2024 Himalayan 450

[Posh Pete]

I have to admit that I have not ridden the 450.

Although I've had the displeasure of working on the earlier models.

In my line of work, I come across all sorts of Enfields and all of the new Asian rebrands.

My solid opinion is that you get what you pay for. Or if you can wait a few years, you can get what someone else paid for for half the price

You pays yer money and you takes yer choice. I paid my money and I've given my views (pro and con) above based on 7k miles of actually riding one. They are very definitely not without fault but even acknowledging that, they are very good bikes. Just my opinion.

 

[Arsey]

I'm not knocking this bike in particular.

But I'll share a view that I've been peddling for the last decade since the invasion of third world adventure bikes.

They're cheap. £5000 ish. Which is always their main compliment.

But they're also built to a budget. With questionable quality control.

The faults are known and tolerated due to the price. Such as poor suspension, excessive weight, low quality components, discomfort and watching them turn ginger in a couple of years rather than decades...etc

So it always blows my mind why people who want a cheaper or second bike don't just buy a superb, refined, high quality, tried and tested used bike for the same money.

Then there are no faults to tolerate for the price point. Just enjoyment.

£5000 buys a five year old Japanese bike that will likely last FOREVER if maintained. Which was built with high standards using quality branded components by experienced companies with great after sales and support.

A five year old Yamaha T7 with feck all miles is the same price. But twice the bike performance wise and five times the quality.

And just consider all the other amazing bikes in the used market for £5000.

It makes zero sense to me...

Just my tuppence worth...

You make some sweeping generalisations .
The Himalayan 450 is very well built in my opinion .
Took mine to the Picos and rode it back through France and it coped much better than my mate on his Honda CRF 300 Rally which is very similar money but less than half the power.
Only sold mine due to knackered knees and off-roading days are probably over.
I’d take a new Himalayan 450 over a used T7 or similar every time .

 

[MotoRevive]

You'd take a new Himalayan over a five year old Yamaha!!! Crikey.

A very interesting perspective. Not one many would share, I imagine.

Not from a performance/quality/refinement viewpoint anyway.

But its not for me to tell anyone what they should be riding. You should ride what you like. It's that simple.

 

[Arsey]

You'd take a new Himalayan over a five year old Yamaha!!! Crikey.

A very interesting perspective. Not one many would share, I imagine.

Not from a performance/quality/refinement viewpoint anyway.

But its not for me to tell anyone what they should be riding. You should ride what you like. It's that simple.

I’d wager the OE suspension on the Himalayan 450 is on a par with the OE stuff on the Tenere.
I never considered for a moment changing the suspension on my 450 yet many people moan about the OE kit on the Tenere and end up changing it .
I guess we all see things differently .
I think the performance of the Himalayan is excellent . It’ll do 95mph yet return 85mpg, though not at the same time .
It was equally at home on the trails in the Picos as it was sat on the autoroute .
And they are pretty unbreakable which is why companies such as Nomadic Knights use them in the Himalayas etc .
But you’re probably right that not many would share my opinion. Certainly not in the UK where most people seem insecure and have to put vanity before sanity .
I was reading another thread earlier and the subject came on to maxi scoots and the old fav quote was uttered “I don’t think I’m ready for a maxi scoot yet”.
It’s as if one’s manhood does not let the rider ‘lower’ himself and ride a scooter-yet cross the channel and head south and you’ll see dozens of T-Maxs and the like being ridden at speed with rider wearing shorts and a piss pot lid.Not a single iota given to the vain bollox of “you won’t catch me on a scooter” .
I really don’t see how a stretch of water can divide the free thinking bikers on mainland Europe with the muppets in the UK where everything has to be pigeon-holed and most people seem more concerned with how they look than how they feel.Utter muppetry.

 

[nathanthepostman]

I'm not the Himi 450s biggest fan but I'd take one over a T7 any day as well. Just a more manageable machine for more people. If Yamaha built a T3 and it was a grand or so more than the Himilayan then maybe it'd be a different discussion, but the Japanese has given up on the smaller bike market. And the Indian and Chinese bikes are good now. I run quite a few of them. The new Himi 450 is solid build. As good as a Honda as I can see. Same with the CF Moto. The new stuff is near as damn it on par with the Japanese stuff.

And it's nice buying a new bike. Not had anyone else faff with it and bugger it about.

The market's moving on and the Japanese are getting left behind, which is a shame as their quality is what the industry's built on.

 

[Arsey]

I'm not the Himi 450s biggest fan but I'd take one over a T7 any day as well. Just a more manageable machine for more people. If Yamaha built a T3 and it was a grand or so more than the Himilayan then maybe it'd be a different discussion, but the Japanese has given up on the smaller bike market. And the Indian and Chinese bikes are good now. I run quite a few of them. The new Himi 450 is solid build. As good as a Honda as I can see. Same with the CF Moto. The new stuff is near as damn it on par with the Japanese stuff.

And it's nice buying a new bike. Not had anyone else faff with it and bugger it about.

The market's moving on and the Japanese are getting left behind, which is a shame as their quality is what the industry's built on.

Oi Nathan, don’t start talking common sense. You’ll piss off the old guard .
BTW,is the CF Moto 450 still a unicorn bike or have you downgraded your opinion a tad after more miles ?

 

[Arsey]

You'd take a new Himalayan over a five year old Yamaha!!! Crikey.

A very interesting perspective. Not one many would share, I imagine.

Not from a performance/quality/refinement viewpoint anyway.

But its not for me to tell anyone what they should be riding. You should ride what you like. It's that simple.

See post #685

 

[ChasF]

I’d wager the OE suspension on the Himalayan 450 is on a par with the OE stuff on the Tenere.
I never considered for a moment changing the suspension on my 450 yet many people moan about the OE kit on the Tenere and end up changing it .
I guess we all see things differently .
I think the performance of the Himalayan is excellent . It’ll do 95mph yet return 85mpg, though not at the same time .
It was equally at home on the trails in the Picos as it was sat on the autoroute .
And they are pretty unbreakable which is why companies such as Nomadic Knights use them in the Himalayas etc .
But you’re probably right that not many would share my opinion. Certainly not in the UK where most people seem insecure and have to put vanity before sanity .
I was reading another thread earlier and the subject came on to maxi scoots and the old fav quote was uttered “I don’t think I’m ready for a maxi scoot yet”.
It’s as if one’s manhood does not let the rider ‘lower’ himself and ride a scooter-yet cross the channel and head south and you’ll see dozens of T-Maxs and the like being ridden at speed with rider wearing shorts and a piss pot lid.Not a single iota given to the vain bollox of “you won’t catch me on a scooter” .
I really don’t see how a stretch of water can divide the free thinking bikers on mainland Europe with the muppets in the UK where everything has to be pigeon-holed and most people seem more concerned with how they look than how they feel.Utter muppetry.

One thing that has to be said; maxi-scoot riders in cities in France are hated by both car drivers and motorcyclists. They are very much in a class of their own - from the police point of view they are like the electric bike oiks in the UK although most do have registration plates they know they are pretty much untouchable.

 

[Arsey]

One thing that has to be said; maxi-scoot riders in cities in France are hated by both car drivers and motorcyclists. They are very much in a class of their own - from the police point of view they are like the electric bike oiks in the UK although most do have registration plates they know they are pretty much untouchable.

I guess every country has its hierarchy !!

And just to add , with regard to perceived quality of Japanese machinery , I was interested to see that Rich and Eva from On The Road on YouTube are both riding new 2025 Teneres. And both clutches were replaced within 500 miles as they were faulty .

Just being Japanese doesn’t guarantee quality (unless it’s a Honda of course )

 

[AdrianS]

I’ve got an 18 month old Himmy 411. Bought it second hand as a private sale for very little over 2 grand when it was 10 months old, so very cheap.
Cleaned up, it is in very good condition, no rust, no damage and, touch wood, no problems.
I really like this bike; very safe handling, very economical, very comfortable for me, and a real Jack of All Trades. Parts are cheap and it’s cheap to farkle and easy to work on with minimal tools. Bits come in the post from India in around a week. I’ve put quite a few miles on it, serviced it myself ( including valves), and is my go to bike unless I’ve got a big mileage to do quickly when I’ll take my Tiger.
I’ve not done a lot off road, just a few gravel tracks, but feel happy to take it anywhere within its limitations.
Many of us on here have several bikes for different purposes, but if I had to keep one bike I would keep the Himmy, as long as I’m in no rush to get anywhere.

 

[Dickyb]

I’ve got an 18 month old Himmy 411. Bought it second hand as a private sale for very little over 2 grand when it was 10 months old, so very cheap.
Cleaned up, it is in very good condition, no rust, no damage and, touch wood, no problems.
I really like this bike; very safe handling, very economical, very comfortable for me, and a real Jack of All Trades. Parts are cheap and it’s cheap to farkle and easy to work on with minimal tools. Bits come in the post from India in around a week. I’ve put quite a few miles on it, serviced it myself ( including valves), and is my go to bike unless I’ve got a big mileage to do quickly when I’ll take my Tiger.
I’ve not done a lot off road, just a few gravel tracks, but feel happy to take it anywhere within its limitations.
Many of us on here have several bikes for different purposes, but if I had to keep one bike I would keep the Himmy, as long as I’m in no rush to get anywhere.

I'm in the same boat. Bought a second hand 411 off a bloke here in Hungary who had kitted it out with a performance cam, pannier rails, fuel-X thingy and hand guards. He got bored with it and got himself a Honda CRF300L. I took a punt on the bike and so far it's paid it back in spades. Just this year the wife and I have been to Bosnia twice, Croatia twice and Slovenia two up and loaded. It's a lovely, endearing little thing and a real joy to ride on the back roads and gravel tracks where we spend most of our time. It's relatively small size, coming from an R1150GS, and tractor like unintimidating power delivery make exploring off the beaten track a real pleasure. I've since sold the GS and am scratching my head to think up reasons to keep my 650 V Strom.

 

[Wapping]

The 450 and the 411 are indeed completely different bikes. I will admit that I thought Royal Enfield had done a bad thing when they announced the 450. But they haven’t. The two bikes could near enough stand independently in the range, they are that different. Buy and use either with confidence.

 

[MotoRevive]

It's not fair to say a £5000 Enfield is better than a Japanese Honda when you're comparing that £5000 Enfield with a £5000 HONDA that is made in Thailand. They're both cheap bikes. Built to a budget.

I would agree that to the average Motorcyclist, a new Enfield and a new Jap or European bike sat next to each other in a showroom may seem very similar. They're both shiny with new paint. No corrosion etc. They both start and run nicely and will likely give trouble free motoring.

But they're just not the same. Not when you start getting into the bones of them. They're miles apart in terms of quality. A trained eye will instantly find differences. Quality in the welding, cheaper electronics, simple suspension, poor finished components, not so smooth tuning. The list really does go on and on. It's not for argument. IT IS FACT... UNQUESTIONABLE FACT.

I don't make this statement from hearsay. It's my professional opinion. From 25 years of working in the Motorcycle technical industry.

HOWEVER !!!! I absolutely agree that this just isn't a factor for most people. Because for most people, a bike is toy. A hobby. Ridden gently. Not pushed to anywhere near its capability and certainly not to it's limitation. It's not a workhorse. It's not their only transport.

Is a Jap bike worth DOUBLE of an Indian bike these days ??? Probably not. They have got A LOT better. But I just will not entertain the opinion that they are on par. And Jap/Euro bikes are just over-priced.

A few years ago I worked for a multi-franchise dealer as the head Tech. We were a Kawasaki, Suzuki franchise as well as buying and selling a lot of BSA, Enfield, Benelli , Zontes etc. A real mixed bag of everything.

In the two years I was there, guess how many newer Kawasaki and Suzuki came back from warranty repairs or breakdowns. ZERO !! NOT ONE.. Because they're well engineered. Using quality components. R&D and testing costs money. Quality costs money. Maintaining reputation is expensive.

In comparison, our benches were always heaving full of the cheaper stuff. Because cheap parts fail. Cheap parts fail because THEY'RE CHEAP..

YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR !!!!!!!!

A £20 pair of sweat-shop work boots will last a tradesman six weeks. A £200 pair of Altbergs will last ten times longer if not more..

If you only wear a pair of work boots three times a year for a bit of DIY, you can argue they do the same thing and you could spend all day on the internet telling people that quality boots are a waste of money because yours still look like new and your toes aren't hanging out the end of them.

Nuff said.

 

[Arsey]

,

But they're just not the same. Not when you start getting into the bones of them. They're miles apart in terms of quality. A trained eye will instantly find differences. Quality in the welding, cheaper electronics, simple suspension, poor finished components, not so smooth tuning. The list really does go on and on. It's not for argument. IT IS FACT... UNQUESTIONABLE FACT.

Utter crap

 

[MotoRevive]

,

Utter crap ??

You literally have no argument or expertise apart from "I bought a 450 Himmy"

You clearly haven't got a scooby doo mate. To be honest, I knew that when you said your suspension was on par with the Fully Adjustable KYB suspension on the T7.

I have no appetite for an argument today. I'm a busy man. But I'm glad you're enjoying it. It's a great value bike for the gentle occasional rider.

 

[snelly]

I guess every country has its hierarchy !!

And just to add , with regard to perceived quality of Japanese machinery , I was interested to see that Rich and Eva from On The Road on YouTube are both riding new 2025 Teneres. And both clutches were replaced within 500 miles as they were faulty .

Just being Japanese doesn’t guarantee quality (unless it’s a Honda of course )

He also said he's never fallen of a bike as much; and he was pissed off with the quality of components after the top of his brake reservoir broke after a fall; i was suprised with the quality remark i must say.

 

[MotoRevive]

People should stop placing so much faith in the opinion of Youtubers.

They generally know a lot more about Go-Pros than Motorcycles.

Itchy Boots has probably done more miles on more bikes in more countries than almost any other Youtuber. But she will tell you herself that she hasn't got a fecking clue about them.

But if one day she told everyone to "buy this", half the internet would run out and do it.

 

[Arsey]

Utter crap ??

You literally have no argument or expertise apart from "I bought a 450 Himmy"

You clearly haven't got a scooby doo mate. To be honest, I knew that when you said your suspension was on par with the Fully Adjustable KYB suspension on the T7.

I have no appetite for an argument today. I'm a busy man. But I'm glad you're enjoying it. It's a great value bike for the gentle occasional rider.

I traded in the 450 for a Vstrom 1050 , which has already been the subject of two warranty claims due to bits falling off and cracking .

Bloody weird, because it’s Japanese and the experts say they are faultless.

Enjoy your busy day . Probably get done earlier if you take the blinkers off .

 

[Mzokk]

I was in Carnlough the other week and got speaking to a bloke about my age (in his 60's) who was on a Himi 411. Anyhow it turns out that he also had a 2022 R1250GS. He had been messing about on the narrow roads on the Antrim hills as had I. Anyhow I was asking him about the bike and he was saying he now used it about 80-90% of the time now, because he wouldn't be any quicker on the GS on the back roads (true), if he got stuck down a lane he could turn it round and it wouldn't be the end of the world if it ended up on its side. He had "no bother with it" and said he'd only taken the precaution of using blue loctite on many of the bolts on the bike because he'd "owned singles before". In his own words the big bike was "too much hassle" unless he was going to head across Scotland and England to France.

I think many of us are starting to get into that mindset even if I haven't yet got a "wee" bike. Chinese, Indian or Japanese........I can't imagine that they'd be less fun. Looking round some of them the build quality looks good (certainly at least as good as the barely painted frame on my Honda Africa Twin Adventure Sports ). Perceived status and the I have a......plays a big part in bike choices if we are honest, when in reality nobody gives a hoot apart from yourself.

 

[Arsey]

I was in Carnlough the other week and got speaking to a bloke about my age (in his 60's) who was on a Himi 411. Anyhow it turns out that he also had a 2022 R1250GS. He had been messing about on the narrow roads on the Antrim hills as had I. Anyhow I was asking him about the bike and he was saying he now used it about 80-90% of the time now, because he wouldn't be any quicker on the GS on the back roads (true), if he got stuck down a lane he could turn it round and it wouldn't be the end of the world if it ended up on its side. He had "no bother with it" and said he'd only taken the precaution of using blue loctite on many of the bolts on the bike because he'd "owned singles before". In his own words the big bike was "too much hassle" unless he was going to head across Scotland and England to France.

I think many of us are starting to get into that mindset even if I haven't yet got a "wee" bike. Chinese, Indian or Japanese........I can't imagine that they'd be less fun. Looking round some of them the build quality looks good (certainly at least as good as the barely painted frame on my Honda Africa Twin Adventure Sports ). Perceived status and the I have a......plays a big part in bike choices if we are honest, when in reality nobody gives a hoot apart from yourself.

Exactly .
It’s a tad ignorant to shut down a discussion by saying that Japanese stuff is better, end of. It’s not open for debate . I’m in the trade , you lot are plebs etc .
My Himalayan was faultless when I had it . My Japanese made Vstrom has not been !

If Teneres are so well made then how come people are needing clutch replacements before the first service ?

And cheap does not have to mean rubbish quality .

Take the Voge DS909X compared to the BMW F900GS.

It’s got the same motor, same frame, wheels, exhaust , KYB suspension, Brembo brakes and Bosch electronics, yet is half the price for a similar spec . Yet muppets will still think their GS is much better due to the roundel on the tank and the £8k deficit in their bank account .

It’s a British trait to bury your head in the sand and not look at the world and how it’s changing .

Hey ho. Might nip out for an occasional gentle ride