Planning To Buy A Used Royal Enfield Himalayan? Here Are The Pros And Cons

The Royal Enfield Himalayan has been around since 2016 and it could be said that the model kick-started the budget adventure touring motorcycle segment. It has been a successful model for Royal Enfield and offers go-anywhere ability, well almost. It continues to get a 411 cc single-cylinder long stroke engine which offers enough power and torque for daily commutes and will do well on long distance rides as well. Here are a few pros and cons to keep in mind if you are looking to buy a used Royal Enfield Himalayan. One pro tip that we can give you is that look for models that were manufactured after 2018.

Royal Enfield Himalayan

Pros

1. The Royal Enfield Himalayan is a comfortable motorcycle to ride. It can be ridden for long distances and does well for daily commutes too.
2. The 411 cc long stroke engine makes 24.5 bhp and 32 Nm, which is enough for your regular riding needs. Good news is that people who are first time buyers or graduating up from a smaller motorcycle won't feel overwhelmed by the performance.
3. The models manufactured after 2018 get ABS and fuel-injected engines, so our recommendation for you would be to get a model that has both.
4. The Himalayan offers decent off-road capability. It can be a good tool to learn off-roading on and go on longer rides to, for example Ladakh, Spiti etc, thanks to a longer suspension travel and 220 mm of ground clearance.
5. Maintaining and repairing the Himalayan won't be an expensive affair, compared to other expensive models.
6. Royal Enfield has a wide network of sales and service touchpoints, so in case you are on the road, it won't be difficult to find service centre.

Cons

1. The Himalayan also got the first counterbalanced engine on any Royal Enfield, but the first carburetted Himalayan (2016-2018) has had its fair share of complaints from owners, particularly about reliability and mechanical issues.
2. At 191 kg, it is a heavy motorcycle. So getting used to the weight, especially when going off-road, will take some time.
3. The earlier models did have complaints of vibrations, especially if you went past the triple digit mark.
4. Seasoned riders may find the performance of the Himalayan lacking.