Adventure motorcycling in Utah’s backcountry with the all-new Himalayan from Royal Enfield

Utah’s backcountry in mid-August can be tricky. Temperatures during the day can be relatively warm and moreso, afternoon showers at elevation can leave areas soaked for days. Despite this, Royal Enfield’s newest generation Himalayan was up to the challenge…even if I was a bit weary.

In late October 2023, I had the honor of joining Royal Enfield in northern India for the global launch of their much-anticipated second generation of the Himalayan, their first bike purpose-built for adventure and shaped by the surrounding Himalayan Mountains of which we spent several days exploring on two wheels. The experience was truly once-in-a-lifetime and as an owner of the first iteration of the Himalayan, I had a baseline of context in comparing the new bike to its predecessor. To say I was more than impressed is an understatement. I concluded from my experience the new Himalayan is an incredible bike at a price-point that’s unparalleled and would do well once it arrived stateside (you can read my full review of the bike and the experience of two-wheeled adventure in the Himalayas in Issue 51 of OutdoorX4 HERE).

On my most recent excursion, I was invited again by Royal Enfield to attend the U.S. launch of the Himalayan in the high country of Utah. Just as before, the bike proved to be a joy to ride with its upgraded 450 Sherpa powertrain (the first generation featured a 411cc motor that was designed for lower speeds and low-end torque but not fully equipped to handle the vast stretches of pavement we have here in the U.S.) tearing through the curves and straightaways of pavement from our departure spot east of Park City en route to the real test: off-pavement for 100+ miles of messy terrain including rock, mud, and water.

What I love about the Himalayan is it’s not a big, heavy bike that’s intimidating or overwhelming. Quite the contrary. It’s an exceptional platform not only for budding motorcyclists but for seasoned veterans as well. The bike’s versatility, on and off-pavement, coupled with its methodical use of technology without being simplistic, spotlights a true gem in a segment that’s underutilized for expansive two-wheeled adventure. The TripperDash, a 4″TFT display that utilizes navgation technology paired as an adventure ally via Google Maps and integrates a joystick controller to toggle between music, calls, and messages, provides an engaging and intuitive experience as part of the mobile connectivity and variety of riding modes (Performance or Eco).

Off-road, the new Himalayan performed superbly in the unpredictable terrain given the hard rain the area we explored had received just two days earlier. Even without appropriate off-road tires, the bike navigated what would have normally been relatively calm terrain quite well even when utilizing ABS off-pavement (rear ABS can be disabled for a more engaging, pure motorcycling off-road ride experience).

Featuring a robust long-travel inverted Showa suspension up front with an adjustable monoshock in the rear, the Himalayan ate up the rock we rode over and maintained stability through the various deep-water crossings we encountered along our route. Given the volume of rain, water crossings were often times deep and I fell victim to this on several occasions, having wiped out due to incorrect approach and speed on my part. Fortunately, the bike’s twin-spar steel frame is strong and went unscathed despite my repeated drops of the bike.

At the heart of the bike’s core is the new and more powerful Sherpa 450 powertrain. It’s Royal Enfield’s first liquid-cooled engine and at 40hp, is nearly 65% more powerful than the previous generation bike. An impressive torque curve provides usable power when you need it across 3,000-8,000 rpm. Mated to the powertrain is a 6-speed gearbox that’s smooth when shifting, utilizing a slip-and-assist clutch. Throttle response is impressive with plenty of low-end power when you need it, particularly in gears 1-4.

While numbers and specs are nice to see on paper, getting out in the field and putting those numbers to the test is what’s most important. Time and again, while navigating twisties on pavement along with rock, mud, deep ruts, and deep-water crossings, the bike continually proved just how well thought out its design and build were, more than ready to tackle any terrain…anywhere. I often times found myself feeling the bike’s power and feedback with the terrain was more akin to a bike with 150-200 more cc of displacement and its purposeful refinement reiterated, over and over, how much fun this bike is. Riding in Utah fortified that feeling for me and if the video below proves anything, it’s that Royal Enfield’s second-generation Himalayan 450 adventure bike is one you’ll want in your stable, built for all roads or no roads at all.

OutdoorX4 Magazine – Promoting responsible vehicle-based adventure travel and outdoors adventure