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A brutally honest review of the Royal Enfield Himalayan

Cisium

Finally made it
I'm reading this thread a few years after it was started and want to say I always interpreted Everide's "brutally honest" review as generally positive. He ticks all the "why it's not good enough" boxes that people who can afford seven bikes watch reviews to see ticked. But he also acknowledges that the Himalayan does everything competently, is cheap, and looks like an ant instead of a cockroach - which are the three reasons everyone who buys one buys one.
I mean let's face it: that's the best we can expect from any folks who make glossy videos about bikes they test for free.
 
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UnSupervised

Finally made it
Location
Cedar Rapids, IA
I'm reading this thread a few years after it was started and want to say I always interpreted Everide's "brutally honest" review as generally positive. He ticks all the "why it's not good enough" boxes that people who can afford seven bikes watch reviews to see ticked. But he also acknowledges that the Himalayan does everything competently, is cheap, and looks like an ant instead of a cockroach - which are the three reasons everyone who buys one buys one.
I mean let's face it: that's the best we can expect from any folks who makes glossy videos about bikes they test for free.
The Everide companion video is a Must Watch. It was the story of the near disaster in the making of the "Brutally Honest Review" video. It is long but, listen carefully to the comments made about the Himalayan in comparison to the KLR 650 being ridden on the same near disaster ride.
 

Splinter

Well travelled
Location
Buenos Aires
When I saw the title of this thread I thought the review may have been the other Brutally Honest Review which in fact is a total hatchet job on the Himalayan, from the engine logo to the dash.
"Inadequate for North American roads..." is probably the most remarkable quote.
 

Bluestrom13

Well travelled
Location
--'Coventry'....
Post #22 - (Quotes from).

" I'd rather be on the Himalayan right now, (than on the KLR)...... Then falls off....."Top heavy".

" They should call this thing the "Royal Tractor, 'cause it really does tractor up some real stuff." (At 8min 16sec).

" I'm really loving the Himalayan ".

Slightly more positive than the original post video, I'd say.
 

m1ckDELTA

Well travelled
I'm glad to see people are making up their own minds about the Himalayan and RE in general. It's currently the fastest growing motorbike company in the world so they're doing something right.


 

wachuko

Well travelled
I came across this video... talk about the wrong bike for this guy... I guess everyone that has actually ridden this bike for its intended purpose will have issues with a lot of the comments in his video... Me? I am really looking forward to owning one...

 

Eatmore Mudd

Moderator
Staff member
My mild rant.
One of the things "moto journos" ignore in these reviews is the important details.
Details like the brake hoses. Cheap would be plain hoses. Himalayans are vinyl covered braided stainless.
Brakes are ByBre, By Brembo made in their Indian factory.
EFI is by Keihin.
Carbon steel exhaust would cost less but they went with full stainless.

I'll get off my soapbox for the now.
 

Splinter

Well travelled
Location
Buenos Aires
I came across this video... talk about the wrong bike for this guy... I guess everyone that has actually ridden this bike for its intended purpose will have issues with a lot of the comments in his video... Me? I am really looking forward to owning one...

This bloke's video dove me nuts! His comment "Not suitable for American roads..." had me fall off my chair at his utter arrogance. Neither could he get up a slight gradient and derided the logo as something out of Toys R Us.
The fact is that he was determined not to like the bike from the get go, not to mention the fact that he went on and on about the California price being extortionate, but didn't mention that in other states, the price was more than fair.
Despicable.
 

Bal Ra

Well travelled
Location
Texas
I saw this vid before I dove into mine, but I compared it to hundreds of threads and vids and the main conclusion was the lack of horsepower and heavy weight. After studying the other electrical and emission issues, I figured I could deal with them and still have a bike with good mpg, luggage capacity, 21 inch front tire, ease of maintenance, cheap parts and aftermarket support, good off road capability and timeless design with a cult following. Pretty sure left out some other pros''';..;'''
 

Dool2

Well travelled
I saw the ones about the Frames Breaking before picking mine up, still bought it and another one. ( spread the exposure, I can only ride one! ), some people shouldn't have a Himalayan, why they would make a Video about it is less obvious if you dont see the adds :ROFLMAO:
 

Bal Ra

Well travelled
Location
Texas
I saw the ones about the Frames Breaking before picking mine up, still bought it and another one. ( spread the exposure, I can only ride one! ), some people shouldn't have a Himalayan, why they would make a Video about it is less obvious if you dont see the adds :ROFLMAO:
[/QUOTE
frame breaking depends on year if I am wrong plz correct.
 

Dool2

Well travelled
I thought it depended on the Country, never heard of it here ;)
Could be a numbers thing, they do sell a lot in the Home market:unsure:
If mine breaks I will hopefully post all about it:rolleyes:
 

Roy Gavin

Well travelled
Early factory manuals had the torque on the main frame/ cradle bolts at 10 nm, not 50nm, so if followed might have had something to do with the frame spreading.
RE added gussets anyway, dont think unreinforced frames were ever sold outside India.
Checking the torque on these bolts should be a service item, I have seen similar frames crack at the headstock because of them slackening.
 
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RTD

Well travelled
Location
AZ
This bloke's video dove me nuts! His comment "Not suitable for American roads..." had me fall off my chair at his utter arrogance.
That comment never fails to amuse whenever it comes up. As if the USA is some kind of supernatural holy land of where actual investments are made in public infrastructure. Sucker should ride over here. My “American roads” are like riding on the effing moon.
 

Bal Ra

Well travelled
Location
Texas
That comment never fails to amuse whenever it comes up. As if the USA is some kind of supernatural holy land of where actual investments are made in public infrastructure. Sucker should ride over here. My “American roads” are like riding on the effing moon.
Our taxes are always spent on road construction projects, whether work is done is another story.
 

KI6JPX

Finally made it
Most of the reviews I have seen try to put the Himmy in an incorrect box....It is not a dirt bike and it is not a street bike. It is a tractor.....or better yet it is the 1940s to 1970s 4 cylinder Army Jeep. It don't go fast but it goes anywhere. My 1970s Jeep was slow but it carried everything from a M-60 machine gun to a TOW antitank missile along with a gunner and driver and gear. It is not as fast as my stage 4 Harley, but it is more fun overall.
A little late for this, but I copletely agree with your comment. The Himmi to me is like you say a tractor. When I ride it, it reminds me of my aircooled slugbug, but I LOVE it! :)
 
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