Royal Enfield will launch the Himalayan 450 and new generation Bullet 350 next in India and both are expected to be priced competitively
Royal Enfield is currently working on a number of new motorcycles for the domestic and international markets. The 350-450 cc entry-level middleweight segment has gotten more competitive than ever courtesy of the arrival of new models such as the Triumph Speed 400 and Harley-Davidson X440, and Royal Enfield will look to add more motorcycles soon to further spice it up.
The Chennai-based manufacturer is developing new 350 cc, a whole new range of 450 cc, 750 cc and 650 cc motorcycles while electric motorcycles are also on the horizon. We have already explained you about the possible new launches from the retro motorcycle maker over the next twelve months and here we have delved deep into the upcoming launches that will happen this year.
1. Royal Enfield Himalayan 450:
The Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 has already been teased a couple of times as CS Santosh posted a video of him pushing the dual-purpose adventure tourer to its limits on an off-road track and many months ago, Sid Lal, Managing Director of Royal Enfield posted an image of it. It will be the first RE to carry a liquid-cooled engine and the first coming out of the all-new 450 cc range.
The Himalayan 450 will derive power from a brand new 450 cc single-cylinder liquid-cooled engine producing a maximum power output of around 40 bhp. It will be paired with a six-speed transmission. The features list will comprise a dual-channel ABS system, all LED lighting, upside-down front forks, off-set monoshock rear suspension, and perhaps some electronic aids as well. It will be positioned above the existing Himalayan 411 and will sit on a new platform.
It will be pitched directly against KTM 390 Adventure upon arrival within the next two months and will likely carry a starting price of around Rs. 2.5 lakh (ex-showroom).
2. New-Gen Royal Enfield Bullet 350:
Spotted testing multiple times, the new generation Royal Enfield Bullet 350 will hit the launch floor within the next two months. It will have a lot in common with the latest Classic 350 including the platform, mechanical bits and the SOHC air- and oil-cooled engine. It must be noted that RE is also working on a single-seater version of the Classic and it could be introduced before the end of this year.