Royal Enfield Himalayan with FI and ABS likely to be launched in May in India

Royal Enfield is reportedly planning to launch fuel injection equipped version of the Himalayan motorcycle in May. The Chennai based bike maker is already exporting FI and ABS fitted Himalayan units to UK and North America from India.

The model for India is expected as FI only model and FI + ABS model, reports Rushlane. The former version is expected to be pricier by Rs 10,000 and latler by Rs 30,000 over the current price. Royal Enfield currently sells Himalayan at Rs 1.77 lakh on road in Delhi.

Also read: Honda's Royal Enfield rival in the making; Is it inspired by the success of Bajaj Dominar 400?

The Himalayan sold in India is powered by a carbureted 411cc oil-cooled single-cylinder engine tuned to dish out 24.5bhp at 6,500rpm and 32Nm torque between 4,000 and 4,500rpm, paired with five-speed transmission. With FI technology in place, the new version is expected to offer better fuel efficiency and optimal throttle response than the carburetted version.

Indian government is all set to make ABS mandatory for two wheelers above 125cc soon. This seems to have prompted Enfield to launch an updated Himalayan with ABS. Addition of ABS will also make the Himalayan an affordable all round adventure motorcycle.

The new Himalayan will also carry same cycle parts. It is built around a new double-cradle chassis, designed by Royal Enfield-owned Harris Performance and rides on a 21-inch front wheel and a 17-inch at the rear. The front wheel gets 300mm disc with two piston floating callipers while the rear gets a 240mm disc with a single piston floating calliper. The Himalayan measures 2,190mm in length, 840mm in width, and 1,360mm in height (fly-screen top). It has a wheelbase of 1,465mm and offers a ground clearance of 220mm.

Launched in March 2016, the Himalayan has been a hit in the adventure motorcycling segment.