With details of the Royal Enfield (RE) Himalayan 452 out in the open, it offers us an opportunity to pit this bike against its rivals in this specification comparison review. Himalayan 452 will be the new flagship offering of RE in the adventure bike segment and here are the complete details of how it fares against its rivals on paper.
In terms of pure performance, the KTM 390 Adventure leads the pack with quite a handsome margin thanks to its 43.5 bhp of raw power. It is also among the lightest bikes in this comparison, boasting the best power-to-weight ratio in the lot. However, it is also important to understand that these off-road bikes need strong low-speed grunt which KTM and BMW lack as they generate their peak power at highish 9000 rpm and 9250 rpm respectively. In comparison, RE and Triumph deliver their peak power of 40 bhp @ 8000 rpm, making them better at low-speed riding conditions. RE Himalayan offers the highest 40Nm in the lot and the fact it is delivered quite early in the rev range (@5500 rpm) makes the bike most suitable for the low-speed off-riding. All the bikes in this comparison feature a 6-speed gearbox as a standard part of the equipment.
Dimensions and Weight
RE Himalayan 452 is the heaviest bike with a kerb weight of 196 kg. It features the largest 17-litre fuel tank and highest ground clearance of 230 mm. The generous range of seat adjustment (a feature exclusive to the RE) makes it the most suitable bike for the off-riding experience. BMW is the lightest in the lot tipping the scale at 175 kg while KTM has the tallest seat height of 855 mm.
Mechanical Hardware and Underpinnings
Himalayan again has the edge over others as it is the only bike here which comes with the largest 21-inch front wheel. KTM offers an adjustable suspension system at both front and rear ends and along with Himalayan, it rides on wire-spoke wheels in contrast to alloys offered on BMW and Triumph. RE also gets the largest rear disc brake which should come in handy in extreme off-roading conditions. RE has yet to homologate the feature of tubeless wire-spoke wheels for India and is expected to approve this feature in the coming years. So, which one is better in every way? While the KTM is loaded and expensive at Rs Rs. 3.61 lakh (ex-showroom), it is a great bike to live with. The Himalayan has to prove itself all over again as it does come with a interesting price tag of Rs 2.41 lakhs. The BMW is ideal for newbie riders at Rs 3.30 lakhs and the Triumph at Rs Rs. 2.63 lakh (ex-showroom) makes even more sense as an everyday bike. Which fits you right?
