More power, improved suspension, upgraded gearbox? Yes, please.
When it comes to Royal Enfield, the rumor mill opens early and closes late. While we’ve been waiting for the 650 Twin variants of the Meteor and Himalayan to break cover, the Indian brand introduced the latest-generation Himalayan in October, 2021. Since then, the firm unveiled the Scram 411 urban scrambler based on the Himalayan platform, but rumor has it that Enfield still isn’t done with the small-capacity adventurer.
While the Himalayan is a budget-friendly, retro-styled option in the ADV market, many detractors call for more power, a six-speed gearbox, and upgraded suspension. If all the speculation is true, Royal Enfield has been keeping its ear to the ground with plans to enhance the Himalayan’s capabilities with a limited-edition 450 Rally variant.
We must reiterate that these details are only rumors at the moment, but the Times of Indian reports that a source close to the development of the new model has leaked key information on the upcoming adventure bike. According to the source, the Himalayan 450 Rally will feature a liquid-cooled single-cylinder engine for the first time. The 452cc powerplant will reportedly pump out 39.4 horsepower, which would be a considerable increase over the air-cooled, 411cc engine’s 24.3 horses.
The details didn’t stop at the mill, though. Many expect Royal Enfield to surround that new liquid-cooled thumper with a Showa USD fork, a six-gear transmission, and a tubeless spoked wheelset. On the technology front, the potential model could also sport a TFT dash, two riding modes, three levels of traction control, and switchable ABS.
Of course, those sweeping upgrades would also result in a much higher MSRP than the base model’s $5,299 price tag. While Indian media outlets have already spotted the test mule on the street, Royal Enfield hasn’t officially recognized any of the details surrounding the Himalayan 450 Rally. Still, the prospect of a technologically-advanced Himalayan should excite many adventure riders and we’ll add the 450 Rally to the long list of other Enfields we’re waiting to see.
