In this video I go through my first impression of my Royal Enfield Himalayan motorcycle. I also go through a few plans I have for adding luggage and making a few modifications.
Just got my 2019 Royal Enfield Himalayan here in Southern California and I just love it too. Looking forward to the rest of your videos on modifications. Thanks for sharing!
I've been watching your himalayan modding videos this past week and I just wanted to say thank you for making these. They're really fun to watch and helpful.
Thanks for your frank review. I live in the US and am keenly waiting for the Himalayan to be launched here next spring. I'll be sure to check out the rest of your Himalayan vids in the meantime.
Ha! Great Stu, just found this after following your Marine Channel. I've always had a soft spot for Enfields, ever since fixing the carby, points and tuning one for some fellow travellers in Nepal back in the late 80s, using a swiss army pocket knife. Loved the simplicity, not much different from the four stroke dirt bikes I loved in the 70s and early 90s. Really enjoy your channels with a quiet beer at the end of the day. Quite a few have been very timely with sorting out the first power boat I've ever owned. Thanks for all your efforts. Cheers PP
Exactly what I need to be seeing in this due diligence period before the check is written. And that the information is backed by his service experience background makes it all the more valuable. Nice work.
Thanks Stuart. Very helpful in my decision to buy one. I test rode one at the Tassie dealer in May and really liked it, but started hearing and seeing on ytube those negative stories you alluded to. However I was in Melbourne last week and visited the Ringwood RE dealer, talked about the issues and he was also very helpful and reassuring. He said they locktited all the engine bolts etc and did a small clutch fix which has been an issue. They've sold 6 in 4 months! Looking forward to your upcoming videos. I have 2 Honda's currently.
Interesting to hear about the work the dealership did. I'm tempted to run a spanner over the whole bike myself before too much longer. Here in Sydney Santina was telling me that she had sold 3 that week so it looks like word is finally getting out. They've certainly received some great reviews in the local magazines recently.
Yes Ive read some of those reviews. V Good. Geoff Bull at A1 Motorcycles in Ringwood Vic (03-98702222) is the guy I talked to if you want to talk to him re those fixes they do before sale.
The tank cutaway is ment for driving while standing.. it will grip the bike well.. Royal Enfield designed it as an off-road bike. Also the why the front brake is sluggish and back brake is sharp. And the alarm was to prevent people from riding the bike with side stand on it turns of as you pull back the stand... in India people just forget this and probably get in an accident or fall Nice video.. Good to see another fellow Himalayan owner.. Cheers..
Ah, makes sense that it is more for standing, I just found my knees hit on the very corner of it while sitting. I've found the brakes to be quite good on my Himalayan, but I've been told that it mostly comes down to the quality of the brake pads so maybe look at some EBC replacements.
All the best with the bike and looking forward for mods you will do ... As i own the same .. have issues as it was the first batch but the one you have must be better then ours .. All the best
New subscriber from Darwin love your review, I’m hoping to get a new job selling Royal Enfield at our local dealership. Thanks champ I want one now aswell
Waiting to hear more about your experience with this bike. Apart from that noticed that you have the Indian Flag Colors on your wall behind. And nice little wheel that resembles the 'chakra' of the Indian Flag too.
Likewise I've been looking at RE for a few months (my weakness is a classic 350 Redditch edition) and been cautious due to the slagging they seem to get from some areas. After watching hours and hours of on line reviews, tests and rides I have come to the conclusion these bikes are probably as good as anything on the road in their price bracket. Most of the super critical reviews seem to come from areas where they buy petrol on the side of the road in coke bottles and fix things with hammers, again on the side of the road. I'll be watching your progress and hope it all goes well, it was a Himalayan that originally attracted me to an RE shop, but then I fell for a beautiful red Redditch 350, it's okay though the meds should kick in soon, if they don't I'll have to go and buy it! Cheers, Ray
Hi Ray. Fuel quality and maintenance might be a part of the problem, but I think a lot the problems were individual components such as the charge coil which seem to have now been sorted. The Redditch 350 certainly does look like a sweet ride!
Gday Stuart Great video & review about the Himalayan. I think you have sold me with your honest review & opinion and I'll be watching your channel for all your mods & updates. I currently do have a Royal Enfield 500 Classic which I must admit is a real buzz riding around town but the Himalayan looks like a great entry level adventure bike so I reckon I'll be making the switch. Keep up the great vids and thanks again.
Thanks mate. So far I'm loving the bike. It hasn't missed a beat and is a pleasure to ride. Adventure riding is my thing so this bike is perfect for me. I can't wait for the first big tour on it.
Owned mine for a year now. One small issue that I easily fixed. Australian delivered bike and has been super reliable. I just wish that the screen was adjustable but for 7k it is a very good buy.
Just bought one. So far so good but first thing you do is adjust the headlight. Points too high. Also, there is a very simple way of turning off the annoying side stand siren. Look under the seat and disconnect the buzzer.
Hi Stuart, Hemal onto this side of the globe and a friend of Donowyn. Loved your overview, very well explained. I own Himalayan as well, and just completed 1 year of ownership. Have posted some content about it on my channel, so inviting you to visit. I personally love my Himalayan, irrespective of the amount of issues I had.
Thanks mate. I think I will be the same as you. Even if I have some issues I need to fix, it won't stop me loving the bike. I'll check out your videos now. :)
Think this video has convinced me to go for a Himalayan... In the UK they are now with EFI and ABS plus other stuff that has just been added to comply with the European market... My only (stupid) concern is that here the RE brand has never been taken seriously but this model changes the ball game IMHO :)
thank you so much for your very practical point of views. Will look forward to your mods. BTW,I am awaiting delivery of my EFI Himalayan and like you I bought it for its character.
Pssst... I just put money down to preorder one of the first to arrive in North America. Don't tell the wife. Anyway, looking forward to watching more of your vids, comparing notes, and posting some of my own reviews. Keep it up!
I have done over 5,000klms on mine - mods so far - reduced mainjet by 10, increased pilot jet by 5, lifted the needle by 0.8mm On the dyno run was too lean mid range, too rich on mainjet - l had been given a Sports exhaust - I fitted Mitas E07 at 4,000klms after a number of a number of wet weather slides with the CEATs - heavy duty tubes - Take the alarm out its under the seat - Racetech Emulators in the front forks dramatic improvement - LED headlight bulb - Chain oiler - Torque curve flat 3,500-5,500rpm - runs happily at 110kph - although I'm tempted to reduce rear sprocket by 2 teeth - l work on 25-26klms/litre - Pulstar spark plug - gives lots of satisfaction - easy to live with - Air filter poorly designed - check it out - Stainless steel oil filter - full synthetic oil
Sounds like you've done some great mods Keith, I'd be interested to hear more about them, particularly your experiences on the dyno. I'm presuming your final numbers of -10 and +5 are a result of that dyno session. I've also had no luck finding that Bosch spark plug as it is made in India, the Pulstar sounds like a great option. Do you know which part number is a direct match?
Pulstar plugs from www.hicloneqld.com/pulstar-plugs/ JE2RT8 - needs the terminal screw very carefully removed - l do consider changing the coil/plug lead in the future when the plug requires renewal - I've used Pulstar plugs on all my vehicles (bikes & cars) with considerable success over the years - the carb changes were as a result of Dyno tests - some of the Indian Forums speak about -10 main jet & removing 10-15mm from slide spring - this is a bit extreme as Himalayan spares are slow the washers are easier & to experiment - l also use a SS oil filter - improves oil flow etc & cleanable - l had one made in USA - send an old/new one & they will convert - if l could get 50 they would produce complete units - l opened the headstock & was impressed to see taper roller bearings & grease - the rear mudgard failed so l made a "tidy-tail" type mod - my 2 gripes are the relatively soft bolts & brittle plastics
10mm spanner for the 2 tank bolts, lift the rear of the tank 30mm is sufficient to clear the plug cap - a new plug lead is to fit the plug terminals rather than unscrew the nut
greetings from Ireland.. great vids have watched them all. the Himalayan is on sale end of Janurary here. it's the BS4 version as it has to meeting Euro4 standards. i'm thinking of getting one but would like your advise. is the 25hp engine up to the job especially loaded with camping gear ? also, it has got some criticism about a poor front brake (check out the Missender Flyer), I believe this could be improved with braided lines but I think it already has braided lines so that's a worry. would love to hear back from you Dangar Motorcycling
I find the bike has enough power, even loaded up with camping gear. I haven’t had any trouble with the front break, but I will change to EBC brake pads when these wear out.
Its hard to keep up with things you love in today's world ...love what you do , do what you love is kind of diminish for me ...but when I see people like you doing what you love inspite of all the odds ..its give a little bit of motivation not to say I m Done Yet ! :)
Hi Stu. I’m 6’6”. I rode for 30 years, 5 without a car, snow, ice, the works. My main ride was a 75 Moto Guzzi 850, awesome. All bikes, however, feel too small for me. What to do? Maybe a tall Kawasaki dirt bike with street tires?
Hi Stuart...I have one of the first Himalayans (2016 model) and I have had a wonderful ride. No complaints. And though I may already know your answer, I would be keen to know why you prefer a carbureted engine rather an EFI engine ?
hi how you going mate ive got a him youll find after 2000 the engine will feel quite happy sitting between 100-110 and that down low luggynes improves as well ive had no problems at all and I'm very happy with the reh ill be watching your vlogs with interest cheers
Hi Malcom, great to hear you're happy with your bike and that things only continue to improve as the motor gets run in. I'm certainly not expecting any problems no I've seen the quality of all the components.
Excellent video. I would love one of these but at 6ft 4in i am far too tall. I will keep looking at your future videos and hope someone comes up with a plain sided tank, Best wishes.
Have you had a go at riding one yet? I'm not finding it as bad as I thought because your knees point downwards too. It's a little borderline but better than I was expecting.
Unfortunately not. I live 250 miles from the nearest dealer and have not seen one in real life yet. Having owned a 1993 Bullet 500 I would be interested so long as the wiring is better now than it was back then. Enjoyed the Bullet as it suited my riding style and was comfortable up until the 200 mile mark. The Himalayan looks ideal for my needs. Good luck with the new bike.
Hi, Congrats on your new bike. Wonder why you chose carb model over the newer FI? I have been sitting on the fence quite a while now, with all the negative things coming out. May your ownership experience be hassle free.
Hi Stew, I am in to bikes and I want get one later on. I love this kind of bike and I was wondering what class of bikes it would be in. I know this is not like the Africa twin, but has that touring on/off road capabilities. If you know which class, your response is much appreciated. Keep up the great vids
Hi Phillip, not sure so much about the class as such, but definitely a dirt road / off road tourer much like the Africa Twin, only about $10,000 cheaper. :)
Dangar Motorcycling thanks for the reply. I think this bike on top of being much cheaper, it has so much more character and simplicity, being carbourated
Dangar Motorcycling I looked for a used one of these in Canada and I didn’t have any luck. I guess there more of a European bike. Love that bike. Keep up the vids!
the australian model was far better than the indian model, RE had to do over 20 changes to the bike to pass aussie standards. l have had my himalayan for 10 months now without issue
Hey Sam. I've only done about 1000kms and so far no noises. I have noticed one small oil leak coming from the valve cover gasket so I may reseal that sometime soon.
I haven't used this type of sealant before. I've only had a handful of punctures over the years, and admittedly when they do happen it can be a real pain. I'm going to try the thicker tubes first because for no real experience-based reason having fluid in the tubes just isn't something I can come at yet.
I've seen you've had 2 off's. Did the handle bars bend. I've seen another learner drop his at low speed and the handlebars bent just to the right of the clamp bolts.
Can you please confirm whether Himalayan's in Australia are imported from India from the same factory which also manufactures for Indian local market or from any other country of manufacturing?
Generally I would say yes, but it does depend on the style of injectors use (direct or throttle body, I haven't seen a BS4 yet). Your best option would be to swap parts with someone who wants to upgrade they BS3 to fuel injection.
Stuart the conversion from EFI to carb will need a different ECU - if one was to do the carb then maybe a flat-slide would be a better option, also a different fuel tank - your suggestion regarding swapping is good - the question is WHY?
Keith Ralfs Royal Enfield models with EFI had a lot of problems...It's easier to repair a carb down here...But if its so complicated, better not to swap/convert.
That kinda makes sense, but when I stand I'm level with the seat not the tank. Oh well, now I've been riding it for a while it certainly isn't a problem, just a first impression at the time.
Hi Stuart in a week I fly from nz to Darwin. I put down a deposit on a Himalayan than have to drive in two days for a job to Kununurra on the border of Western Australia. On the video of mounting the folding rack was great. I want this rack do you have a order number and where can I order that? Was it from a shop in au ? Are you still happy with them . Or may now prefer the alu panniers? Your pretty handy at all that. Cheers Yan
I'm going to be looking into that with a bit of dyno work. There isn't much you can remap on the carb model, but some re-jetting and maybe some porting would help.
Yep, there is a big KTM dealer down the road but I can't bring myself to buy one after they snubbed Charlie and Ewan in the Long Way Round! ;) Not sure of the HP, not much, only a 410CC.