When Royal Enfield introduced the second-generation Himalayan powered by the new Sherpa 450 mill, it was obvious that other new models would be introduced using the same powertrain. Having said that, a test mule of a new Royal Enfield has been spied on test featuring the Sherpa 450 powertrain. On the styling front, the camouflaged test unit appeared to have a roadster styling with a sharp rake angle, a muscular fuel tank, and an exposed look with minimal use of body panels. In fact, the sleek tail section, round headlamp and up-swept exhaust have been borrowed from the Himalayan.
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For the underpinning, it seems that the chassis is using the engine as a stressed member keeping the weight in check. For suspension, the motorcycle features a telescopic fork setup at the front and a monoshock at the rear. The motorcycle appears to be riding on 17-inch wheels at either end and the design of the alloys seems to be similar to the Shotgun 650. The rear tyre has a wide profile, adding to the roadster appeal. Braking will be done with disc brakes at both ends and will be equipped with dual-channel ABS.
Coming to the powertrain, it is the same mill from the Himalayan which could receive a different tune, tweaked gearing and also a different final drive ratio to match the characteristics of a roadster. On the Himalayan, the motor is tuned to produce 39.47bhp of max power and 40Nm of peak torque, mated to a 6-speed gearbox.
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While it is too early to predict when the Roadster 450 will be ready, going by the spy images, one can expect the global unveil to happen during EICMA in November. For the pricing bit, expect Royal Enfield to launch the Roadster 450 in the ballpark of Rs 2.3 lakh to Rs 2.5 lakh, ex-showroom. On the competition front, the Royal Enfield Roadster 450 will lock horns with the Triumph Speed 400, KTM 390 Duke, and the Hero Mavrick 440.
