Design:

Royal Enfield has taken the tried and tested philosophy, ‘If it’s not broke, don’t fix it’, and we totally agree with it. The 2021 Himalayan, in terms of styling, is identical to the outgoing model. Mechanically also it receives no changes. So, it retains the same suspension setup, brakes and chassis as the BS6 version. The iconic motorcycle manufacturer has spruced the Himalayan up by introducing three new colour options: Granite Black, the eye-catching Pine Green and the Mirage Silver, which we have here with us, and it comes standard with a contrasting brown saddle. Sadly, Royal Enfield has discontinued Snow and Sleet Grey colours.

Based on the feedback received, Royal Enfield has tweaked the front rack frame on the fuel tank. By pushing the frame further up, thereby, there’s more knee room available for taller riders over 6 feet in height.

Navigation system:

No doubt one of the biggest updates the Himalayan gets is the navigation system or, as the company calls it, the Tripper display. It made its debut with the Meteor 350, which we’ve used extensively and found it quite helpful. One can sync their smartphone via the Royal Enfield app available on both Apple’s App Store and Google Play store. This Google Maps-based turn-by-turn navigation system is accurate and offers a seamless experience. The Tripper doesn’t read out phone or message alerts, which is a good thing as you are focused on the road.

The only hitch we found about the Tripper is that when you switch off the bike for whatever reason or at a traffic light, it sometimes doesn’t automatically pair back to your phone. It’s a slight inconvenience, but that’s not really a deal-breaker.

To accommodate the new additional pod in the instrument cluster, the windscreen is now wider from the bottom and taller as many Himalayan owners had complained the earlier model didn’t negate wind buffeting effectively. The new windscreen is only tinted.

New seat:

The previous Himalayan certainly had a comfortable seat, but it was a tad bit soft, making it unsupportive on long rides. Again, based on the feedback received from current Himalayan owners, Royal Enfield has added more padding to the saddle and have made it firmer. In terms of the seat height, it continues to be 800 mm, which makes it accessible for many. I’m a shade taller than 5 feet 9 inches in height and I can comfortably put my feet flat on the ground. The riding stance is comfortable as you don’t feel cramped. The footpegs are placed in a slight angular position, but nothing really to complain about. The seating position is commanding as well.

As an accessory, one can also opt for Touring Seats at an additional cost of INR 3,000.

Additional upgrades:

Coming to the rear carrier, it is now more aligned to the seat and has been reinforced with an additional metal plate to haul heavy luggage. It’s inscribed on the rear carrier that it can carry up to 7 kg of luggage, which is 2 kg more than the previous Himalayan.

Engine:

The 411cc engine remains the same mechanically and continues to churn 24.3 bhp of power and 32 Nm of torque. Ever since the Royal Enfield has introduced the fuel injection system in the Himalayan, it’s been a very smooth bike. It happily cruises anywhere around 80-100 kmph and effortlessly goes past the three-figure mark. We tip our hat to Royal Enfield for ensuring that the Himalayan’s vibrations are down to a minimal, making the riding experience quite enjoyable and comfortable both in the city and on the highway.

You open the throttle and the initial response is measured and it builds momentum in a linear fashion. The power doesn’t come rushing in a hurry as the low-end torque lacks the punch and feels flat. As the Himalayan is more at home when it’s out on open roads and covering long distances, it is happiest at the mid-range power band where the motor’s optimal power can be experienced. The Himalayan cruises comfortably at speeds over the three-figure mark, but the power tends to taper off after crossing 120 kmph.

Ride and handling:

The Himalayan is a practical bike that can be used for your daily commute. Thanks to the soft suspension setup, along with the long travel, it easily cushions undulations and speed breakers in the city and at the same time feels at home on dirt tracks and overcomes ditches and potholes without a sweat. There are a couple of minor issues that Royal Enfield can iron out like the heavy clutch and hand brake lever, which can become quite a task. Also, the brakes lack the bite and feel spongy.

The Himalayan is a heavy motorcycle and weighs around 199 kg, and if and when you drop it, you can feel its weighty issues. But the beauty about this bike is that while on the go, it feels agile and light. You can easily navigate through traffic or extreme off-roading conditions.

Verdict:

It all comes down to brass-tacks and priced at INR 201,000, is the extra INR 10,000 justified? Maybe not, but you won’t find a more capable ADV bike at that range that is easy to manoeuvre and doesn’t overwhelm you with additional electronic nannies. The Himalayan keeps it simple and allows you to switch off the dual-channel ABS, though it wouldn’t be a bad idea if the Himalayan got traction control. Another thing we would like to see is tubeless tyres as it makes life a lot easier and spares you a lot of frustration, especially when you are on a long-distance ride. We would stick our neck out and say that it is a Jack of All Trades and a commuter-friendly adventure motorcycle that is very forgiving on your wallet. (MT)

Specifications:

Engine: 411 cc + 24.3 bhp + 32 Nm of torque

Transmission: 5-speed

Ground clearance: 220 mm

Seat height: 800 mm

Tyres & brakes:

Front: 90/90 – 21 inches / 300 mm disc

Rear: 120/90 – 17 inches / 240 mm disc

Dual-channel ABS

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Bengaluru-based electric vehicle maker Ultraviolette Automotive has accelerated its nationwide presence by opening six Experience Centres across Mumbai and Pune within 48 hours. The locations include Andheri, Vashi and Thane in Mumbai, and Shivajinagar, Baner and Kharadi in Pune. This expansion strengthens the brand's foothold across 30 cities nationally.

The new UV Space Stations, in partnership with Hallmark Mobility (Mumbai) and KHV Mobility (Pune), offer customers the opportunity to explore Ultraviolette's motorcycles: the X-47 Crossover, F77 SuperStreet and F77 MACH 2. The centres provide test rides, sales, service, spares and a range of motorcycle accessories, catering to the end-to-end customer lifecycle.

Narayan Subramaniam, CEO and Co-founder, Ultraviolette Automotive, said, “At Ultraviolette, our mission has always been to engineer products that push boundaries of performance and technology while delivering an after-sales and ownership experience built on trust and dependability. With our expanding network of retail and service hubs across Maharashtra and other key markets, we are unifying sales and service to offer riders a seamless journey from the first moment they walk into a reliable after-sales experience. As we continue to grow, we are also building a connected ecosystem that brings technology, sustainability, and convenience together. Every Ultraviolette Space Station is designed to represent the future of mobility, where innovation becomes accessible, and every rider resonates with the future driven ethos of Ultraviolette.”

Kaushik Kothari, Partner at KHV Mobility, said, “In line with our vision of driving growth through strategic opportunities, we are proud to be associated with Ultraviolette. We firmly believe that EVs represent the future of two-wheeler mobility, and Ultraviolette’s sharp focus on engineering, design, and customer-centricity resonates deeply with our values. Together, we are confident of contributing to a shared journey of innovation and mutual success.”

Earlier this year, the company launched two other offerings: the Tesseract electric scooter, featuring an integrated radar and dashcam and the Shockwave electric motorcycle.

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TVS Motor Company (TVSM) and BMW Motorrad have announced the production of 200,000 units under their partnership. This milestone highlights the success of the collaboration, which began in 2013 and focuses on the sub-500cc two-wheeler segment.

The partners also announced the start of manufacturing for the new BMW F 450 GS, which was recently showcased at EICMA 2025 from the Hosur plant.

KN Radhakrishnan, Director and CEO, TVS Motor Company, said, “In our over a decade-long partnership with BMW Motorrad, our engineering synergy and shared values of innovation and quality have formed the foundation of every achievement. Together, we have designed and brought several path-breaking products that resonate with customers across leading markets in Europe, the Americas, and Asia. This collaboration’s engineering prowess has set new benchmarks, and our co-developed products are now embraced by riders in over 100 markets globally. Today, as we celebrate the 200,000 unit milestone, we also mark the dawn of a new era with the roll out of BMW F 450 GS that was recently showcased at EICMA 2025. The newly introduced BMW F 450 GS, highlights TVS Motor’s state-of-the-art manufacturing excellence in producing high-end motorcycles.”

Markus Flasch, CEO, BMW Motorrad, said, "This 200,000 unit milestone is a demonstration of the success and strength of our collaboration with TVS Motor Company. What began just over a decade ago as a bold alliance has flourished into an extraordinary success story, with our sub-500cc models setting new standards and delighting riders across the globe. The BMW G 310 R, G 310 GS and G 310 RR enjoy unrivalled popularity worldwide and have become a key pillar of BMW Motorrad’s global growth. The rollout of the new BMW F 450 GS marks the next exciting chapter in our journey together. We look forward to building on this strong foundation to deliver even more innovative, accessible, and truly world-class motorcycles for riders everywhere.”

TVS Motor Company and BMW Motorrad are driving forward investments in new platforms and future-ready technologies. The collaborative R&D efforts are aimed at meeting evolving customer needs across urban and premium mobility.

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Royal Enfield has announced the launch of the Himalayan Mana Black Edition in India at Motoverse 2025. This follows its global unveiling at EICMA 2025. The new version, priced at INR 337,000 (ex-showroom) is inspired by the Mana Pass, a high-altitude route located at 18,478 feet (5,632 meters) above sea level.

The design and ergonomics of the Mana Black Edition are created to maximise off-road riding. The edition features matte details and a Stealth Black finish, suggesting purpose and adventure. It is intended for riders who view every route as a calling.

The Mana Black edition is intended for the spirited rider prepared for adventure and comes with factory-fitted equipment. The machine embodies Royal Enfield's Philosophy, enabling those who aspire to travel farther and conquer.

A distinguishing feature of the Mana Black Edition is its factory-accessorised setup, complete with curated adventure equipment. Components include – black rally hand guards, black rally seat for grip and long-distance comfort, rally mudguard for rough routes and tubeless spoked wheels for durability.

The motorcycle is powered by the Sherpa 450 engine, maintaining the performance and agility of the new Himalayan platform.

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Bengaluru-based electric vehicle and technology company Ultraviolette Automotive has officially launched its F77 Mach 2 Recon and F77 SuperStreet Recon electric performance motorcycles in the United Kingdom. The expansion is in partnership with MotoMondo, the company's exclusive distribution partner in the region.

The launch was announced at the Motorcycle Live Show in London. Ultraviolette showcased its full product portfolio, including the F77s, F77 SuperStreet, X-47, Tesseract, Shockwave and the F99.

Narayan Subramaniam, CEO & Co-founder of Ultraviolette, said, “Earlier this year, we achieved a key milestone with the launch of the F77s across Europe, followed by the showcase of our future product lineup at EICMA. Today, I am pleased to announce that the F77 is officially launched in the United Kingdom, a nation renowned for its deep motorcycling heritage. It is a proud moment for us as we bring advanced performance and innovation to riders across the UK. With progression on the UK-India Free Trade Agreement, we believe it will further enhance the ease of bringing advanced mobility technology to the region and strengthen cross-border collaboration. We have unveiled our future product line-up: the world’s first motorcycle with radar as standard- the X-47 Crossover, along with our scooter platform-the Tesseract, and our light motorcycle platform- the Shockwave. Our product portfolio offers a clear glimpse into the future of mobility, where intelligence, purposeful design, and instinctive safety come together. With the support of our strategic partner MotoMondo, Ultraviolette is committed to setting new benchmarks across the United Kingdom and beyond.”

The F77 series draws inspiration from aeronautics. The motorcycles deliver 30 kW of peak power and 100 Nm of torque, resulting in a top speed of 155 kph. The bike is powered by a 10.3 kWh battery pack, offering a range of up to 323 kms (IDC).

It features the company’s proprietary artificial intelligence system, Violette A.I., switchable Dual-Channel ABS (developed by Bosch), 10 levels of Regenerative Braking, 4 levels of Traction Control and Dynamic Stability Control.

At the show, Ultraviolette unveiled the X-47 Crossover, a motorcycle that blends two segments and is engineered for versatility across terrains. The X-47 is the first in its class to feature integrated radar technology as standard across all variants, which adapts to lean angles up to 20 degrees. This system, powered by UV HyperSense, introduces the Advanced Rider Assistance System (ARAS) to the segment.

Jan Ykema, Managing Director of MotoMondo, commented “We are proud to bring Ultraviolette to the UK, marking a historic first step in bringing their revolutionary electric motorcycles to riders across the United Kingdom. The F77 series embodies cutting-edge technology, aerodynamic precision and performance-driven engineering, perfectly aligning with the dynamic motorcycling culture in the UK. It is a genuine and affordable mobility solution in a world where there will be more and more restrictions for ICE vehicles of which the cost of ownership will continue to rise. We are excited to partner with Ultraviolette and look forward to seeing the enthusiasm of riders as they experience the future of motorcycling first-hand.”

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