GaadiWaadi -
The more off-road centric version of the Royal Enfield Himalayan will go on sale sooner than expected according to a report
It is no secret that Royal Enfield is working on a more off-road oriented version of the new Himalayan 450. The ADV which was earlier expected to go on sale in late 2026 or early 2027 will now be launched much sooner. As per the latest media reports, development of the Himalayan Raid has been expedited and if everything goes right, we can see the new adventure bike rolling on Indian roads sometime in the year 2026.
Internally codenamed ‘Project K1X’, the Himalayan Raid is being developed by combined efforts from Royal Enfield’s R&D team in the UK and India, along with the new Europe-based racing team. Reportedly, the ace Indian off-road motorcycle racer CS Santosh is also a part of the development and testing team of the K1X.
While the details about the project are scarce at the moment, the Himalayan Raid will most likely see a lot of cycle parts sharing with the standard model. However, a much superior off-road kit and more capable equipment list will be a part of the package. The suspension setup will be an all-new unit, with longer travel and adjustment for compression and rebound at both ends. In order to further strengthen the suspension, the fork tubes will feature a much larger diameter.
Also Read: Royal Enfield Shotgun 650 Limited Edition Launched At Rs. 4.25 Lakh
The current Himalayan is selling with some rally-specific accessories such as rally tail section, rally seat, hand guards, tubeless spoke wheels and more. The upcoming Himalayan Raid will feature these parts as standard equipment along with more additions.
Talking about the powertrain, the Royal Enfield Himalayan Raid will most likely be powered by the familiar 452cc single-cylinder liquid-cooled engine, shared with regular Himalayan 450. Media reports suggest that this engine is undergoing some upgrades, which is expected to bump up the power and torque figures. However, will this engine make it to the Himalayan Raid remains to be seen.
Also Read: 4 Upcoming Royal Enfield 350-450 cc Bikes Worth Waiting For
As for the pricing is concerned, the Himalayan Raid is expected to carry a sticker cost of around Rs. 3.5 lakh (ex-showroom). Royal Enfield will be positioning the off-road oriented ADV at par to the newly launched KTM 390 Adventure, for both Indian and global markets.
The post Upcoming Royal Enfield Himalayan Raid To Be Launched In 2026 appeared first on Gaadiwaadi.com - Latest Car & Bike News by Team GaadiWaadi.