Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 Prototype Spotted Testing In The UK

Royal Enfield's product offensive involves a bigger Himalayan 450 adventure motorcycle and the model is rumoured to be nothing like what the brand has built thus far. While speculations have been rife about the bigger and more powerful model, a prototype of the upcoming Himalayan 450 was recently spotted testing in the UK, offering a clearer look so far at the highly anticipated motorcycle. The Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 builds on the current Himalayan 411 but there are plenty of changes that make it substantially different.

Also Read: Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 Spotted On Test; Likely To Be Lighter & Faster

The image shows the Himalayan 450 sporting long travel suspension, an elongated fuel tank, a long split seat and an exposed tail section. The bike seems to sport a longer wheelbase than the Himalayan 411. The short flyscreen and the jerrycan holders around the fuel tank are carried over from the current Himalayan. The spy shot also gives a glimpse of the instrument console that appears to be a semi-digital unit. It's likely that a lot of these components are being used only on the test bike and would be completely replaced on the production version.

With respect to the powertrain, there's no word yet but rumours suggest a new 450 cc motor to be in the making. The unit will be liquid-cooled and is expected to get a DOHC setup. A six-speed gearbox, slip and assist clutch are also some of the equipment that could make it on the motorcycle. This is likely to be one of the more performance-bred bikes to come from the Chennai-based manufacturer. It's also opened speculations about RE's Dakar aspirations in the future with this version.

The Himalayan 450 and the current Himalayan 411 are likely to co-exist with the former targeted at more evolved riders

Other hardware components seen on the test mule include a swingarm-mounted rear monoshock suspension, disc brakes at either end and 21-inch front and 17-inch rear wire-spoked wheels. The upswept exhaust is expected to see changes by the time the model enters production. The bike is likely underpinned by a double-cradle frame with a bolt-on subframe at the rear. The RE Himalayan 411 tips the scales at 199 kg (kerb) and it needs to be seen how much will the 450 version weigh in comparison. Our bet is that the bike will be lighter and offer an impressive power-to-weight ratio.

The Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 is expected to make a grand entry in 2023. There's no confirmation yet and the company has a host of new models under development that will see the light of the day every six months. The Himalayan 450 would be new territory for the company but looks promising as it aims to take on the KTM 390 Adventure, BMW G 310 GS and the upcoming Hero XPulse 300 in the segment.

Spy Image Source: MCN