In the past few years, Royal Enfield pulled out something that no other player has been able to in the two-wheeler market. It has been leading the middleweight motorcycle segment with models like Hunter 350, Meteor 350, Himalayan 400, Interceptor 650, Continental GT 650 and Super Meteor 650. Speaking to an online media publication, Siddharth Lal, Eicher Motors’ Managing Director, has revealed that the company sold a half of the 2 million midsize motorcycle (made-in-India) annually across the world. Read – Hero, Honda, Bajaj Midsize Bikes Planned; To Challenge Royal Enfield
Currently, Royal Enfield owns 90 percent of the middleweight bike market in India and 10 percent market share overseas. In order to further strengthen its market, RE will bring in four new products in this fiscal year. It will include the Himalayan 450 Roadster and Shotgun 650 along with two more models.
We have seen test mules of the Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 a million times already, and each time there is something interesting to note about the bike. The bike will come an all-new 450cc, single-cylinder engine, but what’s important here is the liquid-cooling that will be first for Royal Enfield. With extra displacement, the bike will deliver power worth 40bhp. The new engine will also put up RE close to its European rivals – BMW G 310 GS (34bhp) and KTM 390 Adventure (43bhp).
The new Himalayan 450 will come with some segment-first features including three-in-one taillamp setup with two LED flashers. The flasher units perform duties as turn signals, indicators and brake light. Some of its other key highlights will include a fully digital instrument cluster, smartphone connectivity and USD forks, ride modes and ride-by-wire (rumoured).
Royal Enfield Shotgun 650 is also on its testing period. The production avatar is likely to debut towards the end of this year. Just so you know, the Shotgun 650 will take its design inspiration from the RE SG650 concept and share its platform with the Super Meteor 650. Power setup will have a 649cc air/oil-cooled parallel-twin motor, borrowed from the Super Meteor 650.
