Royal Enfield Himalayan UK, 3000 miles owners report. Warts n all
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- Опубликовано: 5 авг 2020
- Here's an honest list of the pro's and cons of the bike so far:
First the pro's
OTR price is good,
Economical to run,
Good tank range over 200 miles,
Easy maintenance,
Good handling at sub 60 mph speeds,
A pleasant riding experience when back lane bimbling,
Low revving motor,
A nice burble sound from the exhaust,
Overhead cam engine a new design for RE,
Good ability to tackle off road and green lanes/ byways,
Looks a nice bike,
The luggage makes it very practical,
Good winter/all weather bike,
It's the motorcycle equivalent to a land rover,
Sofar it has been reliable,
Counter balanced engine has less vibrations,
Parts are cheap.
Gearbox is quite good and clutch is light,
The bike seems quite capable of long distances,
A good travel bike especially for the third world,
Now for the cons:
The seat is very soft and after a while you'll get numb bum syndrome,
The bike is quite small for an adventure style bike, maybe biased towards the Indian market,
The front brake lacks bite and feedback,
At higher speeds the handling becomes a little vague,
The engine is only 24 bhp and is not sufficiently powerful enough to keep up with motorway speeds, It will do it, but it feels like your flogging it to death.
The engine makes a clattering sound when pushed, and when pushed hard it just don't sound good. In Fact it's quite alarming and I worry that it may go bang....But it never has....not yet anyway!
I took the bike back for a checkup when I heard these sounds and was told,"It's a big single, air cooled and you will hear all sorts of sounds from them, it's quite normal".
The engine sounds have been the biggest negative for me personally. It may just be my bike, it may indeed be "normal" and a few other owners have also reported them. If it is abnormal then I am at a loss to know what to do next. I'll have to live with it I guess.
So I now only use the bike for bimbling and slower riding adventures where the motor sounds happier. I brought a second more powerful bike (Suzuki V strom 1000 for when I go on longer faster journeys and motorway travel)
Although the engine has a crankshaft counterbalancer, it still has some vibes especially when pushed.
Vibrations become more apparent when the bike revs over 5K rpm
Although the gearbox is good, I do occasionally hit a false neutral.
I've put a bit more than 3000 miles on Himmy, including a 1600 mile road trip earlier this year. I stuck to secondary roads where I didn't have to go faster than 55 mph. It was a joy. My butt got numb from time to time, but the handling (even in driving rain) was perfect. It's not a race horse, more of a trusty little mule.
I love the sound that chug makes, definitely from a by gone era. You live in a very beautiful part of the country Sandy.
Great to see you and Mandy out together in the countryside. Lovely scenery. I agree with everything you've said about the Himalayan but I wont be getting rid of mine either, she'e great for bimbling around North Wales. Thanks for the video. atb
Excellent video Sandy. Very nice to see Mandy out with you. I had a SYM when I lived in Vietnam. All the best to you both.
Thanks for the ride out. Totally loved the river. You both live in a lovely part of the country. Keep making the video. Ride safe and looking forward to seeing your next video. 😊.
Another great video. Really enjoy your channel. Particularly through lockdown, its been a real escape from the mad world we are living in at the moment.. 👍
Thorough and fair Himalayan review Sandy, well done! Even with its foibles, my favorite bike in the garage, built for the way I ride.
This video is _definitely a keeper as well._ Thanks for all your experience and best of luck on your further adventures.
Nice jaunt in the countryside and honest review of the Himalayan. Great to see Mandy out with you on her Sym. Happy days 👍. ATVB from an even sunnier Malaysia 👍🇲🇾😷
Thanks for this, Sandy. I've had to put my purchase on hold, but I'm still keen to get my hands on one of these.
Perfect for us old geezers. ;o)
All the best.
Great vid, thanks for the RE Him update, looks like a very tranquil place 👍
Another great video Sandy, great to see Mandy out enjoying the countryside with you, but please get ger some summer breathable gloves. A good philosophy is all the gear all the time, better said not from a hospital bed. Keep these lovely videos coming, best wishes.
Good review on Chug. Mandy seems to be getting on well with the scooter, good for her!
your review is the same as most other reviews i have watched, you are very accurate and fair about the Chugger
Delightful. A lovely way to spend the day. Thanks for the Chug review too - very useful.
Great to see you both enjoying a ride in the country bro. Stay safe up your way
It’s perfect !! Sandy & Mandy - Chug & Suzi...Excellent ride and stunning views along the countryside!! .. Mandy looks great!! 😊🙏 Happy days Sandy, well done !! 👍
Top video, beautiful countryside. Good to hear Chug is staying, I thought his days were numbered now you have the Suzuki. Mandy, wear gloves!!!! Take care both of you.
Great review. Exactly what I wanted to know re riding in the UK etc. Thanks v much for your time and effort.
splendid ride Sandy , , , beautiful scenery , , very glad to see Mandy feeling well after her surgery : - )
Nice video Sandy, but please get Mandy those gloves! I winced when I saw she had none on.
It might be hot but gravel rash on the palms is no fun! I know because many years ago I came off with a 'very thin/hardly worth putting on' pair of gloves at 20 mph and did both of my scaphoids + the gravel rash. Oh I did swear! I currently have a pair of Triumph summer gloves but with armour that I hope I never have to test!
Atb Pyro
I love honest, forthright, no BS reviews from peers riding the coolest machine out there today (imho) and Wiltshire Man is spot on in his review... i have less than a 1000 miles on mine and almost everything he spoke to is true for my Himalayan here in the U.S.A. Virginia _ thanks Sandy for your time, your efforts, in putting the videos up and I have enjoyed each one, thanks again
Many thanks sandy for a great vid. I would compare your two bikes as when you want a brew in the woods. Ones the trangia 27 and the others a jet boil.
I do not know if you have tried already, but I have the windshield positioned on the upper setting. To be honest I am quite happy about it. Also, tI respect your cruise speed opinion, but 60 is quite a safe, comfortable and appropriate for the bike. I have no concerns to keep 70 (although I do not really need it). Engines today are fully prepared to go quite over the limits we may figure out. Nice and peaceful videos, thanks a lot.
Nice ride Sandy. As you say, an ideal use for the Himalayan.
Very pleased to see Mandy out with you these days. Buying the scooter was a good move and gives her a new interest.
Noel
She loves the little scooter Noel, I just hope she remains safe. Life has it's risks
Glad to see Mandy is getting along fine after her health issue. and to see you two having fun!. once again beautiful countryside. But I do miss your Amateur radio vids Sandy. Hamshack Sunday etc. would like to see more in that dept also. So once again thanks for taking me along on another Journey. 73 CUDTL? de Ellis WA1RKS
Had no idea that Sandy was a ham. I am one of Wyoming's most active SO LP SSB Contesters . November Seven Many Zebras Walking. Licensed since 1989. Father, Mother, my late Paternal Grandmother, and a few other relatives licensed as well. Hope to put out a few SOTA Qs while camping with my 2020 Himmie. 73. 😎
Great feedback and props to Mandy for the additional filming :-) This is definitely the bike for me
The Kennet was formerly called the Cunnit, a name of Celtic origin, derived from hound. Lovely ride Sandy and Mandy. Love the little scooter there Mandy. I like the REH very much Sandy, hate the motorways to be honest with you so perfect for me. Enjoy the summer guys. Cheers.
Nice ride and day out . Thanks for taking us along .
Nice one good review (:
Thank you for taking me along for the ride.
I have a Triumph bonneville T120 and have just brought a Royal Enfield Himalayan. After watching your video it made me feel even happier with the purchase. Thank you Wiltshire Man.
Hope you enjoy your Himi, I love mine, it's a good mule, but I'm glad I've also got the bigger bike (Suzuki Vstrom) for the faster roads
That is where I ended up Sandy, Himalayan , and a bigger bike , each providing enough "overlap " to cover my needs.
So, in my opinion, You have arrived......... :)
How wonderful !! Getting to ride thru the town where "Doctor Who" was filmed. Tom Baker, was the current incarnation when i discovered the program. IMO,, the best of the "Good Doctors" . What a clever show that was. Fantastic writing , great plots.
Mr. Baker, captured the essence of who the writers intended "Who" to be. I'd love to walk the streets of that town.
Hi Bob I do like the Himalayan but like you, I'm glad I've got the bigger bike too:)
Wow Sandy, really enjoyed this one, you and Mandy make for a great team riding together with excellent footage. It would be great to see you guys making more ride outs together this coming summertime. Only you guys can decide on that though, but yeah great upload 👌🏻
I'm glad you enjoyed this one. I think you are going to really enjoy my next upload featuring the Himalayan. Goes live this afternoon
@@WiltshireMan superb Sandy i will watch it tonight while i'm resting after todays ride
I was happy to hear your thoughts on the Himalayan, I am really thinking about getting one myself. I do not plan on spending much time at all on any of the fast highways and roadways so I am pretty sure that the Enfield Himalayan would be more than adequate for me. My interest would be more on the back roads and the dirt and gravel paths out in the wooded areas. I am definitely putting some thoughts into it for sure. Your list of the goods and the not so goods of the bike will be very helpful for me to consider in this process. Thanks again for that. And thank you for another trip out there on the beautiful countryside. It was a very pleasant journey. Seeing Mandy out there enjoying herself was another added bonus. Very nice to see her recovery from her health challenge. The best is yet to come. Enjoy it. Take care my friend, see you on the next one.
Thanks Terry. In that case the Himalayan may suit you but before you buy one take one for a test ride, also try a few other bikes too so you can make a more informed decision
@@WiltshireMan Yes sir, I am still in the early stages and am still putting thought in to all options before I decide what to do. Thanks again my friend and have a great day.
How fast is the royal Enfield.
Itchy boots “36,000 km in 8 months” a real little gem of a bike. Great riding with you through Wiltshire. Great video 👍
I am hoping to get back to motorbikes again, and although my last bike was a Royal Enfield Bullet 350 army, which I wasn't too happy with, but this was about 16 years ago, I am seriously considering getting a new Royal Enfield. I was originally thinking of one of the 350's, but I am seeing more reviews on the 411 Himalayan, and I do like the look of it, and the reports all seem to be pretty positive! Thanks for your videos, as they put me in this direction! 👍
Hi Paul, All the Royal Enfield singles are all a bit under powered but will happily cruise all day at 55/60 mph with a max speed of just over 70
@WiltshireMan thanks! As most of my riding would be round Swindon and the surrounding area, then top speeds aren't much of a problem! As long as it can get off the line fairly quickly when necessary, and is happy and easy pottering along when the traffic is slow, then it sounds like a great bike for me! 👍
Great ride out, good the Enfield is still doing you well. thanks for sharing
Now I'm a bit older I don't worry about doing overly fast speeds, I can understand that on faster roads the lack of a better top end speed could mean not keeping up with other vehicles which could be tiresome.
The Himalayan and Mandy's scooter are both fun rides and well done Mandy for being independent.
My wife won't even ride pillion on my scooter.
Thanks for posting Sandy.
You need the Royal Enfield touring seat for the Himalayan, it’s a lot firmer and allows for all day riding 😃👍🏻
Wow Sandy, so impressed with Mandy, I think the last time I saw her, she was quite immobile after her ankle fusion surgery....and look at her now...a proper biker chick! Well done Mandy, it takes guts to ride motorcycles after surgery like that, really well done! 👍
Best regards,
Dazza. 🇬🇧
I went to school in Aldbourne. St Michaels. I was very little and at the primary school when Dr.Who was filmed there. The story was The Daemons. The Blue Boar pub you showed was renamed The Cloven Hoof and Aldbourne was renamed ‘Devils End’. My father is from Aldbourne. Spent a lot of my younger years there.
Good on Mandi to get her own bike. 234 miles to the tank full is really good. I only get 134 on the Interceptor. A nice ride out. The music worked on the part of the ride that you used it on. Ronn
Great to see you both out together chugging and brumming around that scooter looks very flash and suits you Mandy 👍😉❤️ hope your all safe and well love to all the family 👍👍👍❤️❤️❤️
LOL Chugging and Brumming just about sums up those two bikes Marcus. All good here thanks and hope the same for you too.
Sandy
Difficult bto know what to do about the stand. I do agree it's annoying. I added a stainless steel foot to mine from eBay, to add surface area. That is a cheep and useful improvement. The more you load the bike with luggage, the lower it sits and the bike then sits even more vertical on the side stand. I think it needs to reach further out to be effective. Of you come across anything better let us know.
Thanks for the lovely video. Take care.
I really fancy a Himalayan for riding those sort of roads and I'm sure it'd be great. A few byways as well. It'd be great to have as a second bimbling around bike but as your main do it all bike I think it's too underpowered. It just needs a bit more oomph. Apart from the lack of power I love the Himalayan.
Nice little ride out. Beautiful country lanes and scenery 👍
As usual, very enjoyable video.
Pretty much sums up my feelings about the Himalayan too Sandy. I’ve had mine up to about 70 once but it’s not happy there. As you say it’ll plod along 50-50 all day quite happily. Did a 500 mile weekend trip to mid Wales with camping kit last weekend for Nathan Millward’s Himalayan Odyssey off-road course and it was great, did everything we threw at it.
It’s definitely getting quicker and smoother.
Agree about the side stand. There’s a guy on the Himalayan owners FB Page that does a shortening service, ( on eBay too) can add a larger foot also , had mine done and it’s a lot better.
Ive fitted a shorter power bronze screen which is an improvement.
Same as you I don’t think I could have it as my only bike but this funny little bike really has got under my skin, great fun bike.
Sounds like you had an epic weekend in Wales. Nathan seems an interesting chap
Yeah, good bloke. Really enthusiastic about the little RE.
Thank you for sharing your adventure!
Great footage mate. Well done.
I love Chug and sounds. I live at 50 being a ex military defender driver. So I’m used to being overtaken by tractors lorries etc.
I did overtake a combined harvester once.
Great Review and lovely to have Mandy with you.
The screen can be changed and improved so that not a negative.
👍🏻
Nice video as per Sandy, Albourne was the home of the 101st Airbourne famously depicted of the mini series Band of Brothers
Really enjoy watching your video's I find them very interesting. We must also have a similar music taste, as you seam to pick the same background music as I do for my videos.
I shortened the sidestand by around 8mm and welded a bigger foot on it (55mm x 55mm) so it would not sink into soft ground. It makes for less nerve-wracking parking and is more stable so well worth doing :-)
In UK most competent motorcycle engineers will charge around £10 for this mod.
I don't understand why most manufacturers of adventure bikes provide such tiny sidestand feet as standard given the terrain they are likely to be parked on.
Nice video. Your right the Royal Enfield Owners Club in Swindon are such a friendly group. I'll try to make the Sunday runs when they are more near to Bradford on Avon where I live. Keep well.
Bye Stuart 🙂
Looking forward to meeting you again soon Stuart
Looks like a great bike Sandy. It reminds me a lot of my old KLR 650. I liked the slow single lane rides the best and felt better after a long ride going slower than a long ride going Burt Monro style. A nice tall suspension was a big help on the KLR also. I felt like I was riding on a cloud compared to my sportbike friends riding on a rock. Thanks for sharing the video Sandy. I really enjoyed it.
They say the KLR 650 could not be destroyed. There's a video of someone on RUclips trying to break one and he couldn't:)
@@WiltshireMan They are very tough and have excellent longevity. Parts are plentiful and reasonable. They are easy to work on and you don't need any special tools to do it. They fit someone who is tall very well. They are not a great two-up bike but I am a big guy and a lighter person might do fine with two-up on it. I don't think I ever had a real complaint with mine. Fuel injection would have been nice. It got pretty sluggish up above 9000 feet. Butt got a little sore after 300 miles or so. I really can not complain. It is a lot of bike and riding for the budget it required. Cheers Sandy
Cracking bikes those mate. May have to look into one in a few years. 😛
Nice 👍.
Good to see your Wife also mobile 👍😊.
I ride a Honda SH300i Scooter .. my first ever Scooter and after 4 years, wouldn't change it .. lovely bike. Also .. 70 Summers under the Belt and more than stiff joints now make getting the leg over a normal bike an exercise. I stick as far as possible to the Secondary Roads. A General B-Road Speed Limit here in Switzerland of 80 kph suits the Honda to a T .. although Motorway Speeds are within easy reach .. but heavy wind buffeting makes it unpleasant.
No Gloves .. fine in the Summer .. until an impromptu stop and airborne dismount have one realise that the bare Palms of the Hand don't make for good Brake Pads.
Take care .. safe riding.
What a dream, I spent so much time on the back-roads of Strathclyde in my youth.
Mandy may better suit mountain bike gloves, they breath more and soak up sweat, for better grip.
Great video, but as Ive just bought a new one find it to be the best bike ive ridden, My previous was a 1050 Tiger
Ive no issues with the screen or noise from it so maybe helmet and rider height.
Im having more fun on this bike than ive had since my youth, you mention 55-60, I find 65 is very easy and Im 14 stone so no fly weight. The engine does chug along but that's something im loving
So far I cannot knock it, I must have a permanent grin on my face when out and ive even overtaken a few tractors.
Yes, I've managed to overtake some tractors on mine too:)
I passed the 1000 miles on mine a week or so ago, and I'd concur with all you've said. I get the odd pop from the exhaust manifold, and clanks here and there from the engine, and the rear brake has a hell of a squeal to it, but barring a bit of extra grunt, I wouldn't change it for the world
It's what we call Character Oscar:)
@@WiltshireMan Hahahaha! :-D
Superb video. Thanks Sandy👍
About time RE put the 650 twin in one of these. Good ride. Will have to explore it sometime 👍
That would make it too heavy. Has anyone tried the Hitchcock big bore kit? It brings it out to about 500cc and with a bigger gearbox sprocket should do the trick.
Nice to see Mandy enjoying Brrrum. She seems to handle it well. Might I suggest two things. First: wear gloves. Gravel rash is no fun. Second, when riding with Mandy avoid loose surfaces. One little fall could destroy her confidence. Oh, and a third: My wife and I had intercoms that worked either on the same bike or when she was on hers. They were quite inexpensive (off Amazon I believe). Really nice to chat, or warn of obstacles. And also work as blue tooth hands freefor your phone if you want.
Really useful video thanks!
Agree with the higher screen made a massive difference for me. With some more miles you will feel the engine improve mine is really quiet now and cruises happily at 65 mph and will push 85mph if needed. I use mine every day to commute and for Hampshire lanes best bike ever for that and really cheap to run. Great vid though mate and look forwards to seeing my Hornet being made on the other channel 👍
I reckon you've got a good un. Flat out mine only does 72! Will be working on some Hornets in a couple of weeks time
@@WiltshireMan mmm that doesnt sound right mine pulls easily past 72 😳
A splendid ride-out with biker girl Mandy on Brum, plus an update on the your thoughts & working abilities of Chug, Sandy. Gloves for Mandy & the young lady must wear then ;) Take care.........Les
She has got some gloves now Les:)
Lovely ride, great capture of the scenic villages... I love your part of the world, must head that way sometime to explore. Watching your comments about the Himalayan and thinking about the NC500. I recon once up there the Himalayan will be fine, slower pace for enjoying the views. But unless you have the time and can plan slower roads to get there avoiding all motorways etc then... go Honda. Do try to persuade Mandy to wear gloves, only last week a lad here fell off, not going fast... He would have been just fine but was in shorts, T shirt, trainers. So much skin removed from his ankle it’s touch and go if it has to be amputated, doctors trying to save it. Leathers/ boots all he would have had was bruising. Same for hands...
Hi Martyn,
Mandy got gloves now. Had to buy summer weight one's for her. I am hopefully leaving on the NC500 very soon. It was a toss up whether I took the Himalayan or the V strom. Finally settled on the V Strom. Bike is packed now. Fist campsite provisionally booked:)
Wiltshire Man very much looking forward to seeing your adventures on the NC500. Ride safe.
*Skidmarx* , in Weymouth, UK, makes taller wind screens for the Himalayan. They might be better than a clip-on screen extension.
Think I'll wait n see the Sherpa! I saw on one vid you can buy an aftermarket camshaft apparently adds 20 percent more perf for current Himalayans.
Still am very jealous ha!
P.s For my weight dont think will consider anything under 40bhp. Although I love the look of this and the meteor etc.
Bless ya both. How lovely to do that together. Great to see her looking well Sandy. Will your wife pass her test and have CHUG now you have the V STORM ?
Hi Ian, Mandy can only ride twist n go machines, maybe one day will take her test we shall see.
I also had a ride down to Aldbourne last year on my Himalayan mainly because of its WW2 history and was referenced to in the TV series 'Band of Brothers'. Lovely place.
I noticed a step up in performance from my bike around the 7000mile mark and its best cruising speed is an easy 65mph, 70mph is also very easy but mpg suffers slightly. It used to hit 80mph only on a downhill stretch but now it will do it on a flat road when needed for short bursts, (funny thing is it goes really smooth when it hits 80) I think the most Ive seen on the speedo is about 84mph but I dont push it that far very often. I dont mind its limitations on the road though as the engine is perfect for me when it goes on the trails, its very tractable and pulls nice and clean from low revs.
Your right about the suspension as it rides lovely and handles very well, I think RE nailed it with this set up.
I had the same problem with the soft original seat so I bought the genuine touring seat from RE and it really helps, doesnt seem much firmer when you get it out of the box but It's better and can now spend a lot longer in the saddle.
Great vid thanks.
Interesting, thanks. It sure is a nice bike to ride, the only down side for me is the noise the engine makes around 4.5k rvs onwards when working a bit. A kind of clatter? I wonder if you've notice that on yours?
@@WiltshireMan The clattering from the engine actually put me off buying the bike after riding the demonstrator but I had never ridden an air cooled single before so I did some research and convinced myself that it wasn't unusual for these type of engines to be noisy so I went back, test rode it again and bought one.
Yes mine does make that clattering noise but it doesn't bother me anymore.
You may find ventilated motocross gloves really good in warm weather.
Sandy, theres a place in UK that has a kit for the that gives about another 10 bhp. Dont know the cost or the address but you can find a video on You Tube. Perhaps you should have bought a used Kawasaki KLR 650. I did smile at the no speed limit signs at the river Kennet, cant imagine speeding on that narrow road. If you think the Himalayan is heavey, wait till you have to push the VStrom with a full tank. Also get a piece of plate with a string on it for parking on soft uneven ground, then put it under the side stand, when you are ready to leave just pull up the string while sitting on the bike and put the plate in your pocket.
Try pushing a sportster or road king then haha.
Piece of plate with string? What's wrong with a crushed beer can.
Bimbling is great. I love pottering round local lanes on my 125. But I want to go to Scotland and if I’ve got a week of work I don’t want to spend 3 days getting there. I need a bike that can do faster roads.
Thanks for the vid!
You need one of those 99p plastic sure foot things for your side-stand.
I was seriously thinking about getting this bike,but for what I need it for ,I think a light weight scooter would do the trick for bimbling around some country lanes ect.
No get this bike it's a blast.
Lol Mandy seen me turn up the other day I wasn’t wearing any gloves either lol. Mandy and me must be hardened bikers 😂👍 nice video mate see you soon
Or stupid!
I like the look of the Himalayan but the lack of power means i will never have one. My BMW F650 GS has 50 hp and more torque, will sit at over 70mph all day, over 70mpg with minimal electronics, has taken me from UK to the Balkans with no problems. Hoping to do Bulgaria and Turkey later this year if some kind of normality happens.
Nice one Sandy! Les
It's a plodder Sandy built in India, I've had my GS 1000's, XS 1100's, Z 1000's and I'd rather ride a Himalayan to Scotland on A and B roads than ride a big fast bike on the motorway, time is irrelevant but enjoying the ride and scenery is classic, enjoy her mate, she has her quirks.
Id rather ride bigger faster bikes on the A and B roads. Sometimes motorways are just a necessary evil.
@@johna6968 Too much unnecessary power that cannot be used, legally, so what's the point bud, been down that road 30 years ago.
I can’t get to Scotland entirely on A and B roads even though I’d like to.
@@neanderthaloutdoors9202 Me too. Still here 35 yrs later. Id just rather have an engine being used below its potential to make good progress than at its limits constantly. Thats unless popping to Aldi was my thing.
About 8 months ago me and a mate was out on a ride, me on my himi and mate on his vstrom 650, he got pulled for speeding, 3 points and £85 fine I think he got..... I rode passed no more than 30 seconds later waving like the queen!!!
i took the screen off the day after buying it! its not the engine making a noise in my opinion, its cycle parts resonating as you said
Thanks for the vid, lovely 😊
Parts situation for Enfield's.I don't know if the Chennai factory is back open again due to covid but my Enfield classic 2019 was out of order for 5 months waiting for a warranty part from there.
Another nice journey nice scenery 👍
Please make Mandy wear gloves! Hot or cold! I’ve had gravel scrubed from under my skin With a hospitals camel hair brush as a young fella from my hands, knees and backside, honestly it’s a most unpleasant experience! .... as I know you well know... at 40 mph a exposed limb loses 4-6 inches of flesh per minute of sliding! The road underneath you is just a big grinding wheel! Sorry for the rant my friend I hope I’ve not offended you, I just care! I really enjoy your videos and I want to enjoy watching many more of you and Mandy in the future safe and sound! Great footage again Sandy have a great weekend 😎👍🏽👍🏽
No Probs. I told her to wear the gloves she had but nope she refused. Now she's read some comment's it's made her think different;y. I'll be buying her some new gloves soon
MDS - I saw the results of the grinding wheel a road can be when I was 12 sitting in an emergency room (I think it's called A&E in the UK) to get a thumb sewed up. A car load of kids came in and one of the girls had the side of her face ground off where she had slid on the pavement when she was thrown out of the car. Wear your helmets, leathers and gloves!
Thank you sir 👍🏽👍🏽😎
Yep I learned my lesson and even on my small 125 bikes today I’ll always wear the correct protective clothing! Thanks for the reply! Best wishes friend
Interesting video I'm thinking of buying one
Now clocked over 5K, the engine has become less noisy. I also have a Suzuki V strom 1000. The Himalayan gets ridden the most. Just something about it
I guess is the 2019 version. The 2021 has been improved but still have several issues. I am looking for this bike and can not decide yet. Waiting for the hypothetical 450......
The 450 is supposed to be coming out next year with a water cooled engine and 40bhp
Brilliant mate! Cheers.
Appreciate the review! I'll likely be putting a deposit on a 2021 model soon.
What model of helmet are using?
My helmet is a synchrony duo. Quite cheap but I like the sun visor
What a beautiful lane to ride😊
It was a lovely ride Donna, Mandy no longer rides the scooter, she doesn't have the confidence, so now the bike belongs to my son
put a louder muffler i just did and it sounds sweet
Ikon pursuit perforated are a good summer glove
Hi Sandy, thanks the videos. Agree most of what you say about Himalayan. I have done a couple of mods to mine, i have moded the seat and screen, i have added some height to the screen with a piece of clear plastic that came from an old motorbike screen i had in stock, so buffeting is now minimal, also i have put some layers of carpet underlay on the seat, stategically shaped, and then covered it over with a piece of old black seat material from an old commercial seat cover, so seat is now higher and more comfy and my knees fit in the scallops on the tank now which they did not before cos i am tall. no damage done to bike cos screen extension fitted with spring clips from mudflaps and seat cover taped under the seat. also rekon some different sprockets good if you on high speed work and of course the big bore kit if you want to splash sum cash. 73 de ORA
Sounds like you've made some worthwhile improvements. John. I've got a second bike now, a Suzuki V strom 1000. Hoping to go up to Scotland on it soon, could be driving past your territory
It’s an adventure bike not a motorway or dual carriageway bike, you can take it around the world and it will get you there
Loved this
Hitchcocks are enfield specialists, they do all the mods you could wish for including a big bore kit, i think around 470cc, not seen a road test yet, but the dyno says ohhhh yeah!
The wallet says "Oh No" Stevee. The power gains are not significant and it'll just put more strain on the bottom end of the engine
Warts and all reviews are good. Catching up yes we have been off again
I find the Himilayan a very appealing bike although when I went to buy it, I ended up with an Africa Twin. In Canada we have a lot of highway that is more suited for a larger bike. Because I am very short, I often wonder if I shouldn't have bought the Royal Enfield.
C90 adventures did your country on a Honda C90 with no problems in winter as well!
So go get a himalayan.
Hi,
I total now over 6600 km on mine, what is about my driving practise since 1st of April this year. Last week I was on a 2 day enduro training with BMW Endurotraining in Hechlingen Enduropark. I was going the same tracks and did the exercises the guys did with the BMW GS1250 (entry price starts at appr. 18000.-€) . The instructor was favorably impressed what the "indian goat" achieved in the terrain with a "beginner biker". The ABS works perfect on gravel. The 80% slope climb and downhill no problem at all.
Though I did some modifications on mine.
- change the front brake pads to TRW sinter pads and you can brake with two thingers at ease. The rear brake is good with the original pads.
- the Heidennau K60 Scouts make a real change to the Pirellis MT 60 which are far softer. I had no issue in the terrain, even on soft and muddy ground the Heidenaus have sufficient grip. The bike corners very precise on the road compared to the Pirellis. Just replace the Pirellis when they a done.
- the first modification was the rework of the seat by a upholsterer. I have chosen the hardest foam in his stock and it works perfect, 8 hours on the bike and no sore butt or other problems what so ever. Remember sattles of long distance bicylces (racing or touring) have fairly hard foams called for example marathon foam (www.sq-lab.com).
- A goat is not a racing horse, perfect for exploring and leisure rides in the country side. Enjoy the time and country side, you are longer on the bike.
- Concerning the sound of the engine. It improved a lot to healthy after the valve gap was adjusted at the 5k km inspection. A single aircooled long stroke has its sound, don´t worry as long it runs.
Good and interesting comment Wolfgang. I am enjoying the bike more and more. Will change front break pads and seat soon.
Sandy
@@WiltshireMan Hi Sandy, If you have some reserve in height a custom upholstery may be the best choice. A fitting seat for your butt and position for your legs is worth every penny. Wolfgang
I have just bought a 411, could have waited for the new 450 but for various reasons went with the outgoing model. Only got 470 miles on it so far so I can't form too much of an opinion yet other than I am enjoying it so far. One thing that does concern a wee bit is the vibes. Don't get me wrong, I fully expected some vibration through the pegs and bars etc. Now to say I'm concerned is actually over stating it as I have heard that once the bikes have a couple of thou on them they loosen up and smooth out a bit. Did you find this the case with yours?
I'm loving the size of the bike. I have just changed from a BMW 1200 RT. Had that for nine and a half years. It was a fantastic bike but it was time to go in a different direction biking wise.
The bike does improve a bit as the miles clock up but also a lot of it is the rider acclimatising to the bike. These are cheap and very basic machines in reality that are simple and rugged and easy to service, a term that is often used to describe them is "Agricultural", just ride it and at 90 mpg thats something you can do.
The other thing is the clattery nature of the engine. Put ear plugs in! It's nothing to worry about, these motors are racking up the miles now and in most cases without issue. I try too keep the revs below 5K, I spoke to an engine designer who has brought a 411 and he said the design is sound.
Thanks WM. The points you raise about the simple and rugged design and the mpg are some of the very reasons I went for it. I believe the new 450 has shims for tappet adjustment and as I will eventually be doing all my own servicing when it's out if warranty I didn't fancy messing with them. As for ear plugs I've worn them for years so no change there! Take care and safe biking my friend.@@WiltshireMan