Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 2: Niche bike-maker Royal Enfield today unveiled Himalayan, an all-terrain LS411 cc motorcycle, as part of its plans to expand its product range in the mid-sized bike segment.
The company, which is the two-wheeler arm of Eicher Motors, currently sells various popular models like Bullet, Classic, Thunderbird and Continental GT.
“For Royal Enfield, the Himalayas have always been very important. So the idea was to build a model ground up which can do a variety of roles, including off road”, Royal Enfield CEO Siddhartha Lal said. The company has been working on the model for the last five years and has tested it across various terrains, he added.
“As you can use it for broader purposes, including normal city riding and off riding, we see it doing well”, Lal said, adding that the bike, which comes with 220 mm ground clearance, would be launched commercially in middle of March.
He stated that “Himalayan comes with five speed gearbox and 24.5 BHP engine. The company would also sell accessories to go with the “go anywhere” bike.
He informed that the company plans to produce up to 9 lakh motorcycles by end of 2018, from its two existing manufacturing facilities and a third upcoming facility in Tamil Nadu. With a view to become the leader in the global mid-sized motorcycle industry, Royal Enfield is also building two new technology centres–one in India and another in the UK, to enhance capability and execute long term product strategy, he stated.
Speaking at the launch of the Himalayan, Rudratej (Rudy) Singh, President Royal Enfield said, “What excites me about our new motorcycle, is that it fundamentally builds on Royal Enfield’s core philosophy of balancing aspiration with access. It allows both seasoned riders as well as enthusiasts to do more with just one motorcycle. The Himalayan serves the purpose of a seasoned rider and at the same time opens the roads (pun not intended) to many more people who will get the confidence that they can ride on and off the road less travelled, going beyond their day-to-day commuting needs”.
Available in two colour options–Granite and Snow, the Himalayan will be on display in select Royal Enfield stores in the Delhi and the NCR region from tomorrow. Customers can book and test ride the Himalayan across the country from March 17.
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