The upcoming RE Himalayan 650 will have two variants – a sports-tourer and an adventure-tourer – and likely a new name as well
Royal Enfield has a slew of new motorcycles in the pipeline, including Hunter 350, Scram 411, a 650cc cruiser (Super Meteor) and a 650cc roadster. Now, a new report claims that the manufacturer is planning to introduce Himalayan 650 during the fourth quarter of 2024, at an expected ex-showroom price of Rs. 4 lakh.
As per the report, Royal Enfield hadn’t considered building a Himalayan 650 initially, back when it was developing its 650cc parallel-twin engine, believing that the powerplant would be difficult to use on an adventure motorcycle. However, the standard Himalayan doesn’t have very long highway legs, which leaves many owners wanting more power and performance.
After noticing the demand for more power in the Himalayan, RE greenlit the Himalayan 650 project. However, the report claims that the final production model will likely have a new name, and it will be available in two variants. One will be a sports tourer, offered with alloy wheels, while the other will be an adventure tourer, with wire-spoke wheels.
The upcoming Himalayan 650 won’t be a proper ADV, unlike the existing version. It will get a 19-inch front wheel, not a 21-inch unit, which should give it better on-road handling. The seat height is expected to be higher than the current Himalayan, and the ground clearance is expected to be decent as well. The overall styling will remain similar to the current model, with just a few changes.
The engine will be the same 649cc, air/oil-cooled, parallel-twin motor that does duty on the Interceptor 650 and Continental GT650. This powerplant can generate a peak power of 47.65 PS and a maximum torque of 52 Nm, and it comes mated to a 6-speed gearbox with slipper clutch.
The equipment level of the upcoming 650 version is expected to be better. The forthcoming model will have better brakes, a TFT instrument console (with Bluetooth connectivity), riding modes, and a traction control system. Upon launch, the closest rivals to the Himalayan 650 will be Benelli TRK 502/TRK 502X and CFMoto 650MT.