Royal Enfield Himalayan 650 could use the 648 cc engine from the 650 Twins that currently produce around 47 PS and 52 Nm
Royal Enfield’s market share in the global arena only grew in recent years courtesy of its latest lineup of motorcycles such as the Interceptor 650, the Continental GT 650 and the Himalayan while the Meteor 350’s reach has also been expanded as following Thailand and Europe, it entered the United States a couple of months ago.
The Himalayan has helped in more people hopping on the adventure bandwagon in India since its debut back in early 2016. Ever since the 650 Twins were released, the speculations surrounding an Adv based on the same platform exist and finally we have some details on the motorcycle. While the existing model has go-anywhere characteristics, it has high kerb weight and the 411 cc SOHC single-cylinder engine produces only 24 bhp maximum power.
Things could change for good though as the 648 cc powertrain from the 650 Twins could prove to be a game-changer. According to a recent report that emerged on the internet, the Royal Enfield Himalayan 650 is definitely in the works and the reason for it not being spotted on public roads in India is that it could be developed at Royal Enfield’s technology centre in the United Kingdom.
We do not know if Royal Enfield will use the Himalayan 650 name for it or opt to give it a separate identity. The retro motorcycle manufacturer has an expansive design and technology centre in the UK and is located at the private Bruntingthorpe facility. Previously it was possible to catch the test mules of RE, Triumph or any other brand on camera.
But, the site has been closed for the general public late last year and everything being done there now is within closed quarters. Royal Enfield had trademarked a number of names in the recent past, and thus it may use Sherpa or Hunter but nothing has been cleared up yet. We can expect the Royal Enfield Himalayan 650 to have long-travel suspension and a tall seating position for the rider.
Moreover, it could be priced sensibly against competitors globally in a similar fashion to the 650 Twins. In India, it could open up a new dual-purpose adventure motorcycle space in a more appealing price bracket.