Rider Mania 2019: Custom Royal Enfield Himalayan Flat Tracker Unveiled

Royal Enfield unveiled a custom Himalayan Flat Track Racer at the 2019 Rider Mania, also announcing a new Slide School, a flat-track training academy. The Slide School will be held in Bengaluru, in collaboration with Big Rock MotoPark and the Himalayan-based Flat Tracker will be available for use at the Slide School, a training course for beginners and experts alike. The customised Himalayan motorcycles are designed in collaboration with S&S Cycles, an American motorcycle engine and parts engineer and manufacturer.

The custom Flat Tracker is a stripped down Himalayan with 18-inch wheels, new sprocketing, and performance exhaust

"This is a custom-made Himalayan, and this is our Flat Track Special. And we used this to launch our Flat Track School that we're going to launch in Bangalore, and in many other parts of India. It gives the opportunity for riders to join the Slide School that we have launched. Even a beginner can go there and start to learn," said Vinod Dasari, CEO, Royal Enfield.

Royal Enfield intends to launch several Slide Schools around the country to promote and teach flat tracking

The customised Himalayan bikes have been designed for track use, with 18-inch wheels shod with off-road Timsum tyres, as well as a high-mount exhaust and carbon fibre seat. The bikes have been stripped down, with unnecessary road equipment removed, and a lightweight Full Spectrum Power battery, which reduces the total bike weight to approximately 164 kg. (The stock Himalayan, with 90 per cent fuel and oil has a kerb weight of 194 kg).

The engine is stock, but the Flat Tracker loses nearly 30 kg, and gets K&N performance filter, new sprocketing and S&S performance exhaust

The engine remains the same as the stock Himalayan. The 411 cc, single-cylinder, air-cooled, four-stroke engine puts out 24.5 bhp at 6,500 rpm, and peak torque of 32 Nm at between 4,250 and 4,500 rpm. The frame remains stock with no mods to the sub-frame. Sprocketing has been changed by S&S Cycles, along with a performance exhaust, and performance air filter by K&N. According to Royal Enfield, the customised Himalayan Flat Track Racer is lighter, and faster than stock.

The Slide School will have the custom Himalayans for use in training both beginners and experts

Flat tracking is a mud track motorcycle sport around an oval track, with riders riding around in a counter-clockwise direction. Flat track motorcycles are essentially stripped down versions of stock motorcycles without a front brake. Flat tracking involves sliding around the track, which comes with riders gaining confidence to start going faster around the track. The Royal Enfield Slide School intends to introduce, help and assist riders of all skill levels to understand the nuances of the sport, along with school partners. More such Slide Schools are planned in other parts of the country as well.