SELLER SAYS: 2021 Royal Enfield Himalayan ABS. 3,400km. Presenting in excellent near-new condition, with low mileage and nothing to spend. Runs perfectly. Pivot pegs. Lowering kit. Reinforced luggage rack. One mature owner. Two keys, handbook, tools etc. Registered until September. Extraordinarily versatile little motorbike, nimble in the city, and a wonderful thing in the bush. Will suit anyone from the beginner to the down-sizer. A future cult classic. Reluctant sale, but must make room for impending purchase. Contact Richard on 0427 xxx xxx SOLD (Kalamunda – Perth, Western Australia)
EDITOR TERLICK SAYS: I’ve copped some flak in the past for being less enamoured than most people by modern-day adventure bikes. While I acknowledge the technical wonder and clever creature comforts of BMW’s big-bore R-GS series and their many contemporary competitor copycats, they’re just too big to be true adventure-seekers (unless your idea of an adventure is getting stuck underneath one on the side of a mountain). I’m sorry, but with a wet weight of 260-odd kilos, a 135hp engine that’s good for 200kmh, and a seat height of 85cm or more, today’s much-loved adventure bikes are never going to tempt me for an adventure — or at least not one that might include heading off-road. (Cripes, my 50-year-old BMW R75/6 is 50kg lighter than an R1250GS and sits two inches lower at the seat, and I wouldn’t take it off-road in a pink fit.) For my money, heading off for an around-the-world adventure would be a lot more sensible on something low to the ground, low in weight, and low in tech. Sure, Royal Enfield’s 411cc Himalayan is not very fast. This low-mileage bike of Richard’s boasts about 25-horsepower, a top speed near 140kmh, one cylinder, weighs less than 200kg, and had a seat height of about 80cm before he lowered it further. If it falls on top of you when you’re on a mountain, you’ll just push it off. If it breaks down in the middle of nowhere, which isn’t very likely, the local tractor mechanic will be able to work out what’s wrong — and probably fix it — because its technology is way old-school. I actually tracked down a young English chap who is riding around the world on an R-E Himalayan — you can read about him at https://www.madornomad.com/royal-enfield-himalayan-review/. One more thing. If you’re likely to spend more time riding your adventure bike to work or the shops, rather than across Nepal, the Himalayan would be a much better choice than an RG-S …
