Thanks to the work of an intrepid photographer in Southern Europe, we learned last week that Royal Enfield is well into development on a bike that fans of the brand have been demanding for years: a 650cc version of its wildly popular Himalayan.
A series of good, clear spy photos were published at outlets like MCNews and 1000ps, showing exactly how Enfield's popular 650cc engine platform will fit into an adventure tourer:
What it looks like
The forthcoming Himalayan 650 has a front end that looks similar to that of a Husqvarna Norden 901. This bike's fairing is less angular, and the cowling doesn't flow as naturally into the rest of the bodywork, but the signature round headlight is there, and thankfully Enfield eschews the beak that seems to have been requisite on adventure bikes for so many years.
Get an exclusive look at the upcoming Royal Enfield Himalayan 650 in our latest article on https://t.co/Fx3dHJRzDp! Is the big adventure bike coming sooner than expected? Find out more here: https://t.co/OBm1xOIo32 pic.twitter.com/75dwnqIYeP
— 1000PS.com - World of Motorcycles (@1000ps_motorrad) January 8, 2025
The bike is equipped with (we're assuming) LED indicators front and back, which are similar to those on the existing Himalayan 450, as is the overall aesthetic of the tail section. As with the Himalayan 450, seating is in two sections and a single exhaust angles upward on the right side. We suspect the tires are tubed (boo), which is a thing that Royal Enfield does with almost all of its bikes to keep costs low – we'd love to see a set of tubeless spoked wheels make it into the new model here, but we're not holding our breath.
Running counter to the usual Royal Enfield aesthetic of round dials, this Himalayan 650 appears to have a rectangular TFT dash. As a nod to the bike's nominal purpose, a robust-looking bash plate runs all the way back to the center stand. Dual front discs are a visually charming but perhaps practically unnecessary feature for a bike that will most likely have a peak power output of 47 horsepower (35 kW).
Just how far off-road you'd really want to take this bike remains to be seen. Royal Enfields are generally sturdy but heavy machines; the Classic 650 that I test rode not too long ago has a wet weight of 536 lbs (243 kg). The Himalayan 650 could well weigh more, suggesting a hefty step up from the 197 kg (434 lb) wet weight of the Himalayan 450. It certainly won't be in the same flat-out performance league as something like Yamaha's brilliant Tenere 700, at 205 kg (452 lb) wet, but then Enfield typically leaves the bench racing to other brands, and competes on simplicity, style and price.
The engine
It's a pretty safe bet that the parallel twin engine powering this machine will be the exact same air/oil-cooled 648cc twin that drives every other 650 in Royal Enfield's line-up: Interceptor 650, Continental GT 650, Super Meteor 650, Shotgun 650, the recently released Bear 650 scrambler, and the Classic 650, shown below. In all those cases, the engine delivers a peak power output of roughly 47 horsepower and 38 lb-ft of torque. The numbers vary ever so slightly for the Bear 650 (we're talking decimal points).
That's not to say the engine doesn't have more in it; Royal Enfield engineers have managed to effectively double that horsepower output to make the engine competitive in American Flat Track racing, but I wouldn't expect the Himalayan to break from the rest of the 650 family and come out as a fire-breathing beast. Besides, the less stress you put on an engine, the longer it lasts. And that's clearly something that matters to Royal Enfield.
When I attended the launch of the Classic 650, one of the things that struck me was how often and how proudly company representatives spoke of the robustness and durability of their vehicles. There was a time, not so terribly long ago, when the Royal Enfield name wasn't exactly synonymous with quality, and it feels that company heads now have a chip on their shoulder about it. They want their machines to be seen as bulletproof.
As is, Royal Enfield's parallel twin is an enjoyable powerplant, fun and easy to live with. In this context, slightly more torque wouldn't be a bad thing, but it pulls well enough. On dirt roads and well-beaten trails it should be a lot of fun.
How we got here
The original 410cc single-cylinder Himalayan 411 was an instant hit when it was released in 2018. In the United Kingdom, for example, it was one of the best-selling bikes that year. The model's bare-bones styling and pocket-friendly asking price were enough for most people to overlook its general lack of punch (24 horsepower). Our own Loz Blain declared it "a quantum leap forward" from earlier Enfields we'd tested, going so far as to deem it "fit for extended public highway use."
It wasn't exactly an offroading king, but some riders took pleasure in exploring gravel tracks and the like. Most, though, were happy to rely on the bike as a commuting tool. A surprising number also decided to use the bikes for relaxed touring.
Perhaps for the sake of that latter rider, the Himalayan 450 was unveiled last year. Driven by a liquid-cooled 452cc single, it looks very much like the Himalayan 411 but claims a more respectable 40 horsepower. The bike has won quite a bit of praise since its launch, with some reviewers going so far as to suggest it sits perfectly in the Venn diagram of affordability and usability.
Considering that the 450 only came out last year, it seems likely that Royal Enfield will seek to offer two versions of the Himalayan, as it does with, say, the Classic 350 and Classic 650. Power output won't be that much greater on the bigger bike but it will presumably be better suited to carrying the weight of luggage and a passenger.
When we'll see the Himalayan 650 in dealerships is anyone's guess. Royal Enfield tends to move pretty fast, though, so it could be as early as this autumn. Certainly it knows that demand for the bike exists.
"There’s absolutely no doubt – and I’m not saying anything I shouldn’t here – in that it’s the most asked-for product,” Royal Enfield Chief of Design Mark Wells told MCN in 2024. “I quite regularly say to people in conversation – especially journalists – what do you think we should do next? And nine times out of 10 that’s what people say.”
(Side note: I'm the one out of 10 that didn't. He asked me a similar question at the Classic 650 launch and I suggested a Bullet 650)
