I've owned several different bikes. I'll be 59 this October and find that my Himalayan will get me into places I probably shouldn't go but it always gets me back home. It has great bottom end power and that makes it extremely easy to ride no matter where I ride it at. I'm not going to sell mine. I enjoy it tremendously.
You said it.. The land rover (the old ones) of motorcycles. RE did something completely different. They designed bike from the ground up to do a job and to be on a price.. And they did it. And it seems that all other manufacturers are forgotten how nice feel the low down torque and focus on top speed and peak power at very high revs.
Yes a true classic bike as it has lead the field for todays bikes! I was at Monyash the other day there were a group of six riders all on the Himmie doing the Derbyshire trails & Nathan the postman rates the 411 over the 452.
Im just up the road from you in Kosovo, ride a BMWf650gs, 50hp but i love the look of those Himmys, just not brave enough to change. I ride to Macedonia and Albania a lot, my bike copes great, cant understand how new ones are still available, great bargains to be had in uk for about 3800 quid. If i never had my bike i would buy one in an instant, but not the new 452, hate the look of that. Im 67 by the way.
My Himmy easily holds its own against the new CF Moto on the tracks and firetrails here in Victoria Australia. Have upgraded to YSS suspension front and rear which makes a good thing even better. This bike carries its weight really well and is easy to manoever in the tite stuff. Only place its lacking is the Highway but that just makes you look for Alternitive routes which are far more interesting anyway.
My brother and I bought two brand new old stock Euro 4 Himalayans back in March '22 direct from the UK distributor. A fantastic cut priced deal that included £500+ worth of RE hard pannier boxes and rails thrown in. We've already done some mods, Givi engine bars, tyre hugger etc. and have plenty more planned before we start on some long road trips. We're both in our late 50's will never sell these bikes. They do exactly what we want them to do and more.
You find the perfect car analogy, the Land Rover Defender (not the new one!). Rode a 411 RE Hymalian in Morocco for a week. Great memories, and I loved the bike. If I had a 411, I will keep it. Ok, I own a Honda XRV750. Ride safe
worked on a cattle property in Australia, bought new Him 2020, chasing camels for 2 years, over dry creek beds, beer in the afternoon, put in did chain, 16 tooth front sprocket for the long distances, tec cam, irid spark plug, lith battery, led headlight, spotlight, heidenau tyres, tough on the sidewalls, tyre monitors, zuma xt gps, basically set the bike up for remote self sustainable, have 30km on clock. The few extra things you do to the bike makes it reliable, the height helps me paddle across dry creek beds, perfect height. So having said that, why go elsewhere, there will always be bigger better etc, so if you like the bike you are on, why change it? Not interested in the 452, same old same old. Grew up on air cooled bikes 66 years old, good honest bike for good honest riders no frills, just spills. lol.
I completely agree with you, some motorcycles have really become legends. In 1981 I also had an XT 500 (1U6) and it was a hype back then, everyone who loved off-roading wanted it. However, the XT also had significant weaknesses. Some of the welds looked catastrophic but they held up. But the light from the main headlight was just a better bike light, the front half-hub brake, yes, it braked and eventually you came to a stop. The decompression lever also acted up a lot. What I really didn't like was starting it when it had warmed up and then stood still for 10-20 minutes, during which time it was almost impossible to start it again! There was only one thing that helped - take out the spark plug and give it a few idle kicks so that the foul mixture came out of the cylinder. Then put the spark plug back in and it usually started on the third kick. The good thing was that it had an empty weight (without petrol) of 143 kg, which was an advantage in off-roading. It also managed a top speed of around 130 km/h but then it often started to swerve; the frame was a bit too weak in my opinion. But it was hardly ever written about; it was always just said that it was a powerhouse and the bike for real men. Today it is a legend but really very expensive if you want an original. A year ago I decided on the Scram because it is 15 kg lighter and the 19 front wheel also serves its purpose off-road but it is more agile than the Himmi. My 50 cents on this topic, best regards my mechanic friend!
Introduced in 2015 and hit the distribution market in 2016. RE stopped producing the 411 block and moved onto the sherpa 452 in the Himalayan model. Supposedly the Scram 411 is still being marketed. Many a 411 still can be had new and used in both models. In the states...we get everything last now appearently because we inport everything and export very lttle. The bike was built to schlep sherpas and their gear 👆 upwards. The 452 just arrived here because Fuzzy from "Baxters" ( Marne Iowa)has done a dozen reviews. Great choice for discussion Ian. 22 Himalayan with 9300 miles and I will still be backing this winner while I drive it silly 🤪
I'm a youngster compared to you, 62 next month. I too have a 411 and I too stop when I see a trail and think "wonder where this goes"? Went shopping for the wife last week and came back with the bike splashed in mud. Bit off a little more than I expected but still had a lot of fun riding a Living Legend! Look forward to part II!
There is nothing else around, remotely like it.The Himalayan has its own unique character and it can go anywhere. IMHO, these things and maybe others too, make it a timeless icon of a motorbike. Yes I agree . Thanks for the video.
@@iantoy7778 There may be more icons out there too. I never had one myself but I still feel something for the CX500/650, the Norton Commando and the the Triumph T120. i had better stop there otherwise my short list will become ridiculous. Cheers.
Yes i do an all are personal to the individual.... I have the so called premium Adv bikes both Ducati and Bmw both are great but i like this Himalayan it makes me ride at a safer pace and i get to see much more of what is around me and if i see a track that looks interesting i will have a go a great little bike👍 Cheers for reply ride safe smile often🙂
Brilliant video as usual and very well put....Totally agree as do many others that this bike will be a legendary bike they hit the mark with this where other manufacturers missed the boat they built the exact bike they wanted from the ground up that served many purposes at a price most could afford and they kept it simple in every way. My dealership cannot understand why i haven't swapped for the new one why would i this is what i wanted when i saw it easy self maintenance no radiator or TFT. Cant wait for follow up take it easy on those trails I'm the same age i know what its like lol i ended up in a ditch miles from anywhere a few weeks ago enough said lol👍
Hi Ian ... totally agreed with all you said about the Himalayan and thank you for all the videos you upload, as for 'jimtitt' what planet is he on! obviously living up to his name!!!
Are you sure the 411 has been discontinued?, R.E. still advertise it on their website along with the new 450, just calling it the Himalayan 410. Why axe a cash cow if it's still selling?
I bought a 1976 XT 500 as soon as it became available, traded in a '72 RT-2 MX 360 that the bottom end had locked up on from riding it on the street! The XT500 weighed about the same as my RD350 and it got 55-60mpg. Didn't keep it very long, it was too heavy like the himmys....
It's already been forgotten, a few old guys in northern England will mumble through their gums over a pint of mild about them but the rest sold them on after a couple of years and moved on.
Nope, not yet old southerner here, had mine five years, it ain't going anywhere ...... My Desert X will be sold on in a year or two (who the hell keeps a Ducati out of warranty 😂), the gixer thou no longer gets ridden and the Griso is for shiny days. The Himmy is for any day 👍🏼 Totally agree Ian about what you say about the rest being fashion bikes
Hi Ian I agree with your sentiments,however I do find the Himalayan a bit too tall for short Arse me, but I do fancy one to go with my bullet 350 and my hunter, maybe because at 69 I can and maybe because I am not ready for me slipper n balcony yet, will watch next instalment and then deliberate at wether I should buy or not, thanks for interesting vid NW Biker dude Ted
No, it doesn't have the history of the Japanese 650 singles DR, XR and KLR. But it's a moot point. If any bike gives you pleasure and you want to keep it and ride it as long as possible it's a legend. A gutsy Dutch girl changed RE forever when she rode one through Central Asia. Where would they be without her? It's good to see RE moving ahead with the new Sherpa engine.
The Him411 can be a great bike depending where you live. Here in my country max highway speed is 110kmh and more than 75% of the roads are “unpaved”. The unpaved roads can vary from a nicely maintained gravel road to mud pothole filled road and sometimes even in the same road you can find both layouts multiple times. The low center of gravity and tractor feel of the long stroke motor in first gear remove a lot of difficulty when finding such situations specially if you are not skillful off-road rider. IMO the bike was never meant to be good at anything, is just a bike that can make your adventures possible at a good price with very good fuel economy. I find it funny how a lot of people wanted more power, better brakes, better build quality, etc while the market is filled with so many options that cover that, BUT of course all that things cost more money. Then there is also the used market, for example a BMW F650GS(2000-2007) is what a lot of people wanted in terms of power from the himmy and they are cheap(at least in my country).
This bike is not my cup of tea , but if I had the right kind of roads , maybe it would be . There's two points that you raised , one is that it's built for Indian roads , two is the price . Those are the reasons for it's success , Royal Enfield won't sell anything outside of India unless they have a sound home market , we think we are getting a bargain [ and we are ] but the bikes are much cheaper in India . If the highway traffic around here were slower , the bike would be fine, but to get to the interesting gravel roads you have to mix it with the loonies in SUVs and the Kenworth truckers who are pedal to the metal everywhere , nobody gives a rat's ass about the speed limit. Riding a slow bike makes me feel very vulnerable . I'm going to take a good look at the 452 when it arrives , it does look very promising .
I dont disagree wuth much of your reasoning ... however, just a couple of things that make me doubt its a 'living legend' ... firstly, the bike that many riders say "I will never sell this" are not what came out of the shop, the stuff that needs changing is legendary if anything! its a fairly sub-standard bike as standard and a half decent bike when everything that needs binning has been swapped out. Secondly, there are god knows how many for sale at daft cheap prices ... why? I like the thought of having one for lanes etc but sat on one and thought nahhhh ... the sales in India point doesn't stack up either ... if thats the measure then my Benelli TRK is a 'living legend' in Italy as its the best selling bike out there ... sold very well in India as well funnily enough. I have a Benelli TRK 502x (second one) and its great value but never a 'living legend' ... Itchy Boots nearly did a Ewan McGregor job for it but now she's Honda so not really. The bikes you mentioned from our youth (Im 65) deserve those titles because they were great bikes straight out of the box ... sorry but the Himmy isn't, its a cheap bike , memorable and quirky, thats great but it has to be so much more than that for that status IMHO
There are lots for sale yes but that's always the case when there are lots sold to start with and yes they are cheap but were cheap from the off so it balances out. Check out the Multistradas or Bmw Gs or a Z900RS literally hundreds for sale used and doesn't make it a bad bike. I think Ian is just giving is opinion after owning one and probably doing more than most to improve it in the best way to make it a better bike and like he says its not good at anything but can do most things. Fair enough some people don't like the way they look i myself think they look great and i have quite a few bikes but this one makes me smile and that's all part of it don't you think.
@@karlos3611 Bang on about the 'makes you smile' bit ... if they don't then not much point. I have had wayyyyy too many bikes (I could have been well off if I hadn't) and the only one that never made me smile was an old Honda FT500 which I bought blind ... god it was horrible! I love jack of all trades bikes, I love XT660z's for that reason and maybe could make a case for those as 'legends' but I think its reserved for truly outstanding bikes personally and I don't think the Himmy deserves that status but you know wht they say about opinions .... 😁
most bikes that are legends had great HP or some new innovation, the 411 is really weak in HP....... it is cheap and thats the best thing I can say about it. I do like RE they are doing alot right.......if the 411 does the job for you then its a great bike. now the KLR650 is a legend been going for 30 years, makes you wonder, its heavy not great HP at 40hp, it was cheap, reliable......has a great following, been around the world multiple times..........so you never know.
I've owned several different bikes. I'll be 59 this October and find that my Himalayan will get me into places I probably shouldn't go but it always gets me back home. It has great bottom end power and that makes it extremely easy to ride no matter where I ride it at. I'm not going to sell mine. I enjoy it tremendously.
You said it.. The land rover (the old ones) of motorcycles. RE did something completely different. They designed bike from the ground up to do a job and to be on a price.. And they did it. And it seems that all other manufacturers are forgotten how nice feel the low down torque and focus on top speed and peak power at very high revs.
Yes a true classic bike as it has lead the field for todays bikes! I was at Monyash the other day there were a group of six riders all on the Himmie doing the Derbyshire trails & Nathan the postman rates the 411 over the 452.
Im just up the road from you in Kosovo, ride a BMWf650gs, 50hp but i love the look of those Himmys, just not brave enough to change. I ride to Macedonia and Albania a lot, my bike copes great, cant understand how new ones are still available, great bargains to be had in uk for about 3800 quid. If i never had my bike i would buy one in an instant, but not the new 452, hate the look of that. Im 67 by the way.
The 411 is the best!!!! 👊
True words spoken for sure !!!! Thank you !
My Himmy easily holds its own against the new CF Moto on the tracks and firetrails here in Victoria Australia. Have upgraded to YSS suspension front and rear which makes a good thing even better. This bike carries its weight really well and is easy to manoever in the tite stuff. Only place its lacking is the Highway but that just makes you look for Alternitive routes which are far more interesting anyway.
My brother and I bought two brand new old stock Euro 4 Himalayans back in March '22 direct from the UK distributor. A fantastic cut priced deal that included £500+ worth of RE hard pannier boxes and rails thrown in. We've already done some mods, Givi engine bars, tyre hugger etc. and have plenty more planned before we start on some long road trips. We're both in our late 50's will never sell these bikes. They do exactly what we want them to do and more.
Want more off road ability on the 411? Put more knobbier tires on it. Problem solved.
I have a new set to fit
You find the perfect car analogy, the Land Rover Defender (not the new one!). Rode a 411 RE Hymalian in Morocco for a week. Great memories, and I loved the bike.
If I had a 411, I will keep it. Ok, I own a Honda XRV750. Ride safe
worked on a cattle property in Australia, bought new Him 2020, chasing camels for 2 years, over dry creek beds, beer in the afternoon, put in did chain, 16 tooth front sprocket for the long distances, tec cam, irid spark plug, lith battery, led headlight, spotlight, heidenau tyres, tough on the sidewalls, tyre monitors, zuma xt gps, basically set the bike up for remote self sustainable, have 30km on clock. The few extra things you do to the bike makes it reliable, the height helps me paddle across dry creek beds, perfect height. So having said that, why go elsewhere, there will always be bigger better etc, so if you like the bike you are on, why change it? Not interested in the 452, same old same old. Grew up on air cooled bikes 66 years old, good honest bike for good honest riders no frills, just spills. lol.
I completely agree with you, some motorcycles have really become legends. In 1981 I also had an XT 500 (1U6) and it was a hype back then, everyone who loved off-roading wanted it.
However, the XT also had significant weaknesses. Some of the welds looked catastrophic but they held up. But the light from the main headlight was just a better bike light, the front half-hub brake, yes, it braked and eventually you came to a stop. The decompression lever also acted up a lot. What I really didn't like was starting it when it had warmed up and then stood still for 10-20 minutes, during which time it was almost impossible to start it again! There was only one thing that helped - take out the spark plug and give it a few idle kicks so that the foul mixture came out of the cylinder. Then put the spark plug back in and it usually started on the third kick. The good thing was that it had an empty weight (without petrol) of 143 kg, which was an advantage in off-roading. It also managed a top speed of around 130 km/h but then it often started to swerve; the frame was a bit too weak in my opinion. But it was hardly ever written about; it was always just said that it was a powerhouse and the bike for real men. Today it is a legend but really very expensive if you want an original. A year ago I decided on the Scram because it is 15 kg lighter and the 19 front wheel also serves its purpose off-road but it is more agile than the Himmi. My 50 cents on this topic, best regards my mechanic friend!
Introduced in 2015 and hit the distribution market in 2016.
RE stopped producing the 411 block and moved onto the sherpa 452 in the Himalayan model. Supposedly the Scram 411 is still being marketed. Many a 411 still can be had new and used in both models.
In the states...we get everything last now appearently because we inport everything and export very lttle.
The bike was built to schlep sherpas and their gear 👆 upwards. The 452 just arrived here because Fuzzy from "Baxters" ( Marne Iowa)has done a dozen reviews.
Great choice for discussion Ian.
22 Himalayan with 9300 miles and I will still be backing this winner while I drive it silly 🤪
I'm a youngster compared to you, 62 next month. I too have a 411 and I too stop when I see a trail and think "wonder where this goes"? Went shopping for the wife last week and came back with the bike splashed in mud. Bit off a little more than I expected but still had a lot of fun riding a Living Legend! Look forward to part II!
There is nothing else around, remotely like it.The Himalayan has its own unique character and it can go anywhere. IMHO, these things and maybe others too, make it a timeless icon of a motorbike. Yes I agree . Thanks for the video.
Well said. Timeless icon
@@iantoy7778 There may be more icons out there too. I never had one myself but I still feel something for the CX500/650, the Norton Commando and the the Triumph T120. i had better stop there otherwise my short list will become ridiculous. Cheers.
Yes i do an all are personal to the individual.... I have the so called premium Adv bikes both Ducati and Bmw both are great but i like this Himalayan it makes me ride at a safer pace and i get to see much more of what is around me and if i see a track that looks interesting i will have a go a great little bike👍
Cheers for reply ride safe smile often🙂
Well said!
Love my 2020 Himalayan 411. Agree that it is a future Cult Classic, like a poor man’s BMW R80 g/s. 😂
Brilliant video as usual and very well put....Totally agree as do many others that this bike will be a legendary bike they hit the mark with this where other manufacturers missed the boat they built the exact bike they wanted from the ground up that served many purposes at a price most could afford and they kept it simple in every way. My dealership cannot understand why i haven't swapped for the new one why would i this is what i wanted when i saw it easy self maintenance no radiator or TFT. Cant wait for follow up take it easy on those trails I'm the same age i know what its like lol i ended up in a ditch miles from anywhere a few weeks ago enough said lol👍
I think the bike has such a big following and always will.
I dont disagree, 62 years old. Enjoying the 452. Had a 411.. loved it.. New one topped it off
I've still to ride the 452
Hi Ian ... totally agreed with all you said about the Himalayan and thank you for all the videos you upload, as for 'jimtitt' what planet is he on! obviously living up to his name!!!
Are you sure the 411 has been discontinued?, R.E. still advertise it on their website along with the new 450, just calling it the Himalayan 410. Why axe a cash cow if it's still selling?
The Himalayan 411 can't pass the Euro emission tests for new bikes anymore. The ones advertised are old stock.
@@iantoy7778 I see, better hang onto mine with a death grip in that case;-)
Fit a decent pair of knobblies on it and it'll do the trails even better
Had them sat in workshop for a few months,but it's not rained for 3 months ,so not fitted them lol.
@@WiltshireMan I have a Tusk D-sport on the rear and it is great just too loud on the asphalt
I bought a 1976 XT 500 as soon as it became available, traded in a '72 RT-2 MX 360 that the bottom end had locked up on from riding it on the street! The XT500 weighed about the same as my RD350 and it got 55-60mpg. Didn't keep it very long, it was too heavy like the himmys....
It's already been forgotten, a few old guys in northern England will mumble through their gums over a pint of mild about them but the rest sold them on after a couple of years and moved on.
I don't live in England
@@iantoy7778Nor do I
Nope, not yet old southerner here, had mine five years, it ain't going anywhere ......
My Desert X will be sold on in a year or two (who the hell keeps a Ducati out of warranty 😂), the gixer thou no longer gets ridden and the Griso is for shiny days. The Himmy is for any day 👍🏼
Totally agree Ian about what you say about the rest being fashion bikes
Hi Ian I agree with your sentiments,however I do find the Himalayan a bit too tall for short Arse me, but I do fancy one to go with my bullet 350 and my hunter, maybe because at 69 I can and maybe because I am not ready for me slipper n balcony yet, will watch next instalment and then deliberate at wether I should buy or not, thanks for interesting vid
NW Biker dude Ted
Next instalment will be out Thursday then time to get your wallet out lol
Get a lowering kit for it, easy done.
No, it doesn't have the history of the Japanese 650 singles DR, XR and KLR. But it's a moot point. If any bike gives you pleasure and you want to keep it and ride it as long as possible it's a legend. A gutsy Dutch girl changed RE forever when she rode one through Central Asia. Where would they be without her? It's good to see RE moving ahead with the new Sherpa engine.
The Him411 can be a great bike depending where you live. Here in my country max highway speed is 110kmh and more than 75% of the roads are “unpaved”. The unpaved roads can vary from a nicely maintained gravel road to mud pothole filled road and sometimes even in the same road you can find both layouts multiple times. The low center of gravity and tractor feel of the long stroke motor in first gear remove a lot of difficulty when finding such situations specially if you are not skillful off-road rider. IMO the bike was never meant to be good at anything, is just a bike that can make your adventures possible at a good price with very good fuel economy. I find it funny how a lot of people wanted more power, better brakes, better build quality, etc while the market is filled with so many options that cover that, BUT of course all that things cost more money. Then there is also the used market, for example a BMW F650GS(2000-2007) is what a lot of people wanted in terms of power from the himmy and they are cheap(at least in my country).
Your roads sound just like ours , old soviet roads just deep pot holes now.
This bike is not my cup of tea , but if I had the right kind of roads , maybe it would be .
There's two points that you raised , one is that it's built for Indian roads , two is the price . Those are the reasons for it's success , Royal Enfield won't sell anything outside of India unless they have a sound home market , we think we are getting a bargain [ and we are ] but the bikes are much cheaper in India .
If the highway traffic around here were slower , the bike would be fine, but to get to the interesting gravel roads you have to mix it with the loonies in SUVs and the Kenworth truckers who are pedal to the metal everywhere , nobody gives a rat's ass about the speed limit.
Riding a slow bike makes me feel very vulnerable .
I'm going to take a good look at the 452 when it arrives , it does look very promising .
I can ride for hours and never see anyone. Bulgaria a large country but no people or they all left when I moved here lol
I dont disagree wuth much of your reasoning ... however, just a couple of things that make me doubt its a 'living legend' ... firstly, the bike that many riders say "I will never sell this" are not what came out of the shop, the stuff that needs changing is legendary if anything! its a fairly sub-standard bike as standard and a half decent bike when everything that needs binning has been swapped out. Secondly, there are god knows how many for sale at daft cheap prices ... why? I like the thought of having one for lanes etc but sat on one and thought nahhhh ... the sales in India point doesn't stack up either ... if thats the measure then my Benelli TRK is a 'living legend' in Italy as its the best selling bike out there ... sold very well in India as well funnily enough. I have a Benelli TRK 502x (second one) and its great value but never a 'living legend' ... Itchy Boots nearly did a Ewan McGregor job for it but now she's Honda so not really. The bikes you mentioned from our youth (Im 65) deserve those titles because they were great bikes straight out of the box ... sorry but the Himmy isn't, its a cheap bike , memorable and quirky, thats great but it has to be so much more than that for that status IMHO
There are lots for sale yes but that's always the case when there are lots sold to start with and yes they are cheap but were cheap from the off so it balances out. Check out the Multistradas or Bmw Gs or a Z900RS literally hundreds for sale used and doesn't make it a bad bike. I think Ian is just giving is opinion after owning one and probably doing more than most to improve it in the best way to make it a better bike and like he says its not good at anything but can do most things. Fair enough some people don't like the way they look i myself think they look great and i have quite a few bikes but this one makes me smile and that's all part of it don't you think.
@@karlos3611 Bang on about the 'makes you smile' bit ... if they don't then not much point. I have had wayyyyy too many bikes (I could have been well off if I hadn't) and the only one that never made me smile was an old Honda FT500 which I bought blind ... god it was horrible! I love jack of all trades bikes, I love XT660z's for that reason and maybe could make a case for those as 'legends' but I think its reserved for truly outstanding bikes personally and I don't think the Himmy deserves that status but you know wht they say about opinions .... 😁
most bikes that are legends had great HP or some new innovation, the 411 is really weak in HP....... it is cheap and thats the best thing I can say about it. I do like RE they are doing alot right.......if the 411 does the job for you then its a great bike.
now the KLR650 is a legend been going for 30 years, makes you wonder, its heavy not great HP at 40hp, it was cheap, reliable......has a great following, been around the world multiple times..........so you never know.