Design:

Royal Enfield has taken the tried and tested philosophy, ‘If it’s not broke, don’t fix it’, and we totally agree with it. The 2021 Himalayan, in terms of styling, is identical to the outgoing model. Mechanically also it receives no changes. So, it retains the same suspension setup, brakes and chassis as the BS6 version. The iconic motorcycle manufacturer has spruced the Himalayan up by introducing three new colour options: Granite Black, the eye-catching Pine Green and the Mirage Silver, which we have here with us, and it comes standard with a contrasting brown saddle. Sadly, Royal Enfield has discontinued Snow and Sleet Grey colours.

Based on the feedback received, Royal Enfield has tweaked the front rack frame on the fuel tank. By pushing the frame further up, thereby, there’s more knee room available for taller riders over 6 feet in height.

Navigation system:

No doubt one of the biggest updates the Himalayan gets is the navigation system or, as the company calls it, the Tripper display. It made its debut with the Meteor 350, which we’ve used extensively and found it quite helpful. One can sync their smartphone via the Royal Enfield app available on both Apple’s App Store and Google Play store. This Google Maps-based turn-by-turn navigation system is accurate and offers a seamless experience. The Tripper doesn’t read out phone or message alerts, which is a good thing as you are focused on the road.

The only hitch we found about the Tripper is that when you switch off the bike for whatever reason or at a traffic light, it sometimes doesn’t automatically pair back to your phone. It’s a slight inconvenience, but that’s not really a deal-breaker.

To accommodate the new additional pod in the instrument cluster, the windscreen is now wider from the bottom and taller as many Himalayan owners had complained the earlier model didn’t negate wind buffeting effectively. The new windscreen is only tinted.

New seat:

The previous Himalayan certainly had a comfortable seat, but it was a tad bit soft, making it unsupportive on long rides. Again, based on the feedback received from current Himalayan owners, Royal Enfield has added more padding to the saddle and have made it firmer. In terms of the seat height, it continues to be 800 mm, which makes it accessible for many. I’m a shade taller than 5 feet 9 inches in height and I can comfortably put my feet flat on the ground. The riding stance is comfortable as you don’t feel cramped. The footpegs are placed in a slight angular position, but nothing really to complain about. The seating position is commanding as well.

As an accessory, one can also opt for Touring Seats at an additional cost of INR 3,000.

Additional upgrades:

Coming to the rear carrier, it is now more aligned to the seat and has been reinforced with an additional metal plate to haul heavy luggage. It’s inscribed on the rear carrier that it can carry up to 7 kg of luggage, which is 2 kg more than the previous Himalayan.

Engine:

The 411cc engine remains the same mechanically and continues to churn 24.3 bhp of power and 32 Nm of torque. Ever since the Royal Enfield has introduced the fuel injection system in the Himalayan, it’s been a very smooth bike. It happily cruises anywhere around 80-100 kmph and effortlessly goes past the three-figure mark. We tip our hat to Royal Enfield for ensuring that the Himalayan’s vibrations are down to a minimal, making the riding experience quite enjoyable and comfortable both in the city and on the highway.

You open the throttle and the initial response is measured and it builds momentum in a linear fashion. The power doesn’t come rushing in a hurry as the low-end torque lacks the punch and feels flat. As the Himalayan is more at home when it’s out on open roads and covering long distances, it is happiest at the mid-range power band where the motor’s optimal power can be experienced. The Himalayan cruises comfortably at speeds over the three-figure mark, but the power tends to taper off after crossing 120 kmph.

Ride and handling:

The Himalayan is a practical bike that can be used for your daily commute. Thanks to the soft suspension setup, along with the long travel, it easily cushions undulations and speed breakers in the city and at the same time feels at home on dirt tracks and overcomes ditches and potholes without a sweat. There are a couple of minor issues that Royal Enfield can iron out like the heavy clutch and hand brake lever, which can become quite a task. Also, the brakes lack the bite and feel spongy.

The Himalayan is a heavy motorcycle and weighs around 199 kg, and if and when you drop it, you can feel its weighty issues. But the beauty about this bike is that while on the go, it feels agile and light. You can easily navigate through traffic or extreme off-roading conditions.

Verdict:

It all comes down to brass-tacks and priced at INR 201,000, is the extra INR 10,000 justified? Maybe not, but you won’t find a more capable ADV bike at that range that is easy to manoeuvre and doesn’t overwhelm you with additional electronic nannies. The Himalayan keeps it simple and allows you to switch off the dual-channel ABS, though it wouldn’t be a bad idea if the Himalayan got traction control. Another thing we would like to see is tubeless tyres as it makes life a lot easier and spares you a lot of frustration, especially when you are on a long-distance ride. We would stick our neck out and say that it is a Jack of All Trades and a commuter-friendly adventure motorcycle that is very forgiving on your wallet. (MT)

Specifications:

Engine: 411 cc + 24.3 bhp + 32 Nm of torque

Transmission: 5-speed

Ground clearance: 220 mm

Seat height: 800 mm

Tyres & brakes:

Front: 90/90 – 21 inches / 300 mm disc

Rear: 120/90 – 17 inches / 240 mm disc

Dual-channel ABS

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!

Vietnamese automotive company VinFast has signed Letters of Intent (LoI) with its first group of over 50 e-motorcycle dealer partners in India, establishing a distribution footprint across 15 states and 34 cities. The agreement was finalised at VinFast’s manufacturing facility in Hai Phong, Vietnam, during a delegation visit by Indian retail partners.

As per the terms, VinFast and its retail partners will open showrooms in locations including Delhi NCR, Rajasthan, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal and Odisha. The initial expansion target focuses on commercial centres with high two-wheeler adoption rates as part of the manufacturer's network setup.

Vo Thi Cam Tu, Managing Director of VinFast E-Scooters Overseas Market, said, "India is one of the most important markets in VinFast's global growth story, and this partnership reflects the scale of ambition we hold for the region. As we expand our presence across markets worldwide, India stands out for its scale, its growing demand for electric mobility, and the opportunity it offers to redefine mobility. This LoI signing demonstrates our long-term commitment to India, as well as our expectations and confidence in the vast scale and potential of the market."

Anurag Saxena, Chief Executive Officer of VinFast India E-Scooters, said, "Partnering with more than 50 dealer partners across 15 states and territories and 34 cities marks the beginning of our journey to bring VinFast e-motorcycles across India. Alongside, we are also building charging infrastructure and strengthening after-sales services to ensure that customers across these locations receive the support they need throughout their ownership journey."

The company entered the Indian market in 2025 with electric car manufacturing and distribution operations. The latest agreement represents VinFast's first dedicated retail network for electric two-wheelers in India, where two-wheeler registrations reached 21.41 million units in fiscal year 2025-2026, with electric models accounting for 6.54 per cent of total sales.

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!

Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India, one of the leading two-wheeler manufacturers in the country, has announced pricing and opened bookings for the Honda XR300 L and Honda XR300 Rally. The announcement follows the initial unveiling of both models in July 2026 as part of the company's product expansion plans.

The XR300 L is priced at INR 183,000 ex-showroom Bengaluru, while the XR300 Rally is priced at INR 208,000 ex-showroom Bengaluru. Effective from 5 October 2026, bookings for both models have opened across the manufacturer's BigWing dealership network and online platform for a reservation amount of INR 5,000.

Both motorcycles are powered by a 293.5cc air-cooled engine equipped with an oil cooler; both variants come with torque control systems, rear suspension setups, front and rear disc brakes, switchable dual-channel ABS and an assist slipper clutch.

The XR300 L is designed for mixed city and off-road use and is offered in Extreme Red and Shasta White colour options. The XR300 Rally features bodywork designed for wind protection during long-distance riding, along with a TFT instrument cluster with smartphone connectivity.

The Rally variant is available in Extreme Red and True Black options. Both models form part of the manufacturer's domestic production initiative for local and export markets.

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!

Triumph Motorcycles, one of the leading premium motorcycle manufacturers, has expanded its lineup in India with the launch of the Bonneville T40, T40 Black and T4 models, with pricing starting at INR 279,999 ex-showroom, Delhi, while the latter is priced at INR 254,999 ex-showroom, Delhi.

The new models feature traditional styling elements, including a teardrop fuel tank, round headlight, twin rear shock absorbers and spoked wheels with aluminium rims. The motorcycles are available in two-tone schemes with hand-painted coach lining and peashooter silencers. The bikes offer an accessible ergonomic setup, featuring a low seat height that can be reduced to 770 millimetres with an accessory seat.

All three variants are powered by a 350cc iteration of Triumph's TR Series engine. The engine produces 29 PS of power at 7,000 rpm and 31 Nm of torque at 5,500 rpm, tuned to deliver low-end torque and a distinct exhaust note.

The T40 and T40 Black feature a four-inch circular TFT instrument display with smartphone connectivity, including map navigation, phone and music controls. The models also come equipped with five ride modes, cruise control, cornering ABS and cornering traction control. The Bonneville T4 includes a colour LCD with turn-by-turn navigation, selectable ride modes, and dual-channel ABS.

Steve Sargent, Chief Product Officer, Triumph Motorcycles, said, “The Bonneville is one of the most significant motorcycles in Triumph's history, so introducing a new model carrying that name comes with a responsibility to get it right. From the outset, our ambition was not simply to create a smaller Bonneville, but to create a motorcycle that delivers the style, character and ownership experience riders expect from a genuine Bonneville. Bringing that experience to more riders is strategically important for Triumph, particularly as lower-capacity motorcycle categories continue to grow around the world."

"Working closely with Bajaj, we challenged ourselves to retain the details and qualities that make a Bonneville special, from the proportions and finish to traditional touches such as hand-painted coach lining, while also introducing a level of technology and rider-focused innovation not previously seen in this category. The result is a motorcycle that stays true to the values that have defined the Bonneville for generations while opening the experience to even more riders.” Sargent added.

The company has begun online bookings for the motorcycles starting 7 October 2026. Deliveries for the Bonneville T40 and T40 Black are scheduled to begin in the second week of November 2026, while deliveries for the Bonneville T4 will commence in the second week of January 2027.

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!

Aprilia India has launched its SXR GT scooter lineup, introducing the SXR GT 125 hp-e and SXR GT 175 hp-e models to expand its product offerings in the country. The SXR GT 125 hp-e is priced at an introductory rate of INR 109,999 ex-showroom, Maharashtra, while the SXR GT 175 hp-e is priced at INR 129,999 ex-showroom, Maharashtra.

The scooters are powered by air-cooled single-cylinder engines. The 124.45 cc engine produces 7.8 kW of power at 7,400 rpm and 10.4 Nm of torque at 6,200 rpm, while the 174.7 cc engine delivers 9.76 kW at 7,200 rpm and 14.14 Nm of torque at 6,000 rpm.

Both scooters feature three valves per cylinder, electronic fuel injection, electric starting, and compliance with BSVI OBD II Stage B regulations and E20 fuel blends. The chassis setup incorporates 14-inch wheels fitted to both models.

Suspension is handled by telescopic front forks and a dual-effect hydraulic shock absorber with five-position adjustability at the rear. Braking relies on a 220 mm front disc brake paired with a 140 mm rear drum brake, with the 125 cc variant utilising a combined braking system and the 175 cc variant employing an anti-lock braking system.

The SXR GT 125 hp-e is available in Matte Black, Glossy Azzurro, and Glossy White colour finishes, while the SXR GT 175 hp-e comes in Metallic Blue, Matte Black and Matte Green. Both models have gone on sale across Aprilia dealerships in India.

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!