New toy - Enfield Himalayan

Anything else ya ride!
Post Reply
User avatar
bart
Posts: 464
Joined: Tue Jan 17, 2012 3:03 pm
Rides:: ST70, cg125, efi 500, Terrot etd, CM200 and Fantic tx250
Location: Dumfries, a bit north of the City

Re: New toy - Enfield Himalayan

Post by bart » Thu Apr 23, 2020 10:02 pm

I tried a Himalayan and the 650 before I bought my classic, the Himalayan was just too hard to get my short leg over, I didn't really like it to ride eit
IMG_20200217_161507122.jpg
her. The 650 was lovely but it was too fast, I would have ended up with points.. So I got a squadron blue classic ,love it !
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.

User avatar
alihar07
Posts: 56
Joined: Sun Feb 26, 2017 1:41 pm
Rides:: C90 '88 (red) Now gone: NT650V, Bullet B5, DR350SE, TDM900, XL650V & XL1000V
Location: Leek, Staffordshire

Re: New toy - Enfield Himalayan

Post by alihar07 » Thu May 14, 2020 9:08 pm

How do you find the Classic is to ride? I tried a brand new demonstrator one in Stafford with only a few miles on the clock. It was as rough as anything with the vibrations through the pegs and the handlebars, and it ran out of puff at 50mph. Do they become smoother the more they are ridden?

User avatar
bart
Posts: 464
Joined: Tue Jan 17, 2012 3:03 pm
Rides:: ST70, cg125, efi 500, Terrot etd, CM200 and Fantic tx250
Location: Dumfries, a bit north of the City

Re: New toy - Enfield Himalayan

Post by bart » Thu May 14, 2020 9:12 pm

Mine is smooth, best at about 70,it has just under a 1000 miles on now and the only gripe I have is that the indicator warning lights for neutral and winners are too dim in sunlight. Did 170 miles this morning, love it, next service due now..

User avatar
alihar07
Posts: 56
Joined: Sun Feb 26, 2017 1:41 pm
Rides:: C90 '88 (red) Now gone: NT650V, Bullet B5, DR350SE, TDM900, XL650V & XL1000V
Location: Leek, Staffordshire

Re: New toy - Enfield Himalayan

Post by alihar07 » Thu May 14, 2020 9:27 pm

In that case (when everything opens again... :? ) I might try and get a test ride of one of their second hand ones that has been run in. The new one I tried was in olive green which I quite liked, although it had been tampered with by the garage to stop the milage counting up while it was being test ridden, not sure if he'd made it run funny.

User avatar
knapdog
Posts: 5336
Joined: Mon Oct 22, 2012 12:51 pm
Rides:: '96 C90, '83 C90C, '98 Honda Valkyrie
Location: Barry, Vale of Glamorgan, Wales

Re: New toy - Enfield Himalayan

Post by knapdog » Fri May 15, 2020 8:06 am

alihar07 wrote:
Thu May 14, 2020 9:08 pm
How do you find the Classic is to ride? I tried a brand new demonstrator one in Stafford with only a few miles on the clock. It was as rough as anything with the vibrations through the pegs and the handlebars, and it ran out of puff at 50mph. Do they become smoother the more they are ridden?
Hope you don't mind but I'm going to copy your quote and answer it in the "Classic 500" thread, as this is really about the Himalayan, but don't worry about it as threads often turn out this way :D

viewtopic.php?f=37&t=34868&start=30

User avatar
Capitano
Posts: 5757
Joined: Wed Oct 27, 2010 8:05 pm
Rides:: '92 C90, '97 Divvy 6, 36V home-built e-bike
Location: West Sussex
Contact:

Re: New toy - Enfield Himalayan

Post by Capitano » Mon Jun 22, 2020 10:59 pm

Any updates on the Himalayan, Dave? 8-)

User avatar
Diesel Dave
Posts: 11055
Joined: Tue Oct 13, 2009 7:25 pm
Rides:: 1965 Enfield Diesel, 2017 Sterling, Modenas Kriss and CT200 - the only Cub left
Location: Brentwood, Essex

Re: New toy - Enfield Himalayan

Post by Diesel Dave » Tue Jun 23, 2020 9:24 am

Still going strong.

About 200 miles on Sunday and could still walk afterwards. Handling is faultless, engine does not like to be below 3k unless VERY light throttle use.

One fault - the plastic headlamp casing cracked through- it’s actually mounted between the front pannier racks so if you load them up and they flex then this is transferred through the headlamp. Simple enough to fix but ideally it needs a metal brace.

It’s really filthy at the moment - my routing seems to take me through every ford and unsurfaced road... :D

You do need to remind yourself that it’s only 24hp - if it had the Bullet pushrod motor it would be perfect - then you could pull away with idle revs.

User avatar
alihar07
Posts: 56
Joined: Sun Feb 26, 2017 1:41 pm
Rides:: C90 '88 (red) Now gone: NT650V, Bullet B5, DR350SE, TDM900, XL650V & XL1000V
Location: Leek, Staffordshire

Re: New toy - Enfield Himalayan

Post by alihar07 » Tue Jun 23, 2020 3:10 pm

Is it viable to swap a bullet motor into it, or even a diesel motor?

User avatar
Capitano
Posts: 5757
Joined: Wed Oct 27, 2010 8:05 pm
Rides:: '92 C90, '97 Divvy 6, 36V home-built e-bike
Location: West Sussex
Contact:

Re: New toy - Enfield Himalayan

Post by Capitano » Tue Jun 23, 2020 3:53 pm

Diesel Dave wrote:
Tue Jun 23, 2020 9:24 am


You do need to remind yourself that it’s only 24hp - if it had the Bullet pushrod motor it would be perfect - then you could pull away with idle revs.
The big question is whether you would recommend it over a 500 bullet as a new bike purchase. 8-)

User avatar
Diesel Dave
Posts: 11055
Joined: Tue Oct 13, 2009 7:25 pm
Rides:: 1965 Enfield Diesel, 2017 Sterling, Modenas Kriss and CT200 - the only Cub left
Location: Brentwood, Essex

Re: New toy - Enfield Himalayan

Post by Diesel Dave » Tue Jun 23, 2020 9:32 pm

Capitano wrote:
Tue Jun 23, 2020 3:53 pm
The big question is whether you would recommend it over a 500 bullet as a new bike purchase. 8-)
hmmmm that’s a very good question.

They don’t really compete with each other at the same level, the Himalayan will appeal to riders not looking for a traditional type ‘thumper’ and a dyed in the wool Bullet fan is not really looking for an adventure bike.

As the missus needed to drop her camera in to the repair place in Luton today we have clocked quite a few miles 2 up, some motorway and lots of A roads as we had friends to see in Baldock too. The rear brake gave up on the way home and opening the mail this evening produced a recall sheet for the Himalayan brakes.......well I was spooked!

Personally I prefer the traditional Bullet - it’s a lot lower centre of gravity so I can move it around easier and I can hustle it through the twisties a bit quicker too despite being on Avon Skidmaster tyres.

I’ve just got me a 350 Thunderbird model, it has the 350 AVL engine and 5 speed box with left foot shift. Being a lean burn engine it’s a tad ‘wheezy’ but returns around 120 mpg. Being India’s version of a ‘cruiser’ style I’ve just got to get me some mirror shades and grow a massive handlebar moustache to complete the image.

Image

So I’ll be selling off the Himalayan once the brake recall has been done, it’s been a blast.

Post Reply