Getting Another Himalayan
Yes, it is NOT a Triumph. And Yes, I have owned a Himalayan before - so why am I getting another one? I want another bike and I want one that is lighter and much easier to maintain. Add to that, I did like my previous Himalayan. The main issue was power. This new model, the 450, has 60% more horsepower (and many other improvements) so I decided to go give one a test drive. I liked it and put the Black and Gold on order.
Is this a replacement for my 1200? NO! It is just another bike that I will use for shorter trips and trails. The Triumph 1200 is more than capable for handling just about anything. It is just a LOT of bike and really heavy for someone with my capabilities. I love the Triumph and if I go on any long trips, I will taking the 1200. But there are a lot of more "local" trails, etc that I want to do and I will take the Himalayan. It is also a backup bike in case the other one is in the shop.
So why go back and get another Himalayan? I have always liked the bike. It is simple. I like simple. If you look back, my biggest complaint was the lack of power which Royal Enfield has really put a lot of effort in correcting. It has gone from 24hp to 40hp. That is a huge improvement. The new bike is also liquid cooled vs air cooled. They have also improved the suspension (another area that was lacking). The quality control seems to also have gotten a lot better.
I am not saying this bike is perfect but for 7K, it is a good bike. Sure, there are a number of things it is lacking but that is ok. I want this to be my trail bike. I will be good to it but may kind of beat the crap out of it as well. If I drop it...I can pick it up. Not that anyone would know but I am old (senior citizen).
I am just waiting for the dealer to give me the call so I can go and pick itAll up. I know I will need to add a few extras to it. What I am not sure of yet is whether to use my existing Givi boxes or go soft cases. I smashed the crap out of one box and had to do some fixes to it. Not sure if it is worth it or not. I will be adding some enhancements to the bike but the boxes is the big one. After this latest mishap and NOT being able to just replace one box, I may decide to go soft bags. We will see.
I will get a new SP Phone mount (and show how to do it). I will also get a new Thunder Box (and show how to install it). Not sure if I will spring for a GPS mount. I will also get hand guards. Not sure what kind since it will be limited to who makes them for the Royal Enfield. I will also get video cameras. I may get what I have or a newer version of it. The last thing I would invest in is the Monimoto GPS tracker.
Anyway, until I get the call, I am stuck. Just waiting on the bike to come in. Once it gets here, I will update the site.