Royal Enfield Himalayanists

Well, I won’t lie, that was proper good fun!

Went off for a razz around some Derbyshire lanes for an hour or so.
It had an aftermarket pipe on that sounded amazing.

It honestly didn’t feel slow. It felt plenty for singletrack lanes and I even managed to blast down some rough gravel farm tracks and get properly lost down tiny lanes with grass in the middle.
Man, I loved it! 😊

I think I might have to get one.

I rode my 750 to the dealership to get a direct comparison and,… there isn’t really a comparison. Apples and oranges.

But the Enfield just put a massive grin on my face. The low down grunt is fantastic for just getting yourself going enough and I found it a really pleasing, non-aggressive power.

Granted, on a motorway and overtaking it’ll not be the best, but for what it’s meant for I reckon it’s rad.

The demo bike I tried had 1k on the clock and they said they’d take 4k for it.
Still a bit much for me. I think I’m looking around the 3k mark.

The front brake was pretty rubbish but I really gelled with everything else.

My GSX felt blummin weird when I got back on it to go home!

sounds like a deal is on the cards. 😉

Where about are you? Wigan motorcycles are advertising brand new ones for £4295. Not sure what difference an aftermarket pipe would make either, all of the singles sound pretty decent stock to me (but I do have beef with aftermarket exhausts in general) so I wouldn’t want to pay more. Depends on whether not having to follow the running in schedule is worth more than having a brand new bike. It might be, because of how slow the bikes are the recommended speeds are tedious.

New bike day!  😊

Got a really good deal on this Euro 5 2022 bike from down south and went to get it yesterday.

The orange hand guards are going but otherwise it’s got most of what I’d like, such as pannier racks.

I need to swap the seat for the original too as the bloke I bought it off was fairly tall and I’m more economically proportioned, and it has a taller padded seat.

I can touch the ground fine but not flat footed, and I’d like it as low as it can be for riding off road.

It’s slow compared to my GSX, but of course it is. Good fun on the little unclassified road I popped down last night before an epic and unexpected storm stopped play.

More exploring to come! 😊

Well done for following through kayak 😉
After my comment about it being dull and agricultural,I went away with my son ( he has just passed his test)last weekend and it turns out that him and his mates had taken some Himalayans out for a test ride.He was raving about it,so what do I know 😆 🤣 😂
Have lots of fun,but seriously think about getting rid of the tank bars…..they are an abomination 😆 🤣

New bike day is always a good day! Enjoy!

Never come in the Chat forum, then I find this 🤯 🤣

I’m having an existential cycling crisis so just bought a 2022 Pine Green Himmy 😎

So glad to hear what you’ve said about it @kayak23

I’ve bought a set of panniers, a top box, hand guards and some TKC80’s for it too and it still came in cheaper than a new Scram OTR with panniers if…..

…you take into account that you have to take it almost straight back for its £260, 300 mile service that they wouldn’t discount.

This was on 2850 miles so I made them bung in the 3000 mile service to make sure I don’t have to do anything else this year.

Looking forward to hearing how you get on with it.

And yes- I’d love a 2×2 cycles rack for it 🤩

After my comment about it being dull and agricultural,I went away with my son ( he has just passed his test)last weekend and it turns out that him and his mates had taken some Himalayans out for a test ride.He was raving about it,so what do I know 😆 🤣 😂
Have lots of fun,but seriously think about getting rid of the tank bars…..they are an abomination

There’s nothing dull about it in the right context. I’m sure 5 hours on a motorway might get a bit dull but on the lanes and unclassified roads it’s a hoot and makes total sense.

I went down a local to me ‘green lane’ on it last night. It was hilarious chugging away in 1st, letting the idle drive you and really difficult in heavily 4×4 rutted muddy troughs. Great fun.

Sounds like your son gets it. 😊

The tank bars are fairly essential, providing crash protection off road, and also luggage options on tour. I actually love them and their quirkiness. It’s got character this bike and all that stuff adds to it.

This was on 2850 miles so I made them bung in the 3000 mile service to make sure I don’t have to do anything else this year.

Looking forward to hearing how you get on with it.

Mines not even done 2k miles yet! I need to get it moving! 😊

🤣👍🏻 Won’t take long. I’m just waiting for them to get the service done on mine and bring it over. Hopefully this week 🤞🏻

That looks fun. I was about to go shopping for a Scram or Himalayan as there’s a good selection available in Sheffield at the minute. I was arranging my finances when we were burgled last week.

Now I need to spend all my money on a garage door and it’s dampened my appetite for having anything nice.

Maybe next year.

Strewth @Sharkattack sorry to hear that 😔

That really sucks @Sharkattack. 😔

Tell me about it. I don’t know if you saw my other thread but last week was a bit dramatic, then depressing. Mostly depressing.

On a lighter note, I was planning to test ride both of these used bikes and then buy whichever one I preferred.

I haven’t ridden a bike since I passed my test so I’m itching to get out there. Especially in this weather.

I like the look of the Scram, but it basically seems like it’s a Himalayan with bits taken off.

It does have a smaller front wheel I believe.

People still ride them off road I think.

Yeah, that was part of the decision for me. The Himmy comes with a centre stand, tacho and a screen- all pluses.

I will also do some off roading so will hopefully appreciate the bigger wheel too.

Even brand new the Himalayan is good value compared to an eMtb, esp the top spec ones like the Spesh s-works models, crazy. How did that happen?

Not everyone’s got a bike licence 🙂 and no tax,no insurance or MOT and no helmet requirement.

You can also ride it everywhere.

That sucks @sharkattack

cracking looking bike that @kayak23, as you say great fun in the right context, I can see it being a lot of fun. Enjoy, nice to see something a bit different too.

Those orange hand guards look wrong, like they’ve been lifted straight from a ktm & thrown on.

I like the look of the Scram, but it basically seems like it’s a Himalayan with bits taken off.

That’s exactly what it is. Smaller front wheel, shorter travel, no metal pokey-out bits. Comes in about 15kg lighter.

I much prefer the look of the Scram but for what I have planned I think the Himalayan is the sensible choice. I’d definitely be strapping bags and a tent to it at some point.

I want to buy a white one even though it’s my least favourite colour. There’s a company in York that does hydro dipping and I fancy a real-tree camo job.

Like this…

I’m having an existential cycling crisis so just bought a 2022 Pine Green Himmy

Excellent!! We will be able to go for a ride and I will be quicker than you on the flat….unless I breakdown of course!!!

Oooo what have you got?

I do like that realtree seat pattern but I reckon it would clash with my jungle-esque paint job 🤣

They’re not seats, they’re just models with example graphics on. I was planning (well, daydreaming) to have all the metal work done. So the mudguards, fuel tank, hand guards, maybe a few other bits.

If you start with a white bike you can just rub it down and have it dipped without an expensive base coat.

Oh I see 🤣🤣 Wow nice 😎 That would be ace 👍🏻

Oooo what have you got?

😎 That’s smart. I think I’d beat you round your Saturday gravel loop mind you 😉 🤣

Those orange hand guards look wrong, like they’ve been lifted straight from a ktm & thrown on

Gone already!

Also, I found someone on the Himalayan Facebook group up the road who wanted to swap my tall seat with his standard seat, so foot flat on the ground now 😊

Chuffed for you @Kayak23, nothing beats new bike day! 🙂

A very good mate of mine has had two – first was an ex demonstrator which was fine for a year, then developed some kind of engine issue that they just couldn’t fix – but they did, eventually give him a brand new one, after he’d been using another demo one for 6 months.

It’s his daily – commutes to work in all conditions, about a 40 mile round trip. Country lanes then through the town – i.e. nothing fast. He does take it up country every couple of months to go see his family, and as a few have said, it’s happy at 70 but struggles with much more.

I’ve helped with a few service jobs on it, and yeah, they’re a bit rough – but also seem reasonably tough. Did the headset bearings though – they were a pig to get out, especially the one pressed onto the lower crown – and they were pretty terrible bearings. But the replacement ones were much better quality.

Cheap, reasonable burly, passably built. They are pretty much their money. Don’t expect it to to be a BMW, Tenere, etc – it isn’t. You want something ‘better’ you’ll have to pay for it.

@kayak23, can you post some more pics please? Also, does yours have an aftermarket ‘can’ like the demo bike or standard exhaust?

I had a 660 Tenere and an 1150gs as my last two bikes so I’m hoping the little Himmy is going to be the bike they weren’t.

My first ever ride on a big bike was an XT600. If this is remotely like that then my nostalgia should be happy 😀

My luggage and hand guards arrived this morning, just need something to hang them on 🤣

Bunked off work for a bit today and put together my first little ‘green lane’ route in the Cotswolds.

There’s some lovely gravel tracks around there, most of which I’ve been down already on the MTB, but they’re a different kettle on this!
I didn’t see a soul on any of them which was nice. Must bunk off work more often.

Getting cross-rutted on a 200kg motorcycle is a bit interesting 😂
I took it easy as I’m very aware that people hate folks on motorbikes, plus I was on my own so wasn’t keen on crashing.

Good fun though, but I need some summer riding gear 🔥🔥🔥

Hidcote

Lower Swell – Note that orange hand guards are no more!

Kineton Ford – Deeper and containing more big, loose rocks than it looked. 😳

Near Lower Swell

I wacked my knee on something, got drenched with sweat, jeans covered in mud and I fell asleep on the sofa whilst the dog waited to be taken out.
All pretty good fun though.

does yours have an aftermarket ‘can’ like the demo bike or standard exhaust?

Standard at the moment. The one I demoed had a Scorpion pipe on it that sounded lush. Mine is fairly quiet with the standard exhaust, which is nice when you want to be a bit more stealth, but it would be nice to appreciate that single burble a bit out and about.

Looks awesome fun mate, nice one 👍🏻

I took my Tenere along the ridgeway once and ended up 90 degrees to the track in some knee deep ruts 🤣🤣

I’m desperately trying not to ring the dealer to chase them up 🤣

We should do a day around Salisbury Plain when I get it.

I’m desperately trying not to ring the dealer to chase them up 🤣

We should do a day around Salisbury Plain when I get it.

You’ll have a run in period won’t you if brand new?
Sloooow 😊
Or is it used?

Nah- as above, it’s on 2850 miles so I got them to do the 3000 mile service before they bring it out.

That was ultimately what put me off the new Scram- the local RE dealer (not where I’m buying the used Himmy from) wouldn’t throw in the 300 mile service FOC. So I’d have been stung for £260 within a week(end?) of purchase.

She’s ready to roll. Valves did need adjusting too apparently.
Sadly their delivery guy can’t make it until Tuesday so I need to try and find a lift tomorrow afternoon 🤣

All collected. Nice ride back via some of my favourite cycling roads.
Tried out the Tripper and thought it was actually really cool! Although I’ll see what it’s like on genuinely new roads.

The problem (and benefit I guess) of YouTube is that you almost know exactly what something is going to be like these days and that’s what I found.
There’s no power, so you ride like you have no power and jobs a good’un 🤣

The only genuine ‘issue’ is after half an hour, the backs of my legs felt tight where the seat is so low but for solo riding I also found a hack- stretch them out for a minute or two whilst sitting on the pillion seat 🤣🤣

A higher seat and the links that raise it up would be cool in the future but no need right now.

Luggage all fitted but I can’t really put anything weighty in the top box as I don’t want to exceed the limit- although this rack has more reinforcement than the old ones, it’s still plated for just 7kg.

It reminds me of my old Tenere crossed with my old Suzuki samurai 🤣

Looks awesome!!

Thanks! I was worried I’d rushed into a Pine coloured one but like my khaki Tenere, it’s growing on me. And looks way better in the flesh.

Nice! There is a bit of ‘rat bike’ cool about that.

Luggage all fitted but I can’t really put anything weighty in the top box as I don’t want to exceed the limit- although this rack has more reinforcement than the old ones, it’s still plated for just 7kg.

The weight limits on motorcycle luggage are ridiculous.  I have factory fitted Triumph OEM panniers on my Tiger 900, they are mashoosive – the top box is 52 Litres and the panniers 37 and 46 litres.  The stickers inside say each is limited to 5KG!!!  Without absolutely kicking the arse out of it, I ignore that.  I’m off to the Picos de Europa with my wife on pillion shortly, fat chance of her keeping her luggage below 15kg, never mind anything I might like to take!

Yeah, the early ones did actually break off though so it was one of my concerns 🤣
There’s plenty of iron work to brace to with the factory pannier rack so I’ll keep an eye on it.
Most of the time I just love having a top box for helmet and glove storage when you get where you are going. Except for my old Piaggio Typhoon where there was room under the seat 🤣

Playing around with ideas but my mate says it’s no good as the cammo clashes 🤨 🤣