Is Royal Enfield's next launch.
The Himalayan is believed to be the codename for Royal Enfield's upcoming adventure touring motorcycle. With the adventure touring market on the rise in India, proof being Triumph selling significant numbers of their Tiger range and Bajaj coming up with their own adventure touring motorcycles, the Pulsar AS 150 and Pulsar AS 200, the Himalayan could leverage from its positioning in the market, slotting right in the middle of entry level adventure motorcycles and the premium segment.
From the picture shot by Motorvikatan.com, there is a striking difference in design between the current breed of Royal Enfield motorcycles and the Himalayan. The rear seat is high up as the entire tail section is lifted to provide better suspension travel to tackle off-roading, although the rake angle of the front forks look pretty similar to the current motorcycles like the Thunderbird.
The tank on the Himalayan looks specially attended to, with quite a visible increase in the volume, translating to larger fuel capacity. For the engine, the Himalayan is expected to feature a completely new 390 cc, single-cylinder unit.
Given the Royal Enfield riders' preference for long distance touring over vastly varied terrain conditions, the Himalayan would serve as a logical option for those looking to upgrade.
[Source: Motor Vikatan]
