2018 Bangkok Motor Show got an added pinch of excitement when Royal Enfield Himalayan Off-Road Edition was unveiled by the retro-modern cruiser maker. They are planning to expand globally at a faster rate and Thailand is an important two wheeler market among other South Asian nations.
Every market has a different requirement and thus, they regularly come up with innovative concepts that could help them build market presence in an easy manner. This typical Dirt Racer concept has lost lot of weight from its body. Royal Enfield has shaved off some important parts, making this Himalayan limited to non public roads only.
Front loses the visor and headlight setup. They have compensated the loss with a race style plastic shield for professional front fascia. Tyres at both ends are totally compliant with dirt racing terrains while disc brakes were kept standard for enough braking bite.
Other components that went missing were fuel tank protectors, front lower fender, tail section (including light and pillion seat) and its rear grab rail. Royal Enfield Himalayan Off Road Edition is seen with custom, high mounted exhaust system. Handlebar seen here is also almost straight with knuckle protectors for added protection during rough rides.
Royal Enfield Himalayan is available with a single cylinder, 411cc air cooled and fuel injected engine producing 24.5 BHP and 32 Nm of torque. The engine comes mated to a 5-speed gearbox. This typical motorcycle here has lost a lot of weight and thus, acceleration would have gone up by a considerable margin.
The free flow exhaust will further help Royal Enfield enjoy impressive levels of acceleration on rough surfaces. They may not bring an actual dirt specific Himalayan as this motorcycle is not a popular selling model like Classic or Bullet series. Even the Sleet version took lot more time to get sold out in Indian market.