A HUGE shout out to my friend Jesse who lent me his bike for this review. What do you think - would you buy a Himalayan? 🏍 GEAR IN THIS VIDEO: ⚡ Klim Krios Pro Helmet: imp.i104546.net/WD9gOM ⚡Klim Arsenal 15 Backpack: bit.ly/3xdS2dU ⚡ REV’IT OffTrack Jacket/Pants: imp.i104546.net/AoeOkJ ⚡ REV’IT Dirt 3 Gloves: imp.i104546.net/BXa3A0 ⚡ Sidi Adventure 2 Gore Tex Boots: imp.i104546.net/b3q5kx 🏍 SUPPORT BIG ROCK MOTO BY USING THESE LINKS! ⚠Rocky Mountain Store: bit.ly/33kgRIz ⚠Revzilla Store: imp.i104546.net/6bxxXN ⚠Mosko Moto: moskomoto.com/bigrockmoto ⚠Amazon Store: amzn.to/3viGZ0A
I’m 5ft 6 and 150 geared up, I’ve made many memories with that bike. For one I did 4 states in one day 663 miles. For a slow bike it forces you to take it easy, and when it’s time to hammer down its hilariously slow and I love it! That day I hammered out 127 miles all highway to get home at 70mph. There is no way this bike will get you into trouble. Id recommended this bike to anyone, I’m a seasoned rider and I loved it. I also taught someone to ride on this bike. Buuut I unfortunately was rear ended on that bike and she is completely totaled..I’ll be waiting patiently for the himalayan 450 to be released!
Perhaps try out a v85tt. Not much heavier, air cooled engine with dead simple maintenance, not much heavier and everything +1 interms of performance. Its an excellent soft roader as well.
I'm 5 "7 and be riding this wonderful machine through south America and I love it. I don't really need to go that fast here due to the typea of highways and routes compared to U.S.
Easy fix to the highway speed issue. Don’t go on the highway. The idea of the adventure bike is to use secondary roads. Also it goes fast enough to meet minimum highway speed standards so who cares if cars pass you. I frequently travel slower than average travel speeds on the freeway and cars just go around me. Never been an issue. Once you remove the speed ego aspect and just ride your ride for enjoyment it becomes a non issue. But I prefer to avoid freeway travel at all costs. So much more to see going slower on back country roads. ✌️
+1 Well said... Drive me meteor anywhere here in Thailand... On the very rare occasions I'm on a highway I'm chilling in the left lane... Grinning 😁 from ear to ear... 🎉 *Crap Game*
I agree.. I ride an RE Classic 500 and avoid freeways and highways.. Two reasons: Traffic speed and the fact that those roads are boring.. I ride down back roads because theres little to no traffic and the scenery is more pleasant.. The journey is as important as the destination..
I own a 2021 Himalayan and have put 3500 miles/5500 km on mine. This review is spot on. If asked to describe what it is like to own/ride this bike, 90% of what I would say is in this video. I test rode this bike and fell in love with its character, ease of use, maintenance, and its versatility. It is a joy to ride and as Big Rock Moto said, you get a pure version of motorcycling. With the Seat Concepts tall seat, the riding position is up to about 33", which is good for my 6'1", 230 lb frame.
This bike is designed for lower speeds and off-road obviously. It has its limitations on the road and if it meets someone’s needs it’s perfect otherwise get street bike if you need to go very fast
My friend and I wanted the CRF 300l Rally after waiting a year and still no stock here in Canada we decided to buy two 2022 Himalayans. I've owned many bikes over the years and I must say I'm very happy with the purchase. These bikes are so much fun to ride on and off road. I've already put 5000km since Aug and no issues. This bike is a work horse. Great review.
I own a 2018 Himmy fully decked out, with hard panniers, crash bars, riding lights, barkbusters you name it its got it, stil didnt cost as much as a Japanese or european bike totaly stock.. Its never failed me maintenance is cheap only thing it lacks is horsepower but with a speedlimit on the highway of 100kph here in the Netherlands I really dont miss it anymore just a lot of smiles per driven mile 😃 Great review 👌🏻
I bought a 2022 Himalayan without even knowing how to ride a bike or knowing anything about a bike. It is very heavy for for first few days and now it feels easy 😉 i like the bike
I have a Himalayan, and love it so far. I did add a Powertronic ECU, a free-flowing airbox cover/intake from Hitchcocks, and a slip on muffler to mine. These changes did not make it significantly more powerful, but it helped the top end enough that the bike will happily cruise at 70+ mph all day long. I’ve done a couple 200 mile highway runs on the bike both stock and with those mods, and with those changes it feels much less stressed at highway speeds. For where I live and ride in upstate NY and New England that has made it a very useable all-rounder. If the speeds on the highway where you live are more like 80+ mph, then your experience will differ.
Having just started the video, I can say that this bike is a gem for what it is designed to do and its price point. Definitely not for cruising highways. But for back roads it does great. I know a guy who is not small (240 lb) who owns one. Gets 70 mpg routinely. I would also point out that riders with longer inseams will want a taller seat.
Totally agree. The Seat Concepts tall seat did the trick for me. I am 6'1" 230 lbs. I get 65-70 mpg and commute to work on mostly 55 mph speed limit roads.
I love mine! I’ve done just about every performance mod to the engine. Full flow exhaust, DNA high flow air filter, Powertronic piggy back ECU, air injection delete, evap canister delete, stage 2 performance cam shaft from Hitchcock, iridium spark plug. I raised the seat hight with the shorter links, added preload adjusters to front forks. It easily does 80 on the hwy now with room in the throttle but needs taller gearing now to accommodate the added HP. Before I had the throttle pinned wide open to maintain hwy speed but now it’s about half throttle cruising at 70. Love this bike in so many ways it is just plain fun to ride everywhere!
I think this just cinched me on one for my first bike. All I want to do is mostly low speed city commuting 70-80% of the time, but mainly desire it to go explore side roads, dirt and get out in the world a bit more with my cameras. Very little highway and where I am the highways are 100-110kmh and I have no desire to go any quicker than that anyway. The absolute perfect bike for what I want.
Royal Enfield created a future classic with the 411 Himalayan. I've just bought a low-mileage example after riding my son's Himmy to the Overland Adventure bike event in Oxfordshire. I thought I might hold on for the new 452, but having seen a few early reviews, I decided to go for the 411 before they stop making them. I love the simplicity of the 411. My youngest son and his partner rode through 35 counties in Europe last year, 15,000 miles, four months, both riding Himalayans, much of the journey off-road. The only problem was one of the bikes had a broken (after-market) pannier frame on the bike that had hard-luggage. The other bike with soft-luggage system, no problem. They did their own servicing and tyre changes en route. Both bikes are still in daily use. Impressive. Avoid motorways (freeways, if you must), the power isn't there, but who likes riding those sorts of roads anyway? The Himalayan is faster than a Fireblade and a better cruiser than a Harley; on a gravel track in the middle of nowhere! That's what the Himmy does. Nice review Big Rock! Love and peace.
Call it slow, clunky or outdated: this has won my heart and soul. I cancelled my 390 ADV order for this. My first ever brand new, might I add. I grin all along my very enjoyable rides. It's just so easy to use, nimble and solid. I just enjoy flicking that thing with that camo paint. That being said, yes, you need to be counter intuitive and to default to the rear brakes instead of the front brakes if you want stopping power. It took me a moment to make muscle memory out of it, but now i'm good.
Great review! As an Enfield Himalayan owner in Alaska, I can tell you this review is spot on. My number one concern with my Himalayan is the lack of power going uphill on main roads. The reason I picked the Himi was two-fold, one the seat height was very easy for a new rider like me. Secondly, the price was very affordable. The ability to pick up a proper new adventure bike for $6K was very appealing to me. All of the 5-7-year-old BMW motorcycles were going far beyond this price point.
As of Royal Enfield -450cc already launched in India 3 months back.40hp power and torquee.Now no need to complain about power issue.Digital round display with advanced features.17 litre fuel tank. Tubeless may launched in Usa as of now it has tube tire in future they launching tubeless in India also.Led headlight.Soon it will be launched in USA.
I bought a 2022 one last year as my 1st bike to learn on. 11 000km later, I love it. Yeah I wish it was a bit faster and able to do wheelies sure. But it is such a chill bike that you kinda forget about that stuff easily. Off-road here in BC it is perfect. I duckwalk it where my skills are not enough and dropping it is more of a laugh than a panic. It is also super cheap to maintain . I’ve changed tires, oil , chain and did the tipped thing ( wasn’t needed at 10k) and it makes me feel like I know this bike in and out. As my 1st experience on a bike, and in Canada where 100km/h is mostly the limit, I’m not sure why you’d want a faster bike other than to put yourself in danger by falling into temptations ( what my wife’s rebel 500 has done to me) . It is a tractor that never wants to fail you or throw you off of it.
Thanks so much! I learned more from you than any of the previous reviews I’ve seen. It is a fascinating thing about this bike. Reviewers spend the whole time reminding you about the shortcomings you also cover and then say how much they love it. It is obviously an “endearing” bike, and THAT is a special quality that is rare these days. Now, a 450 please, RE.
They're releasing one next year I think. Unfortunately, it's liquid-cooled rather than air-cooled, so it's not as good an ADV in my opinion (one more thing that can fail/break), but it probably gives the performance for highway riding.
I have the 2022 version of this bike and loving it. The brakes get hate but mine work great. I knew about the headlight and had it replaced with a led at dealer. I use it mainly for commuting and back road wandering/camping. Its such a great bike for what it is. I have no intention on riding interstate highways. Enjoyed your review.
I bought one in Ecuador, toured for 10,000 kms, and sold it easily. No problems except when I broke things riding MUCH rougher terrain than I should have. The seat was comfy for me for about 2 ot 3 hours, but the 5th hour was pretty sore. If I lived in South America permanently I would probably go CB500X. Honda doesn't sell the CRF300L, and the VStrom is $10,000 MORE! Dealers are everywhere, parts are cheap and easily available, and every tiny ass town had a mechanic that could handle most work. Loved it! Good review, and I agree with all your conclusions. Forcing you to drive off-highway is a benefit, as far as I am concerned. Cheers!
I had one of these from new for 2 years, and I can agree with all of this review. The bike also takes plenty of luggage without any problem, the low rev power keeps it going. Mine was totally reliable in over 20,000 miles, with very good fuel economy, and cheap to service. I notice that there are now a huge number of aftermarket and upgraded parts available (in the UK) if you want to go and stop a bit quicker, but of course we would all love to see a more powerful version from RE, hopefully without losing the many good points of the 411. Good review here as always.
Great review. Most of the issues you mentioned have been fixed with the 2022 model. Better seat, wider wind screen, no stalling, some other subtle changes too. Fun bike for sure.....
Love the intro! I have a Himmi in the same specs, it's my first bike and i'm really enjoying learning to ride with it. Has good power, fun in the corners, and soaks up a lot of bumps in the road and lets me practice a little off road with confidence.
Hey man I wish you all the best, riding is a passion! I want you to come back to your comment after a year of riding or so and laugh at your self for saying that this bike has good power😂
Thanks for a very thorough and thoughtful review Ian. We own a pair of 2021's, and while my newbie wife finds hers too tall/heavy/scary, and now rides a Yamaha XT250 which she's had lowered, I have no such problems with the Black Pearl. Slow, yeah, but I'm in no hurry (I'm 74). We have no freeways, just miles of 2 lane blacktop, and thousands of forest service roads in the Cascades, so we can take our time & explore. There's also very little to fail when out there, other than a flat tire. No electronics to fail, nothing to strand the bike miles from nowhere. If you have to have your daily adrenalin fix though, this isn't the bike you want. Night time high altitude low open parachute combat jumps gave me enough of that already. Nope this is a bike to simply enjoy the smell of the wildflowers on.
@@dylanrussell5695 Itchy Boots installed a piggyback ECU In the Netherlands for slightly more power. In UA-cam search, "Itchy Boots Himalayan Modifications".
I wouldn’t go that far. I have had both bikes. My last klr had so many issues it went away quickly. I love my himalayan but it is a aircooled 411 cc so you have to manage expectations. It will cruise all day at 70 mph but top speed is 83.
Great review Ian! I have my second Himalayan (BS6) and I love that bike. My first Hima (BS4) convinced me that is a perfect bike only if you know what you have. The only think that I want to share to the people is that don't feel intimidated for the valve adjustment. In my first Hima I only did it at 25.000 miles (38.000 km). Now, with the new one, I didn't do it jet (5.000 miles). *I sold the BS4 with 51.000 km. In the Himalayan group I am, that is not an issue (valves adjustment). At least In Chile and southamerica. Greetings to you and all the adv fans ✌️.
I think your review is spoton. I bought a 2018 model secondhand, rode it all the way to North Cape from Belgium and back. 8600 kms in total. No issues whatsoever. Perfect bike for Norwegian roads and speed limits. If I compare it to my Suzuki 1250: it's back to basics. I need to shift gears precisely. The Suzuki doesn't care what gear you're in with all the torque it has. I can change the oil myself; can't get even to the oil filter of the Suzuki. The Himalayan is my camping bike.
I was quite suprised to see how small this bike was when you compare it with other adventure type bikes. I'm 6ft 2 But watching Itchy Boots ride one half way round the world shows its very capable!
This bike is primarily designed for the Indian market, where average height is lower than that of the US or Europe, so a lot of reviewers look hilarious standing next to it. This makes it so the the bike is amazing for shorter riders (like Noraly from Itchy Boots), but it may feel cramped for tall people.
@@pedrovergara7594 Average height for an Indian male is 5'8". Average height of an American male is 5'9". It's not really the market, the bike is just designed small.
i am from the UK, I sold my bought new 2018 BMW R1200 'Rallye' (£17,500) back to the dealer after 3 yrs with only 1350miles on for £10,800..i had another bike to commute on, but i never jelled with the BMW, after the finance was paid off, i put the cash i had left into a 2021 Himalayan and never looked back, I just love it! It's not fast and will only sit comfortably at a max 70mph, i have max loaded it up for camping trips and the extra weight does not faze the bike, it still accelerates the same and rides like no load..it is my daily commute and workhorse, i service it myself as valve clearance adjustments are easy to do (first bike in 32 yrs that i had the confidence to do myself). I have run it through 2 UK winters with salted roads and apart from the odd brown minimal surface bolt rust, it has held it's own, so quality in all weather riding isnt an issue. it has got deep into my heart big style, they are just so characterful and seem to have a soul to them...I have had alot of bikes since 1988, but this is my first ever keeper 🥰 I also have a 2022 RE interceptor and love that also, but i always jump on the Himalayan as i still get butterflies in my stomach everytime i put the key into the ignition..yes i might be sad, but that's what a soulmate bike does to you 😁 its good enough for motorway/highway use in the UK as its illegal to pass on the inside on UK roads, so as long as it is faster than HGV's , it is very good for long distance work 👍 taking it on a 1200 mile ride through Europe soon, to show it the Mediterranean sea, have a beer and both watch the sun go down ❤
Almost bought a Himmy as my first bike. Love the styling of it. Honestly the only issue I had was the cutouts on the fuel tank. I'm 6'3 and those cutouts just made it slightly uncomfortable for me. I already knew about and expected the issue with the lack of power, which seems like it's a consistent issue for all bikes in this price range. Ended up with a 250l Rally that people also say is lacking in power but I love it. Also, Ian you live in such a beautiful area, seems like a perfect place for a motorcyclist(especially as a reviewer) with all those winding roads. Edit: I just wanted to add something to this comment because you said it really well in your conclusion. These underpowered bikes do make you think about your route, they do make you avoid the fast highways and interstates. It's wonderful. I don't go on freeways on my 250l because it doesn't have the power to get me out of any bad situations. This has made me take a lot of roads in my city that I haven't been on. It's made me find some cool little spots that not a lot of people go to. Sure it takes longer, but I found a route to get to another town that takes me through a beautiful canyon on a simple dirt road. I've encountered various wildlife that I never would have seen on the interstate.
Well stated! Modern bikes lean more towards the taller riders. When I started off road riding (late 60"s am old!) my tall friends had to modify their bikes, now shorter riders (5'8") lower mounts! Happy trails!
Thank you Jesse for letting us all check out your bike. It is an intriguing ride. Unfortunately it's not for me but I still admire it for multiple reasons and completely understand it is the right bike for many other riders.
Love this bike, probably going to get one soon because I'm sick of my 1000cc sports tourer and this is basically its antithesis. It will definitely need a change in philosophy when it comes to where I ride, but IMO it makes me skip non-fun roads (motorways) and instead traverse the countryside. I live in the UK so pretty much any point in the country is still accessible within a day and this bike makes our narrow, bumpy country lanes a pleasure to ride along.
@@dry509 tbf if you only have flat straight roads around you I don't think any bike will be particularly exciting, if that was genuinely the only choice I probably wouldn't ride at all.
I went and bought one after seeing this review and I am NOT disappointed. Lovely relaxed riding on local trails & it still makes me smile on the roads that get me to them. This is me coming back to bikes after a 10 year break coming from a ktm ex400 & yes its heavier, yes its not fast but boy is is capable and comfey. If you want something that starts, stops and goes then this is fantastic. 100% though the stock brakes are being swapped for EBC HH sintered pads as they are not the best, though not nessisarily a bad thing on slippery surfaces.
Sort of surprised the KLR 650 was not listed as a direct competitor to the Himalayan. I love everything the KLR and the Himalayan represent. In some ways the KLR is the solution for taller riders who like the Himalayan but it's too short. And vice versa. If the Himalayan platform survives reliably for another 10 years it will certainly be talked about in a similar category.
Man, your Monster drink happening really made me laughing loud. Thanks for that and the really accurate motorbike review. I wondered if the Himalayan could be the right bike for me but you brought several things to the surface which made me realize it won't.
I own a 2021 Himi as well and I think you nailed about everything with this bike. It was my first bike and I love it, even with its shortcomings. I would prefer more power though, mostly for inclines as I don't really ride the highways here in the US. Cheers!
My BS4 2019 Himalayan brought me back into riding.. No modifications, just many reliable miles: 26K so far. Had both brake calipers replaced due to a recall last year (new ‘coated pins’ for US road salt conditions). Valves adjusted only twice ..very in tune with it, neither I nor my local shop think they need messing with. A blast on local Interstates, I-81, 77, or 64; just pop into the truck lane as needed. Most miles were rural 55 MPH two lanes, and the Blue Ridge Parkway.. in my backyard 🙂 A now discontinued Classic.. I’d waited 3 years for it to get to ‘America,’ and feel I could give it away tomorrow, having enjoyed thousands of $’s more than it’s cost me. Must admit, I’d purchased a ‘21 V-Strom XT ADV (the identical bike Ian featured - and because of his review!) for longer travel ..but if forced to sell one, I’d hang onto the Himi..
Love this review. The worst performing bike Ian has ever touched managed to touch him more than any other bike. I've never seen him more inspired. I love this bike. I would definitely own one if I had money for a second bike. The first bike is to get me places reliably; like my relatively uninspiring V-Strom.
Interesting note about the shift lever. I've dumped my Himalayan twice, both left side washouts, once on snow and once on soft gravel. Both times, the shift lever folded up over the peg. Both times, I backed off the linkage, folded it back, and readjusted. No bends, no damage that I could detect. I'm starting to believe that the engineers designed this into the linkage as a damage prevention measure. VERY interesting. Further, the bike is absolutely rideable and shiftable with the lever folded up like that. Just gotta kick it with your toe or heel.
I’ve had a Himalayan for 2 months now, regardless, I made myself some Gin&tonic and am ready to spare 45 mis to see what Ian has to say about this slow but beautiful and fun machine :)
Purchased a 2022 a few months ago to replace a series of BMW 1250GS's and a BNMW 650GS. The Himalayan is much more fun in MHO. I don't find the lack of speed an issue, speed is not why I purchased this bike, I have a 2020 T120 Bonneville if I want to go fast. The bike is just a blast to ride and the low end torque is great. I toured on fast BMW's for 40 years and only saw the road in front of me, hoping slow and being able to sight see is much more enjoyable.
I love my Himi and this is such a great quality review. When I think of a highway I feel like the Himalayan is a deafening, vibrating pushbike with zero safely overtaking options.
I like the styling, price, low seat and the "idea" of the Himalayan and can see why a lot of new or older riders would consider it. I was very close to buying one myself as my first and only bike. However, thinking with my head instead of my heart, I bought a '21 Honda CB 500x instead, with no regrets. The CB500x is just a more capable all round bike (after switching out the stock tires) with Honda readability at only a bit extra cost.
This is an excellent assessment of the Himalayan and mirrors my own experiences with my 2022 model that I've had a little over the year. What appealed to me as I'm soon to be 69 years old was the relaxed nature of the bike. Especially the power band where I don't have to worry about the motorcycle getting away from me, especially off the pavement. It's so nice to tractor along and never have the rear tire break free because I gave the bike a little too much throttle. Regarding your freeway observations -- traffic here on Interstate 80 also moves along at the 75 to 90mph pace. However, the truck traffic doesn't and it is easy for me to move the Himalayan along safely with lots of space with the trucks. And there are many cars that travel at the speed limit. And even when I was riding my BMW K75 and other bigger motorcycles I never really traveled much over 70. I've always felt "the danger" of not moving with the fastest traffic was more of a mental idea than anything based in reality. At least here in Central Pennsylvania. Thanks for a fine review. I enjoyed it. And I love how the Himalayan looks in videos -- yours and mine!
Thanks for explaining ‘the truck lane’ option. With 26K miles on my ‘19 BS4 Hemi, I have a blast on the Interstates. It’s never been incapable of passing a semi, and since I’m not bobbing & weaving between them, they leave plenty of safe space 🙂
Before my CRF 300L, I've had a RE Himalayan. I just loved that bike. Sold it até the time because i was using some much my F800GS, that i wasn't riding the Himalayan as much. Now with the 300L and a T7 at home, i still want to have another Himalayan 👌👌
I have one and like you said, the lack of power is really the proverbial Achilles heel and it's my biggest issue with the bike. I'm hoping that the 450 and 650 versions they are supposed to be releasing will solve this issue.
I know of guys who have crossed the US on Himalayans. If you have to ride the interstate it is not the bike for you. I had one for 3 years and would trailer it to prime riding areas instead of trying to ride it because of time limitations.
Itchy Boots installed a PowerTRONIC piggyback ECU In the Netherlands for more power, and was very pleased with the result. In UA-cam search, "Itchy Boots Himalayan Modifications".
Wonderful review!. I own a 2022 Himalayan too and I totally love this bike. However two small things that I'd like to bring to your notice are, firstly about the suspension. Back here in India, where the bike was orgininally designed, the conditions of roads aren't amazing throughout. There are patches of broken roads in cities and even on some highways. Considering that the bike was made to go around the country, it needed to have soft suspension to match. It is adjustable 5 steps for preload though (Only the Rear) so you can set up the stiffness the way you like it. In addition, the Leh Ladakh Region near the himalayas where the bike was tested has some pretty terrible roads and that too contributed to the plush setup. I do agree that the power is lacking, but in India again, the speed limit on highways are 80kmph on regular highways and 120 kmph on expressways where bike aren't allowed. So majority of people cruise at 80kmph (Of course people break the speed limit as well), but you can cruise at 100kmph all day long without breaking a sweat. However, yeah for the USA's speeds, its simply not enough power for freeway use. Great work on your videos!!
It's very important what you are saying and now it makes a lot of sense. In Argentina we also have terrible roads though we don't make motorcycles. Well, we do make great futbol players!! LOL. Greeting from the other side of the word my friend!
I just sold this bike a month ago after a year riding it. It is a niche bike. It is capable offroader and forgiving to mistakes bike. It is good for tight mountain roads, soft to medium offroad and it is excelent city commuter as it has low seat and overall it is a small bike. But for European road perspective it was way too underpowered for me. For long distances on faster roads it is was tiring to ride and also it felt unsafe to keep up with more agressive traffic. Highways and straight roads felt as a chore. Wind protection was also an issue for me even with taller windshield, the seat was also uncomfortable and all this combined made me want to stop every hour and a half when riding it. I even made some performance upgrades - a performance camshaft is a must - cheap and easy to get it done. Ofcourse i had fun times with it, it gave me confidence for offroading, exploring backroads, forgotten mountain villages and camping. Now I am riding a 50hp bike and find it enought for everything.
I love this motorcycle, its timeless style, simplicity, robustness, ease, comfort, that sound makes me fall in love and it has something special that most motorcycles don't have, I don't know what it is but it seemed special to me when I tried it, I honestly regret it. not having bought it and instead I bought a voge 650 dsx also single cylinder with 48 hp and a good 60 nm torque and with good conditions both on the road and in the field, in addition to being very equipped as standard and even so I am still in love with the Himalayan .
I was ready for another serious, thorough review, and was pleasantly surprised to find a Wes Anderson production compliments of the opening theme and Monster inspired sound effects - well done.
Wow, what a great review and top reviewer! This is the best review I’ve seen on the Himalayan, bar none. Here in New Zealand the RE brand has almost achieved a cult status with the Himalayan right up there. Personally I’m looking at the Scram as a local runabout for both sealed and unsealed roads……BUT having said that I just have to check out the Himmy a bit more in-depth. Cheers! 42:51
Great review you definitely hit on all the important points. I love this bike. It’s a no nonsense bike it doesn’t care what anybody thinks. I can’t stop staring at it. I’ve ridden it and it’s very comfortable and the acceleration is very linear. It’s light on its feet like you said once you get going
Hi BRM, I have exactly the same bike as yours and have done 10,500 kms. I LOVE my bike, it's roadholding/cornering, it's fuel economy (100+ miles to the european gallon) it's character, it's tunability. It is fun defined; a bit like your best-ever dog friend. Avoid motorways totally and you'll have a blast.
Thanks. Just watched this good and comprehensive review. After years of large capacity sports-tourers and with my age beginning to tell, together with all the hype over these 411cc Royal Enfields, I tested the new Scram version. Within a week I'd bought one. Without waxing on too long, it's hard to pin down why this is such a great bike, although you do point to much of it in your video. I've ridden the Himalayan as well. Subtle differences due perhaps to the wheel size. The Scram is a little more responsive. Also, the seat on the Scram is much better over distance, where as you say, the Himalayan is soft and comfortable but becomes less so over some miles. I also bought an Interceptor (INT 650 I think you know them as) for the longer runs and a little more speed, but frankly, these 411s are amazing. I suspect, when the newly announced water cooled 450 Himalayan hits the streets, and if it follows as capably on the heels of the 411s, it will be a formidable contender and those little BMWs and KTMs may start to sweat a bit.
Great review! Yup, the bike definitely has flaws and short comings but if you keep those in mind it is a fun bike. I have a 2019 with over 13k miles on it. I took it on a 1.7K mile solo trip this summer with no issues, and it does make you look for the roads less travelled and take extra couple days off for travel. It was my first bike and have given me a lot of confidence riding off pavement, almost all of my miles are solo. It has also introduced me to motorcycle maintenance, before riding motorcycles I had little knowledge of any mechanics but due to the many UA-cam DIY videos out there and the inexpensive availability for parts I'm able to complete the maintenance needed.
I rode my Himalayan for 6 years for the same reasons that you mentioned, and now I have upgraded my Himalayan for the same reasons that you mentioned. 😊 Spot on!
I’d put this in the same box as the Ural: archaic design & cheaply built. I personally go for bikes at the apex of their category, not the bottom. But, this proves that there is something out there for everybody. More riders out there the better.
Its visible gas leaking like open tap in the drop test all the time the bike was laying down flat on the cloth. Very detailed video and all points covered nicely.
actually I find standing on the Himalayan more comfortable than my Africa Twin....it's a great second local off road camping spot bike and that is what i bought it for.....know what you are getting into and it's a great bike especially off road....this bike shines on fire roads and forest service roads.....great gas mileage as well....would be even better if offered in tubeless
Nice in-depth review as always. I also owned and reviewed the Himalayan and as much as it is slow it always puts a smile on my face and I’m not worried about scratching it! So I just ride it like there’s no tomorrow minus the speed part
Another great review and comparison with other similar bikes. I will stick with my KTM 390 Adventure as I love the power to weight ratio and ease of clocking up the miles on the freeway. Thanks again for your cool, detailed and professional review.
I just bought one of these. Watching Noraly on her itchy boots channel shows how tough they are. The price of $5k is nice. I live in an area where 65mph is the fastest you can go, and go any faster and you will get a ticket. I love the low end torque and it handles nice. If you live in an area where highway speeds are needed, you can buy a 16 tooth front gear and chain kit. And 70 mph won't have you redlined.
A 6th grader can adjust the valves. It is unique and different which is good. It does exactly what it is built for. I would buy one if I had the room for a 3rd bike. Ride it for exploring or for on those just relaxing and chillin' rides. Everyone I know thinks they are cool.
I've never seen one with full knobbies on it before. That looks absolutely amazing with the tires and the blue/white paint. I've thought about buying one of these to add to the garage, I love the old school looks and simplicity of it. At some point I'll come across one used that's a deal and add it to the collection. Thanks for the great video, I love all the detail you put in.
Very easy to add another 6 BHP to 30 Bhp by just fitting the Tec Parts cam which is easy to do yourself. Everyone I know who has done it says it transforms the bike. Not just more power but smoother engine and more torque.
I love how you keep it real. Burping like that while filming and then losing it. I watched it twice. 🤣So funny. Your reviews are epic and so in-depth. Appreciate and love your work.
Personally I only see people buying this bike for its looks. I rode one, thought it was horrible. And I love the KLX250's and CRF250L's....not fancy. I think anyone would be better off buying a used {bullet proof} 250 or spend the $ on the newer 300's of those latter bikes.
I rode a Himalayan for a month in the Himalayas it did really well The roads are as bad as they look on UA-cam and it was perfect. Definitely was pretty weak at 5000 meters but I was too. The only place I had it pinned was on the Moore plains and only just saw 100 km/hr. I can’t believe anyone would take it anywhere near a freeway,not it’s natural environment. Our govt here in nz are determined to pull all speeds down to 80 km so I don’t think it would be to punished here. I’m only 5’8 and 65 found it very comfortable but our riding speed was 35-75 km/hr. Oodles of charm. Great review
Flogging it to go 65 mph….that’s a fact of life with one of these. I tried to like mine. Threw the cam and air box mods at it… waste of money. Clutch is weak, transmission gets pissed off easily. Brakes are horrendous. Great review. Very accurate.
This was one of the best reviews I’ve seen. I would just note that I think the brakes on my ‘22 Himalayan are actually quite good, better than my 02 KLR650 with braided lines. Maybe RE made some improvements for ‘22. Also, contrary to your review here, I think the suspension on my ‘22 is not so good, way too stiff for my liking and not enough travel, though maybe I just need to break it in a while longer. I totally agree with everything else. It’s a great looking bike and fun to ride. I bought it for my wife and it’s like you said it is a great first bike and for shorter riders, though I had to install a lowering link for her which dropped it down 1” even lower, I’m hoping she’ll want it back up to stock height once she gets more comfortable with it.
For a 6'4" rider who occasionally rides highways, the negatives of this bike FAR outweigh the positives. Not to mention that adequate quick acceleration and braking are both very important components of safety when riding. Thanks for another great interview. Although it looked at times that you were struggling to say something positive to balance off the negatives.
I am roughly your size, and own a 2021 model. Acceleration is fine up to 60 mph, shifting at ~4000 rpm. It comes up short when you need a burst of power or need to go more than 70+ mph.
Thanks all correct. I have a REH in Bali Indonesia for 4 years now love it . Small roads and trails never over 80 kl per hr. Good travel bike to Lombok, Sumbawa easy and simple. Perfect for here but in Canada I have the African Twin dct adventure which is also perfect for Canada conditions ( heated grips, big tank, cruise control etc.). That bike I purchased based on your recommendations. Nice to see you doing well.
I owned this for over 18 months and took it all around Texas backcountry roads cutting across gravel, jeep trails, dirt bike trail and even some rocks. Was easy to ride fast, but stopping was the issue. Mine had no ABS so had to really plan my stops. Really engaging since you have to be on your best riding skill, since you don't have much power or brakes. So slow that you will stop to smell the flowers wherever you go and not be bothered with arriving at the destination. I brought literally every spare like cables, filters, clutch items worth few hundreds locally for about $50 on a trip to India. SRC Moto USA has several aftermarket and frakles to add bling. Ultra easy to service, changed oil and checked valves without a manual and I am not very handy with bikes. Initial models had some quality issues and even head replacements in the US. Side stand had to be shortened for stability while parking, guess the newer ones have been redesigned. Installed Barkbusters and it saved me on few gravel drops. It was only $4700 when released. Best way to buy is used. I brought mine used and sold for about what I brought it. You will see lot of low miles units. The US operations is very small, so you can connect with people if you like. I had several opportunities to speak with the CEO. He was a nice person. Hope the next gen 450 or 650 whatever that turns out to be will be way more capable.
Amazing review - from Himalayan owner. If this bike only had 10 BHP more, it would have been great. Himalayan 450 is coming soon with a brand new J-series liquid cooled engine. It is expected to produce 40 BHP power. Let's see how it goes 👍
Nice review. I own an XT250 and the power in accelerating seems very similar. And surprisingly they are both similar in price. Really need to make that 650 Himalayan / Scrambler combo. Thank you Jesse for lending your bike out for this review.
With the better brakes and better engine, the price will go up and lose it's "bargain" status. It could be a nice pick anyway. But the A2(47hp) market is super crowded right now.
I own a 2016 Road King Police and got a 22’ Himalayan in march as a fun bike…now with 9500 km on it 😁👍 Rode it 880 km „non stop“ on german highway, through Danmark, Norway, Croatia, Italy and Austria. No breakdowns yet
I got a Himalayan 2020 15-kilometers. Ride mine in Colombia. It does everything you need. I off-road the SH&it out of it. Speed-wise, in my country, it's more than enough. I do wish it had a 6th gear and a bit more speed. Can't get past 120- 125 kilometers on the highway. I have dropped it a few times, and it's like a TANK.
I have a 2019 model, and yes the power is not great (I live/ride between 6500 and 7500 ft). The best impression of the bike I can give is it feels like a big mountain bike(bicycle) when riding it. Cheers!
The thing is better than I thought! Not top-heavy, handles well on/off road. Good-looking motorcycle and not expensive. I'm 60yrs, ridden/owned many bikes, old and new; Fast scary Street bikes, Off road mx-dirt bikes, Highway crotch cars... I love to ride motorcycles everywhere (within reasonable limits). Lighter and more fun are best! I live in Michigan, and maybe that's the thing. Thanks for sharing, J.
Already bought one - chose the Rock Red version 2 years ago as my first bike, when I was 40. Over 7600 miles now and zero regrets. If you're just looking to ride there might be a better value in new bikes, but if you're hoping to learn to do maintenance and everything I would argue this tops the list. Cheap to buy, cheap to own and maintain, but very capable. I don't have much frame of reference though, and I'm obviously biased to tell myself I made a good decision, lol.
Hey Ian, u took me by surprise with that music and hindi song. Immediately u got a subscriber immediately from India. Your review is so indepth that as a novice I am learning a lot. 😇😇
I rode across NV and Idaho accumulating 2600 miles on a fairly hi mileage unit. No problems other than a flat tire. All dirt roads. 60-65mph is a good speed for this machine.
Somehow it’s a cool bike but even at this price it’s hard to justify over any old school Japanese dual sport. Rather have a DRZ, DR, KLR or XR. All of them are faster, have better suspension, ground clearance and are easy to repair too. The headlights and brakes seem to suck just as much so I don’t see the appeal 😅
For front break, replacement of break pads with sintered pads makes a good improvement. Upgrade the headlight headlight bulb sorts that issue out too. Nothing expensive. Remove the petrol evap removes the stalling problem. Mine is a 2019 BS4. It's not for the motorway. 65 mph is more than fast enough. Tipping the bike before starting may make it more difficult to start. Mine starts first time. I Don't think you can give a thorough review without long term test or ownership. I agree with the off road. It's a jack of all trades. And it suits me perfectly. Because it does everything with ease and control. A great bike.
Kudos for warning to protect against back injury. As someone whom aquired a lower back injury from construction work I can attest to others, it is something you do not want to risc, you will be in frequent pain and discomfort for anything from 1 year to the rest of your life, it can and does end careers and things you used to enjoy.
Thanks for a thorough and honest review. Like you, I really love this bike, and am trying to justify purchasing one. It has such great looks and character, and would definitely be a conversation starter wherever you take it. I’ll need to fit it into my garage somewhere between the KLR650 and the CRF300 Rally. Happy Trails
A HUGE shout out to my friend Jesse who lent me his bike for this review. What do you think - would you buy a Himalayan?
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How about some side by side comparisons with Jesse? That would be awesome!
Thanks for the shout out. I really enjoyed the review. Well done!
Finalyyyyyyyyyyyyy….. thank you ! Awesome review Brother.
Ah, nope. Any bike with less than 40 HP and/or less than 30 lb-ft of torque, yet weights more than 400 lbs, is just too wimpy.
@@alozborne So, I assume KLR 650s are too wimpy for you also 🤔
I’m 5ft 6 and 150 geared up, I’ve made many memories with that bike. For one I did 4 states in one day 663 miles. For a slow bike it forces you to take it easy, and when it’s time to hammer down its hilariously slow and I love it! That day I hammered out 127 miles all highway to get home at 70mph. There is no way this bike will get you into trouble. Id recommended this bike to anyone, I’m a seasoned rider and I loved it. I also taught someone to ride on this bike. Buuut I unfortunately was rear ended on that bike and she is completely totaled..I’ll be waiting patiently for the himalayan 450 to be released!
Perhaps try out a v85tt. Not much heavier, air cooled engine with dead simple maintenance, not much heavier and everything +1 interms of performance. Its an excellent soft roader as well.
I've read there is a himalayan 650 in the works
@@anselmohernandez7797 nope
@@anselmohernandez7797 It going to be a road tourer. Where the 450 is geared for ADV
I'm 5 "7 and be riding this wonderful machine through south America and I love it. I don't really need to go that fast here due to the typea of highways and routes compared to U.S.
Easy fix to the highway speed issue. Don’t go on the highway. The idea of the adventure bike is to use secondary roads. Also it goes fast enough to meet minimum highway speed standards so who cares if cars pass you. I frequently travel slower than average travel speeds on the freeway and cars just go around me. Never been an issue. Once you remove the speed ego aspect and just ride your ride for enjoyment it becomes a non issue. But I prefer to avoid freeway travel at all costs. So much more to see going slower on back country roads. ✌️
Totally agree 👍👍
❤
Ya Lol Don't Need now PotHoLed FilLed Freeways To Have Some More Fun.
+1
Well said... Drive me meteor anywhere here in Thailand... On the very rare occasions I'm on a highway I'm chilling in the left lane... Grinning 😁 from ear to ear... 🎉
*Crap Game*
I agree.. I ride an RE Classic 500 and avoid freeways and highways.. Two reasons: Traffic speed and the fact that those roads are boring.. I ride down back roads because theres little to no traffic and the scenery is more pleasant.. The journey is as important as the destination..
I own a 2021 Himalayan and have put 3500 miles/5500 km on mine. This review is spot on. If asked to describe what it is like to own/ride this bike, 90% of what I would say is in this video. I test rode this bike and fell in love with its character, ease of use, maintenance, and its versatility. It is a joy to ride and as Big Rock Moto said, you get a pure version of motorcycling. With the Seat Concepts tall seat, the riding position is up to about 33", which is good for my 6'1", 230 lb frame.
This bike is designed for lower speeds and off-road obviously. It has its limitations on the road and if it meets someone’s needs it’s perfect otherwise get street bike if you need to go very fast
Couldn’t agree more. I have a 2019 and love it. I also have a BMW 1250 GSA and still find time to ride the RE. Great off road experiences.
I just bought one this weekend, what an overlooked bike! (This is coming from an Africa Twin owner)
Me too. I have an AT dct n Re650.
Interesting. I have a 1250RT and was thinking of a Himi as a 2nd bike but worried about the lack of power.
But it must be boring slow sluggish compared to your Honda?
My friend and I wanted the CRF 300l Rally after waiting a year and still no stock here in Canada we decided to buy two 2022 Himalayans. I've owned many bikes over the years and I must say I'm very happy with the purchase. These bikes are so much fun to ride on and off road. I've already put 5000km since Aug and no issues. This bike is a work horse. Great review.
I've watched many reviews of the Himalayan and yours is by far the most thorough, intelligent and fair of them. Thank you very much, very helpful.
thanks!
I own a 2018 Himmy fully decked out, with hard panniers, crash bars, riding lights, barkbusters you name it its got it, stil didnt cost as much as a Japanese or european bike totaly stock.. Its never failed me maintenance is cheap only thing it lacks is horsepower but with a speedlimit on the highway of 100kph here in the Netherlands I really dont miss it anymore just a lot of smiles per driven mile 😃
Great review 👌🏻
I bought a 2022 Himalayan without even knowing how to ride a bike or knowing anything about a bike. It is very heavy for for first few days and now it feels easy 😉 i like the bike
I have a Himalayan, and love it so far.
I did add a Powertronic ECU, a free-flowing airbox cover/intake from Hitchcocks, and a slip on muffler to mine.
These changes did not make it significantly more powerful, but it helped the top end enough that the bike will happily cruise at 70+ mph all day long. I’ve done a couple 200 mile highway runs on the bike both stock and with those mods, and with those changes it feels much less stressed at highway speeds.
For where I live and ride in upstate NY and New England that has made it a very useable all-rounder. If the speeds on the highway where you live are more like 80+ mph, then your experience will differ.
Having just started the video, I can say that this bike is a gem for what it is designed to do and its price point. Definitely not for cruising highways. But for back roads it does great. I know a guy who is not small (240 lb) who owns one. Gets 70 mpg routinely.
I would also point out that riders with longer inseams will want a taller seat.
Totally agree. The Seat Concepts tall seat did the trick for me. I am 6'1" 230 lbs. I get 65-70 mpg and commute to work on mostly 55 mph speed limit roads.
@@chrisn1825 Same for me. Love my Concepts seat.
I love mine! I’ve done just about every performance mod to the engine. Full flow exhaust, DNA high flow air filter, Powertronic piggy back ECU, air injection delete, evap canister delete, stage 2 performance cam shaft from Hitchcock, iridium spark plug.
I raised the seat hight with the shorter links, added preload adjusters to front forks.
It easily does 80 on the hwy now with room in the throttle but needs taller gearing now to accommodate the added HP. Before I had the throttle pinned wide open to maintain hwy speed but now it’s about half throttle cruising at 70.
Love this bike in so many ways it is just plain fun to ride everywhere!
Great review of this bike, I've done 32k on my Himmy between Indonesia, Dubai, Oman, Iran, turkey, Bulgaria, Romania, great bike
I think this just cinched me on one for my first bike. All I want to do is mostly low speed city commuting 70-80% of the time, but mainly desire it to go explore side roads, dirt and get out in the world a bit more with my cameras. Very little highway and where I am the highways are 100-110kmh and I have no desire to go any quicker than that anyway. The absolute perfect bike for what I want.
Royal Enfield created a future classic with the 411 Himalayan. I've just bought a low-mileage example after riding my son's Himmy to the Overland Adventure bike event in Oxfordshire.
I thought I might hold on for the new 452, but having seen a few early reviews, I decided to go for the 411 before they stop making them. I love the simplicity of the 411.
My youngest son and his partner rode through 35 counties in Europe last year, 15,000 miles, four months, both riding Himalayans, much of the journey off-road. The only problem was one of the bikes had a broken (after-market) pannier frame on the bike that had hard-luggage. The other bike with soft-luggage system, no problem. They did their own servicing and tyre changes en route. Both bikes are still in daily use. Impressive.
Avoid motorways (freeways, if you must), the power isn't there, but who likes riding those sorts of roads anyway? The Himalayan is faster than a Fireblade and a better cruiser than a Harley; on a gravel track in the middle of nowhere! That's what the Himmy does.
Nice review Big Rock! Love and peace.
Call it slow, clunky or outdated: this has won my heart and soul. I cancelled my 390 ADV order for this. My first ever brand new, might I add. I grin all along my very enjoyable rides. It's just so easy to use, nimble and solid. I just enjoy flicking that thing with that camo paint.
That being said, yes, you need to be counter intuitive and to default to the rear brakes instead of the front brakes if you want stopping power. It took me a moment to make muscle memory out of it, but now i'm good.
Great review! As an Enfield Himalayan owner in Alaska, I can tell you this review is spot on. My number one concern with my Himalayan is the lack of power going uphill on main roads.
The reason I picked the Himi was two-fold, one the seat height was very easy for a new rider like me. Secondly, the price was very affordable. The ability to pick up a proper new adventure bike for $6K was very appealing to me. All of the 5-7-year-old BMW motorcycles were going far beyond this price point.
As of Royal Enfield -450cc already launched in India 3 months back.40hp power and torquee.Now no need to complain about power issue.Digital round display with advanced features.17 litre fuel tank. Tubeless may launched in Usa as of now it has tube tire in future they launching tubeless in India also.Led headlight.Soon it will be launched in USA.
I bought a 2022 one last year as my 1st bike to learn on. 11 000km later, I love it. Yeah I wish it was a bit faster and able to do wheelies sure. But it is such a chill bike that you kinda forget about that stuff easily. Off-road here in BC it is perfect. I duckwalk it where my skills are not enough and dropping it is more of a laugh than a panic. It is also super cheap to maintain . I’ve changed tires, oil , chain and did the tipped thing ( wasn’t needed at 10k) and it makes me feel like I know this bike in and out. As my 1st experience on a bike, and in Canada where 100km/h is mostly the limit, I’m not sure why you’d want a faster bike other than to put yourself in danger by falling into temptations ( what my wife’s rebel 500 has done to me) . It is a tractor that never wants to fail you or throw you off of it.
Thanks so much! I learned more from you than any of the previous reviews I’ve seen. It is a fascinating thing about this bike. Reviewers spend the whole time reminding you about the shortcomings you also cover and then say how much they love it. It is obviously an “endearing” bike, and THAT is a special quality that is rare these days. Now, a 450 please, RE.
They're releasing one next year I think. Unfortunately, it's liquid-cooled rather than air-cooled, so it's not as good an ADV in my opinion (one more thing that can fail/break), but it probably gives the performance for highway riding.
It seems to be coming, they comes out maybe will buy the old school one cheaper?
I have the 2022 version of this bike and loving it. The brakes get hate but mine work great. I knew about the headlight and had it replaced with a led at dealer. I use it mainly for commuting and back road wandering/camping. Its such a great bike for what it is. I have no intention on riding interstate highways. Enjoyed your review.
I bought one in Ecuador, toured for 10,000 kms, and sold it easily. No problems except when I broke things riding MUCH rougher terrain than I should have. The seat was comfy for me for about 2 ot 3 hours, but the 5th hour was pretty sore.
If I lived in South America permanently I would probably go CB500X. Honda doesn't sell the CRF300L, and the VStrom is $10,000 MORE!
Dealers are everywhere, parts are cheap and easily available, and every tiny ass town had a mechanic that could handle most work.
Loved it! Good review, and I agree with all your conclusions. Forcing you to drive off-highway is a benefit, as far as I am concerned.
Cheers!
I had one of these from new for 2 years, and I can agree with all of this review. The bike also takes plenty of luggage without any problem, the low rev power keeps it going. Mine was totally reliable in over 20,000 miles, with very good fuel economy, and cheap to service. I notice that there are now a huge number of aftermarket and upgraded parts available (in the UK) if you want to go and stop a bit quicker, but of course we would all love to see a more powerful version from RE, hopefully without losing the many good points of the 411.
Good review here as always.
Good to know. Can you recommend a supplier of upgrade parts?
Great review. Most of the issues you mentioned have been fixed with the 2022 model. Better seat, wider wind screen, no stalling, some other subtle changes too. Fun bike for sure.....
What about the jiggly mirrors? More sturdy?
Love the intro! I have a Himmi in the same specs, it's my first bike and i'm really enjoying learning to ride with it. Has good power, fun in the corners, and soaks up a lot of bumps in the road and lets me practice a little off road with confidence.
Hey man I wish you all the best, riding is a passion! I want you to come back to your comment after a year of riding or so and laugh at your self for saying that this bike has good power😂
Awesome !
How has it been? Still have it?
Rented one in Colombia for a few days. Loved it. Especially when you avoid the motorways.
Did the same and its the perfect bike for Colombia
Thanks for a very thorough and thoughtful review Ian. We own a pair of 2021's, and while my newbie wife finds hers too tall/heavy/scary, and now rides a Yamaha XT250 which she's had lowered, I have no such problems with the Black Pearl. Slow, yeah, but I'm in no hurry (I'm 74). We have no freeways, just miles of 2 lane blacktop, and thousands of forest service roads in the Cascades, so we can take our time & explore. There's also very little to fail when out there, other than a flat tire. No electronics to fail, nothing to strand the bike miles from nowhere. If you have to have your daily adrenalin fix though, this isn't the bike you want. Night time high altitude low open parachute combat jumps gave me enough of that already. Nope this is a bike to simply enjoy the smell of the wildflowers on.
Makes my KLR-650 seem like a Hayabusa 🏍
Thats my biggest worry. I want one so bad and if I could just get klr power out of it that would be fantastic
@@dylanrussell5695 Itchy Boots installed a piggyback ECU In the Netherlands for slightly more power. In UA-cam search, "Itchy Boots Himalayan Modifications".
Hahahahahaha
I wouldn’t go that far. I have had both bikes. My last klr had so many issues it went away quickly. I love my himalayan but it is a aircooled 411 cc so you have to manage expectations. It will cruise all day at 70 mph but top speed is 83.
The rear shock does have adjustment on the spring
Great review Ian! I have my second Himalayan (BS6) and I love that bike. My first Hima (BS4) convinced me that is a perfect bike only if you know what you have.
The only think that I want to share to the people is that don't feel intimidated for the valve adjustment. In my first Hima I only did it at 25.000 miles (38.000 km). Now, with the new one, I didn't do it jet (5.000 miles). *I sold the BS4 with 51.000 km.
In the Himalayan group I am, that is not an issue (valves adjustment). At least In Chile and southamerica.
Greetings to you and all the adv fans ✌️.
I think your review is spoton. I bought a 2018 model secondhand, rode it all the way to North Cape from Belgium and back. 8600 kms in total. No issues whatsoever. Perfect bike for Norwegian roads and speed limits. If I compare it to my Suzuki 1250: it's back to basics. I need to shift gears precisely. The Suzuki doesn't care what gear you're in with all the torque it has. I can change the oil myself; can't get even to the oil filter of the Suzuki. The Himalayan is my camping bike.
I was quite suprised to see how small this bike was when you compare it with other adventure type bikes. I'm 6ft 2
But watching Itchy Boots ride one half way round the world shows its very capable!
This bike is primarily designed for the Indian market, where average height is lower than that of the US or Europe, so a lot of reviewers look hilarious standing next to it.
This makes it so the the bike is amazing for shorter riders (like Noraly from Itchy Boots), but it may feel cramped for tall people.
@@pedrovergara7594 Average height for an Indian male is 5'8". Average height of an American male is 5'9". It's not really the market, the bike is just designed small.
i am from the UK, I sold my bought new 2018 BMW R1200 'Rallye' (£17,500) back to the dealer after 3 yrs with only 1350miles on for £10,800..i had another bike to commute on, but i never jelled with the BMW, after the finance was paid off, i put the cash i had left into a 2021 Himalayan and never looked back, I just love it!
It's not fast and will only sit comfortably at a max 70mph, i have max loaded it up for camping trips and the extra weight does not faze the bike, it still accelerates the same and rides like no load..it is my daily commute and workhorse, i service it myself as valve clearance adjustments are easy to do (first bike in 32 yrs that i had the confidence to do myself).
I have run it through 2 UK winters with salted roads and apart from the odd brown minimal surface bolt rust, it has held it's own, so quality in all weather riding isnt an issue.
it has got deep into my heart big style, they are just so characterful and seem to have a soul to them...I have had alot of bikes since 1988, but this is my first ever keeper 🥰
I also have a 2022 RE interceptor and love that also, but i always jump on the Himalayan as i still get butterflies in my stomach everytime i put the key into the ignition..yes i might be sad, but that's what a soulmate bike does to you 😁
its good enough for motorway/highway use in the UK as its illegal to pass on the inside on UK roads, so as long as it is faster than HGV's , it is very good for long distance work 👍
taking it on a 1200 mile ride through Europe soon, to show it the Mediterranean sea, have a beer and both watch the sun go down ❤
Almost bought a Himmy as my first bike. Love the styling of it. Honestly the only issue I had was the cutouts on the fuel tank. I'm 6'3 and those cutouts just made it slightly uncomfortable for me. I already knew about and expected the issue with the lack of power, which seems like it's a consistent issue for all bikes in this price range. Ended up with a 250l Rally that people also say is lacking in power but I love it.
Also, Ian you live in such a beautiful area, seems like a perfect place for a motorcyclist(especially as a reviewer) with all those winding roads.
Edit: I just wanted to add something to this comment because you said it really well in your conclusion. These underpowered bikes do make you think about your route, they do make you avoid the fast highways and interstates. It's wonderful. I don't go on freeways on my 250l because it doesn't have the power to get me out of any bad situations. This has made me take a lot of roads in my city that I haven't been on. It's made me find some cool little spots that not a lot of people go to. Sure it takes longer, but I found a route to get to another town that takes me through a beautiful canyon on a simple dirt road. I've encountered various wildlife that I never would have seen on the interstate.
Well stated! Modern bikes lean more towards the taller riders. When I started off road riding (late 60"s am old!) my tall friends had to modify their bikes, now shorter riders (5'8") lower mounts! Happy trails!
Thank you Jesse for letting us all check out your bike. It is an intriguing ride. Unfortunately it's not for me but I still admire it for multiple reasons and completely understand it is the right bike for many other riders.
Love this bike, probably going to get one soon because I'm sick of my 1000cc sports tourer and this is basically its antithesis. It will definitely need a change in philosophy when it comes to where I ride, but IMO it makes me skip non-fun roads (motorways) and instead traverse the countryside. I live in the UK so pretty much any point in the country is still accessible within a day and this bike makes our narrow, bumpy country lanes a pleasure to ride along.
It is great for rural roads.
Are you saying the Himalayan is perfect for your roads? I am in Texas with lots of straight flat roads? Wonder if the Hinayana bike would be too slow?
@@dry509 tbf if you only have flat straight roads around you I don't think any bike will be particularly exciting, if that was genuinely the only choice I probably wouldn't ride at all.
@@dry50960 mph is plenty for Texas farm roads
@@HavingAnAverageWeeke thanks for the feedback.
I went and bought one after seeing this review and I am NOT disappointed. Lovely relaxed riding on local trails & it still makes me smile on the roads that get me to them. This is me coming back to bikes after a 10 year break coming from a ktm ex400 & yes its heavier, yes its not fast but boy is is capable and comfey. If you want something that starts, stops and goes then this is fantastic. 100% though the stock brakes are being swapped for EBC HH sintered pads as they are not the best, though not nessisarily a bad thing on slippery surfaces.
Sort of surprised the KLR 650 was not listed as a direct competitor to the Himalayan. I love everything the KLR and the Himalayan represent. In some ways the KLR is the solution for taller riders who like the Himalayan but it's too short. And vice versa. If the Himalayan platform survives reliably for another 10 years it will certainly be talked about in a similar category.
Man, your Monster drink happening really made me laughing loud. Thanks for that and the really accurate motorbike review. I wondered if the Himalayan could be the right bike for me but you brought several things to the surface which made me realize it won't.
I own a 2021 Himi as well and I think you nailed about everything with this bike. It was my first bike and I love it, even with its shortcomings. I would prefer more power though, mostly for inclines as I don't really ride the highways here in the US. Cheers!
My BS4 2019 Himalayan brought me back into riding.. No modifications, just many reliable miles: 26K so far. Had both brake calipers replaced due to a recall last year (new ‘coated pins’ for US road salt conditions). Valves adjusted only twice ..very in tune with it, neither I nor my local shop think they need messing with. A blast on local Interstates, I-81, 77, or 64; just pop into the truck lane as needed. Most miles were rural 55 MPH two lanes, and the Blue Ridge Parkway.. in my backyard 🙂
A now discontinued Classic.. I’d waited 3 years for it to get to ‘America,’ and feel I could give it away tomorrow, having enjoyed thousands of $’s more than it’s cost me. Must admit, I’d purchased a ‘21 V-Strom XT ADV (the identical bike Ian featured - and because of his review!) for longer travel ..but if forced to sell one, I’d hang onto the Himi..
Love this review. The worst performing bike Ian has ever touched managed to touch him more than any other bike. I've never seen him more inspired.
I love this bike. I would definitely own one if I had money for a second bike. The first bike is to get me places reliably; like my relatively uninspiring V-Strom.
You're too serious a guy to get away with burping on camera. We don't watch you for the comedy ha ha ha.
Interesting note about the shift lever. I've dumped my Himalayan twice, both left side washouts, once on snow and once on soft gravel. Both times, the shift lever folded up over the peg. Both times, I backed off the linkage, folded it back, and readjusted. No bends, no damage that I could detect. I'm starting to believe that the engineers designed this into the linkage as a damage prevention measure. VERY interesting. Further, the bike is absolutely rideable and shiftable with the lever folded up like that. Just gotta kick it with your toe or heel.
I’ve had a Himalayan for 2 months now, regardless, I made myself some Gin&tonic and am ready to spare 45 mis to see what Ian has to say about this slow but beautiful and fun machine :)
Purchased a 2022 a few months ago to replace a series of BMW 1250GS's and a BNMW 650GS. The Himalayan is much more fun in MHO. I don't find the lack of speed an issue, speed is not why I purchased this bike, I have a 2020 T120 Bonneville if I want to go fast. The bike is just a blast to ride and the low end torque is great. I toured on fast BMW's for 40 years and only saw the road in front of me, hoping slow and being able to sight see is much more enjoyable.
this is the perfect bike for my area. roads with max speed of 45mph and 25mph and tons of trails to explore.
Check out Itchy Boots here on UA-cam. I think it was season one that she bought one and road it from India to the Netherlands.
I love my Himi and this is such a great quality review. When I think of a highway I feel like the Himalayan is a deafening, vibrating pushbike with zero safely overtaking options.
I like the styling, price, low seat and the "idea" of the Himalayan and can see why a lot of new or older riders would consider it. I was very close to buying one myself as my first and only bike. However, thinking with my head instead of my heart, I bought a '21 Honda CB 500x instead, with no regrets. The CB500x is just a more capable all round bike (after switching out the stock tires) with Honda readability at only a bit extra cost.
This is an excellent assessment of the Himalayan and mirrors my own experiences with my 2022 model that I've had a little over the year.
What appealed to me as I'm soon to be 69 years old was the relaxed nature of the bike. Especially the power band where I don't have to worry about the motorcycle getting away from me, especially off the pavement. It's so nice to tractor along and never have the rear tire break free because I gave the bike a little too much throttle.
Regarding your freeway observations -- traffic here on Interstate 80 also moves along at the 75 to 90mph pace. However, the truck traffic doesn't and it is easy for me to move the Himalayan along safely with lots of space with the trucks. And there are many cars that travel at the speed limit. And even when I was riding my BMW K75 and other bigger motorcycles I never really traveled much over 70. I've always felt "the danger" of not moving with the fastest traffic was more of a mental idea than anything based in reality. At least here in Central Pennsylvania.
Thanks for a fine review. I enjoyed it. And I love how the Himalayan looks in videos -- yours and mine!
Thanks for explaining ‘the truck lane’ option. With 26K miles on my ‘19 BS4 Hemi, I have a blast on the Interstates. It’s never been incapable of passing a semi, and since I’m not bobbing & weaving between them, they leave plenty of safe space 🙂
"Grab your favourite drink", sounds familiar. My heroes influencing each other 😉
Before my CRF 300L, I've had a RE Himalayan. I just loved that bike. Sold it até the time because i was using some much my F800GS, that i wasn't riding the Himalayan as much. Now with the 300L and a T7 at home, i still want to have another Himalayan 👌👌
Really? The CRF300L seems to be better than the RE. Are you sure,?
I have one and like you said, the lack of power is really the proverbial Achilles heel and it's my biggest issue with the bike. I'm hoping that the 450 and 650 versions they are supposed to be releasing will solve this issue.
Will 450cc make a lot of difference?
I know of guys who have crossed the US on Himalayans. If you have to ride the interstate it is not the bike for you. I had one for 3 years and would trailer it to prime riding areas instead of trying to ride it because of time limitations.
@@m0bob the 450 is suppose to have a water cooled engine that makes about 40hp which would make this bike a real go anywhere bike.
The 450 is supposed to be lighter and liquid cooled if I am not mistaken.
Itchy Boots installed a PowerTRONIC piggyback ECU In the Netherlands for more power, and was very pleased with the result. In UA-cam search, "Itchy Boots Himalayan Modifications".
Wonderful review!. I own a 2022 Himalayan too and I totally love this bike. However two small things that I'd like to bring to your notice are, firstly about the suspension. Back here in India, where the bike was orgininally designed, the conditions of roads aren't amazing throughout. There are patches of broken roads in cities and even on some highways. Considering that the bike was made to go around the country, it needed to have soft suspension to match. It is adjustable 5 steps for preload though (Only the Rear) so you can set up the stiffness the way you like it. In addition, the Leh Ladakh Region near the himalayas where the bike was tested has some pretty terrible roads and that too contributed to the plush setup. I do agree that the power is lacking, but in India again, the speed limit on highways are 80kmph on regular highways and 120 kmph on expressways where bike aren't allowed. So majority of people cruise at 80kmph (Of course people break the speed limit as well), but you can cruise at 100kmph all day long without breaking a sweat. However, yeah for the USA's speeds, its simply not enough power for freeway use. Great work on your videos!!
It's very important what you are saying and now it makes a lot of sense. In Argentina we also have terrible roads though we don't make motorcycles. Well, we do make great futbol players!! LOL. Greeting from the other side of the word my friend!
it would make a great bike for Mexican roads as well, since we have pretty awful highways and roads, lol.
you could've just cut out that burp
but you really thought that i needed to hear it
thank you for your respect
I just sold this bike a month ago after a year riding it. It is a niche bike. It is capable offroader and forgiving to mistakes bike. It is good for tight mountain roads, soft to medium offroad and it is excelent city commuter as it has low seat and overall it is a small bike. But for European road perspective it was way too underpowered for me. For long distances on faster roads it is was tiring to ride and also it felt unsafe to keep up with more agressive traffic. Highways and straight roads felt as a chore. Wind protection was also an issue for me even with taller windshield, the seat was also uncomfortable and all this combined made me want to stop every hour and a half when riding it. I even made some performance upgrades - a performance camshaft is a must - cheap and easy to get it done. Ofcourse i had fun times with it, it gave me confidence for offroading, exploring backroads, forgotten mountain villages and camping. Now I am riding a 50hp bike and find it enought for everything.
I love this motorcycle, its timeless style, simplicity, robustness, ease, comfort, that sound makes me fall in love and it has something special that most motorcycles don't have, I don't know what it is but it seemed special to me when I tried it, I honestly regret it. not having bought it and instead I bought a voge 650 dsx also single cylinder with 48 hp and a good 60 nm torque and with good conditions both on the road and in the field, in addition to being very equipped as standard and even so I am still in love with the Himalayan .
I was ready for another serious, thorough review, and was pleasantly surprised to find a Wes Anderson production compliments of the opening theme and Monster inspired sound effects - well done.
Wow, what a great review and top reviewer! This is the best review I’ve seen on the Himalayan, bar none. Here in New Zealand the RE brand has almost achieved a cult status with the Himalayan right up there. Personally I’m looking at the Scram as a local runabout for both sealed and unsealed roads……BUT having said that I just have to check out the Himmy a bit more in-depth. Cheers! 42:51
Great review you definitely hit on all the important points. I love this bike. It’s a no nonsense bike it doesn’t care what anybody thinks. I can’t stop staring at it. I’ve ridden it and it’s very comfortable and the acceleration is very linear. It’s light on its feet like you said once you get going
Thanks for the great review. I own a 2022 Himalayan (Lake Blue) and absolutely love it for all the same reasons mentioned in this video. Thanks!
Hi BRM, I have exactly the same bike as yours and have done 10,500 kms. I LOVE my bike, it's roadholding/cornering, it's fuel economy (100+ miles to the european gallon) it's character, it's tunability. It is fun defined; a bit like your best-ever dog friend.
Avoid motorways totally and you'll have a blast.
Thanks. Just watched this good and comprehensive review. After years of large capacity sports-tourers and with my age beginning to tell, together with all the hype over these 411cc Royal Enfields, I tested the new Scram version. Within a week I'd bought one. Without waxing on too long, it's hard to pin down why this is such a great bike, although you do point to much of it in your video. I've ridden the Himalayan as well. Subtle differences due perhaps to the wheel size. The Scram is a little more responsive. Also, the seat on the Scram is much better over distance, where as you say, the Himalayan is soft and comfortable but becomes less so over some miles.
I also bought an Interceptor (INT 650 I think you know them as) for the longer runs and a little more speed, but frankly, these 411s are amazing. I suspect, when the newly announced water cooled 450 Himalayan hits the streets, and if it follows as capably on the heels of the 411s, it will be a formidable contender and those little BMWs and KTMs may start to sweat a bit.
Great review! Yup, the bike definitely has flaws and short comings but if you keep those in mind it is a fun bike. I have a 2019 with over 13k miles on it. I took it on a 1.7K mile solo trip this summer with no issues, and it does make you look for the roads less travelled and take extra couple days off for travel. It was my first bike and have given me a lot of confidence riding off pavement, almost all of my miles are solo. It has also introduced me to motorcycle maintenance, before riding motorcycles I had little knowledge of any mechanics but due to the many UA-cam DIY videos out there and the inexpensive availability for parts I'm able to complete the maintenance needed.
I rode my Himalayan for 6 years for the same reasons that you mentioned, and now I have upgraded my Himalayan for the same reasons that you mentioned. 😊
Spot on!
Seems perfect for my first bike, simple and not fast enough to get into serious trouble
I’d put this in the same box as the Ural: archaic design & cheaply built. I personally go for bikes at the apex of their category, not the bottom. But, this proves that there is something out there for everybody. More riders out there the better.
Its visible gas leaking like open tap in the drop test all the time the bike was laying down flat on the cloth. Very detailed video and all points covered nicely.
actually I find standing on the Himalayan more comfortable than my Africa Twin....it's a great second local off road camping spot bike and that is what i bought it for.....know what you are getting into and it's a great bike especially off road....this bike shines on fire roads and forest service roads.....great gas mileage as well....would be even better if offered in tubeless
Nice in-depth review as always. I also owned and reviewed the Himalayan and as much as it is slow it always puts a smile on my face and I’m not worried about scratching it! So I just ride it like there’s no tomorrow minus the speed part
I just got out of my kick starter class and I am buying a 2021 Himalyan this week! It is used but only has 900 miles.
Another great review and comparison with other similar bikes. I will stick with my KTM 390 Adventure as I love the power to weight ratio and ease of clocking up the miles on the freeway. Thanks again for your cool, detailed and professional review.
I just bought one of these. Watching Noraly on her itchy boots channel shows how tough they are. The price of $5k is nice. I live in an area where 65mph is the fastest you can go, and go any faster and you will get a ticket. I love the low end torque and it handles nice. If you live in an area where highway speeds are needed, you can buy a 16 tooth front gear and chain kit. And 70 mph won't have you redlined.
A 6th grader can adjust the valves.
It is unique and different which is good. It does exactly what it is built for.
I would buy one if I had the room for a 3rd bike. Ride it for exploring or for on those just relaxing and chillin' rides. Everyone I know thinks they are cool.
I've never seen one with full knobbies on it before. That looks absolutely amazing with the tires and the blue/white paint.
I've thought about buying one of these to add to the garage, I love the old school looks and simplicity of it. At some point I'll come across one used that's a deal and add it to the collection. Thanks for the great video, I love all the detail you put in.
Very easy to add another 6 BHP to 30 Bhp by just fitting the Tec Parts cam which is easy to do yourself. Everyone I know who has done it says it transforms the bike. Not just more power but smoother engine and more torque.
I love how you keep it real. Burping like that while filming and then losing it. I watched it twice. 🤣So funny. Your reviews are epic and so in-depth. Appreciate and love your work.
I have a 2023, it's the funnest and easiest bike I have to ride. Love it!
Personally I only see people buying this bike for its looks. I rode one, thought it was horrible. And I love the KLX250's and CRF250L's....not fancy. I think anyone would be better off buying a used {bullet proof} 250 or spend the $ on the newer 300's of those latter bikes.
I rode a Himalayan for a month in the Himalayas it did really well The roads are as bad as they look on UA-cam and it was perfect. Definitely was pretty weak at 5000 meters but I was too. The only place I had it pinned was on the Moore plains and only just saw 100 km/hr. I can’t believe anyone would take it anywhere near a freeway,not it’s natural environment. Our govt here in nz are determined to pull all speeds down to 80 km so I don’t think it would be to punished here. I’m only 5’8 and 65 found it very comfortable but our riding speed was 35-75 km/hr. Oodles of charm. Great review
I'd say 30 HP and 410 lb should have been this machines target. Not impossible with modern engineering. Neat job on the bilingual captions.
Flogging it to go 65 mph….that’s a fact of life with one of these. I tried to like mine. Threw the cam and air box mods at it… waste of money. Clutch is weak, transmission gets pissed off easily. Brakes are horrendous. Great review. Very accurate.
This was one of the best reviews I’ve seen. I would just note that I think the brakes on my ‘22 Himalayan are actually quite good, better than my 02 KLR650 with braided lines. Maybe RE made some improvements for ‘22. Also, contrary to your review here, I think the suspension on my ‘22 is not so good, way too stiff for my liking and not enough travel, though maybe I just need to break it in a while longer. I totally agree with everything else. It’s a great looking bike and fun to ride. I bought it for my wife and it’s like you said it is a great first bike and for shorter riders, though I had to install a lowering link for her which dropped it down 1” even lower, I’m hoping she’ll want it back up to stock height once she gets more comfortable with it.
For a 6'4" rider who occasionally rides highways, the negatives of this bike FAR outweigh the positives. Not to mention that adequate quick acceleration and braking are both very important components of safety when riding. Thanks for another great interview. Although it looked at times that you were struggling to say something positive to balance off the negatives.
I am roughly your size, and own a 2021 model. Acceleration is fine up to 60 mph, shifting at ~4000 rpm. It comes up short when you need a burst of power or need to go more than 70+ mph.
I bought my '21 Himmy with 2000 miles for $3000 back in November. Can't beat this bike!
Thanks all correct. I have a REH in Bali Indonesia for 4 years now love it . Small roads and trails never over 80 kl per hr. Good travel bike to Lombok, Sumbawa easy and simple.
Perfect for here but in Canada I have the African Twin dct adventure which is also perfect for Canada conditions ( heated grips, big tank, cruise control etc.). That bike I purchased based on your recommendations. Nice to see you doing well.
I owned this for over 18 months and took it all around Texas backcountry roads cutting across gravel, jeep trails, dirt bike trail and even some rocks. Was easy to ride fast, but stopping was the issue. Mine had no ABS so had to really plan my stops. Really engaging since you have to be on your best riding skill, since you don't have much power or brakes. So slow that you will stop to smell the flowers wherever you go and not be bothered with arriving at the destination.
I brought literally every spare like cables, filters, clutch items worth few hundreds locally for about $50 on a trip to India. SRC Moto USA has several aftermarket and frakles to add bling. Ultra easy to service, changed oil and checked valves without a manual and I am not very handy with bikes.
Initial models had some quality issues and even head replacements in the US. Side stand had to be shortened for stability while parking, guess the newer ones have been redesigned. Installed Barkbusters and it saved me on few gravel drops. It was only $4700 when released. Best way to buy is used. I brought mine used and sold for about what I brought it. You will see lot of low miles units.
The US operations is very small, so you can connect with people if you like. I had several opportunities to speak with the CEO. He was a nice person. Hope the next gen 450 or 650 whatever that turns out to be will be way more capable.
Amazing review - from Himalayan owner. If this bike only had 10 BHP more, it would have been great. Himalayan 450 is coming soon with a brand new J-series liquid cooled engine. It is expected to produce 40 BHP power. Let's see how it goes 👍
Nice review. I own an XT250 and the power in accelerating seems very similar. And surprisingly they are both similar in price. Really need to make that 650 Himalayan / Scrambler combo. Thank you Jesse for lending your bike out for this review.
They are releasing a liquid cooled 450 version making 40 HP next year.
If they put the Meteors engine in this it would destroy the market. A 650cc Himy is definitely needed
With the better brakes and better engine, the price will go up and lose it's "bargain" status.
It could be a nice pick anyway. But the A2(47hp) market is super crowded right now.
I own a 2016 Road King Police and got a 22’ Himalayan in march as a fun bike…now with 9500 km on it 😁👍 Rode it 880 km „non stop“ on german highway, through Danmark, Norway, Croatia, Italy and Austria. No breakdowns yet
I got a Himalayan 2020 15-kilometers. Ride mine in Colombia. It does everything you need. I off-road the SH&it out of it. Speed-wise, in my country, it's more than enough. I do wish it had a 6th gear and a bit more speed. Can't get past 120- 125 kilometers on the highway. I have dropped it a few times, and it's like a TANK.
The belch heard 'round the world! 🤭 Love your reviews, Ian!!
I have a 2019 model, and yes the power is not great (I live/ride between 6500 and 7500 ft). The best impression of the bike I can give is it feels like a big mountain bike(bicycle) when riding it.
Cheers!
The thing is better than I thought! Not top-heavy, handles well on/off road. Good-looking motorcycle and not expensive. I'm 60yrs, ridden/owned many bikes, old and new; Fast scary Street bikes, Off road mx-dirt bikes, Highway crotch cars... I love to ride motorcycles everywhere (within reasonable limits). Lighter and more fun are best! I live in Michigan, and maybe that's the thing. Thanks for sharing, J.
Already bought one - chose the Rock Red version 2 years ago as my first bike, when I was 40. Over 7600 miles now and zero regrets. If you're just looking to ride there might be a better value in new bikes, but if you're hoping to learn to do maintenance and everything I would argue this tops the list. Cheap to buy, cheap to own and maintain, but very capable. I don't have much frame of reference though, and I'm obviously biased to tell myself I made a good decision, lol.
Hey Ian, u took me by surprise with that music and hindi song. Immediately u got a subscriber immediately from India. Your review is so indepth that as a novice I am learning a lot. 😇😇
I rode across NV and Idaho accumulating 2600 miles on a fairly hi mileage unit. No problems other than a flat tire. All dirt roads. 60-65mph is a good speed for this machine.
Somehow it’s a cool bike but even at this price it’s hard to justify over any old school Japanese dual sport. Rather have a DRZ, DR, KLR or XR. All of them are faster, have better suspension, ground clearance and are easy to repair too. The headlights and brakes seem to suck just as much so I don’t see the appeal 😅
For front break, replacement of break pads with sintered pads makes a good improvement. Upgrade the headlight headlight bulb sorts that issue out too. Nothing expensive. Remove the petrol evap removes the stalling problem. Mine is a 2019 BS4. It's not for the motorway. 65 mph is more than fast enough. Tipping the bike before starting may make it more difficult to start. Mine starts first time. I Don't think you can give a thorough review without long term test or ownership. I agree with the off road. It's a jack of all trades. And it suits me perfectly. Because it does everything with ease and control. A great bike.
Leaving that belch in and the reaction to it was a perfect way to break up a very serious breakdown
Kudos for warning to protect against back injury.
As someone whom aquired a lower back injury from construction work I can attest to others, it is something you do not want to risc, you will be in frequent pain and discomfort for anything from 1 year to the rest of your life, it can and does end careers and things you used to enjoy.
Thanks for a thorough and honest review.
Like you, I really love this bike, and am trying to justify purchasing one.
It has such great looks and character, and would definitely be a conversation starter wherever you take it.
I’ll need to fit it into my garage somewhere between the KLR650 and the CRF300 Rally.
Happy Trails
I have the Kawasaki KLX300 and this would be a good brother to him. I love comfortable quirky bikes that are military bias