine, the Himalayan is understood to have been taking more time, since the model is built around a new LS410 engine platform. The BS-IV version of the Himalayan is currently being tested on the public roads. The updated version of the Himalayan will also gain FI.
Aside from the engine updates, the Himalayan is likely to remain the same as the current model. The 411-cc oil-cooled single-cylinder motorcyle is likely to come without changes in power figures. The mill develops 24.5 bhp at 6,500 rpm and 32 Nm torque between 4,000 and 4,500 rpm, paired with a five-speed transmission.
Built on a double-cradle chassis designed by Royal Enfield's inhouse company Harris Performance, Himalayan rides on a 21-inch front wheel and a 17-inch at the rear. The front wheel gets a 300 mm disc with two-piston floating callipers, while the rear gets a 240 mm disc with a single-piston floating calliper. The motorcycle measures 2,190 mm in length, 840 mm in width, and 1,360 mm in height (fly-screen top). It has a wheelbase of 1,465 mm and offers ground clearance of 220mm.
Source:ACI
