2023 Royal Enfield Himalayan
Discussion
bimsb6 said:
Those guards look like they will fold in a strong breeze !
For £32 delivered from India, I can’t really complain. These are the genuine RE item and seem robust based on how often bikes seem to get dropped in India (there is a big Indian YouTube scene about the Himalayan!). If I was doing regular off-road stuff, givi sell a set that have 3 fixing points. But for my use, I just want somewhere to mount spotlights at some point! 😂
guitarcarfanatic said:
bimsb6 said:
Those guards look like they will fold in a strong breeze !
For £32 delivered from India, I can’t really complain. These are the genuine RE item and seem robust based on how often bikes seem to get dropped in India (there is a big Indian YouTube scene about the Himalayan!). If I was doing regular off-road stuff, givi sell a set that have 3 fixing points. But for my use, I just want somewhere to mount spotlights at some point! ??
In respect of the guards, they aren't up to much. I clobbered a small rock with a guard whilst off road (hence not high speed) and it just snapped the bolt clean off. May help a bit though.
guitarcarfanatic said:
-Cappo- said:
Another India veteran here, 2 weeks around the Himalayas on a brand new Scram last year.
Did you go with a tour company? Any recommendations? On my list of things to do!!https://rideexpeditions.com/motorcycle-tours/himal...
Contemplating their Vietnam offering next time!
If you want to go on your own you can fly to Delhi, then either fly to Leh and rent a bike there - Leh is full of bike rental shops, probably 40 or more of them all over the place, all part of the taxi union so mostly same price and same bikes. Or rent bike in Delhi (eg Stonehead Bikes) then ride up via Chandigarh, Jammu, Srinagar and Kargil to Leh which is an easier ascent to Leh at 3500m. You also get to experience riding a bike in Delhi which is brilliant 
. And riding up through the Punjab and stopping to eat and chat with locals is probably one of the best experiences I've ever had on holiday, it's absolutely astounding.
Most of the big attractions you can do in a day trip from Leh, or one or a couple of overnight stays. You can even ride the Leh Manali highway which is the way the link above suggests the tour went, which is a stunning route - I rode the upper part of that this year, seeing the plains and the hole and a few high passes. Plenty of food stops on the way, homesteads if you want a cheap overnight stay and local food. Leh is full of hotels, it's a big Indian tourist town so everybody speaks English, even the shoe shine people. Pangong has two roads, Itchy Boots stoped on the high road but there are lots of cabins to rent on the lower road about 50m from the lake - and you have to visit Pangong.
Only things you need are the blue taxi union permit which permits you to take a rented bike from Leh to Khardung La and Nubra valley which should come with the bike, not required if coming in the other direction. You also need to go to a travel agent or the bike hire company might do it for you, is get your restricted line permit, only needed by non Indian residents, costs £6 and gives you permission to ride in the main areas. You won't get a permit for Umling La or to stay overnight at Hanle. Ancient Tracks travel agent is opposite the main entrance to the main market and they get permits for the hotels and bike hire companies, also speak good English and offer lots of good advice.
Whichever way you go, it's a fantastic trip and not something you'll ever forget.
. And riding up through the Punjab and stopping to eat and chat with locals is probably one of the best experiences I've ever had on holiday, it's absolutely astounding.Most of the big attractions you can do in a day trip from Leh, or one or a couple of overnight stays. You can even ride the Leh Manali highway which is the way the link above suggests the tour went, which is a stunning route - I rode the upper part of that this year, seeing the plains and the hole and a few high passes. Plenty of food stops on the way, homesteads if you want a cheap overnight stay and local food. Leh is full of hotels, it's a big Indian tourist town so everybody speaks English, even the shoe shine people. Pangong has two roads, Itchy Boots stoped on the high road but there are lots of cabins to rent on the lower road about 50m from the lake - and you have to visit Pangong.
Only things you need are the blue taxi union permit which permits you to take a rented bike from Leh to Khardung La and Nubra valley which should come with the bike, not required if coming in the other direction. You also need to go to a travel agent or the bike hire company might do it for you, is get your restricted line permit, only needed by non Indian residents, costs £6 and gives you permission to ride in the main areas. You won't get a permit for Umling La or to stay overnight at Hanle. Ancient Tracks travel agent is opposite the main entrance to the main market and they get permits for the hotels and bike hire companies, also speak good English and offer lots of good advice.
Whichever way you go, it's a fantastic trip and not something you'll ever forget.
A mate with an old Shovelhead and a KTM 1290R bought one of these a couple of years back. He absolutely loves it and has covered loads of miles in all weathers. Most weekends he's off from N. Wilts to Wales with a couple of old friends on similar, loaded up with tents and the like. He loves bimbling about Snowdonia in the rain, discovering tiny little tracks and has joined up with the Yorkshire Himalayan Riders for a few trips. Last November he took it up to Scotland for a short tour(!). He bought a similarish Benelli for a bit of extra poke, but it fell to bits in fairly short order.
spoodler said:
A mate with an old Shovelhead and a KTM 1290R bought one of these a couple of years back. He absolutely loves it and has covered loads of miles in all weathers. Most weekends he's off from N. Wilts to Wales with a couple of old friends on similar, loaded up with tents and the like. He loves bimbling about Snowdonia in the rain, discovering tiny little tracks and has joined up with the Yorkshire Himalayan Riders for a few trips. Last November he took it up to Scotland for a short tour(!). He bought a similarish Benelli for a bit of extra poke, but it fell to bits in fairly short order.
Has he just started a youtube channel?spoodler said:
gareth_r said:
Has he just started a youtube channel?
He may well have done - it was his intention, but was struggling to find the time. I know a friend of his has a channel about bikes, camping, fishing etc. Now we are all old and retiring, none of us seem to have any spare time!The bike on his lift definitely isn't a Shovelhead. I think it's a much older and even more interesting Harley U or UL "flathead" (sidevalve) big twin, which would be1948 at the latest.
gareth_r said:
spoodler said:
gareth_r said:
Has he just started a youtube channel?
He may well have done - it was his intention, but was struggling to find the time. I know a friend of his has a channel about bikes, camping, fishing etc. Now we are all old and retiring, none of us seem to have any spare time!The bike on his lift definitely isn't a Shovelhead. I think it's a much older and even more interesting Harley U or UL "flathead" (sidevalve) big twin, which would be1948 at the latest.
Edit - Make that thirty years ago... 'kin 'ell we're getting old. And the "old" bike is a 1200 sidevalve "Flatty".
Edited by spoodler on Wednesday 25th October 09:10
spoodler said:
Much like many of us, he's into all sorts of bikes. He got me into Harleys about twenty years ago when he chucked me the keys to his Evo' Sporty, I mentioned the Shovel and the KTM as they are world's apart from the Himalayan and just thought it would emphasise how much it has endeared itself to him.
It's not surprising - it's such a charming little bike. I keep walking past the Tiger 1200 and getting on the Enfield (despite the 106hp power difference 
)spoodler said:
Much like many of us, he's into all sorts of bikes. He got me into Harleys about twenty years ago when he chucked me the keys to his Evo' Sporty, I mentioned the Shovel and the KTM as they are world's apart from the Himalayan and just thought it would emphasise how much it has endeared itself to him.
Edit - Make that thirty years ago... 'kin 'ell we're getting old. And the "old" bike is a 1200 sidevalve "Flatty".
As someone who thinks of the Buckingham/Nicks version as "the new Fleetwood Mac", I sympathise with the age comment! Edit - Make that thirty years ago... 'kin 'ell we're getting old. And the "old" bike is a 1200 sidevalve "Flatty".
That flathead is a nice thing. Not sure I'd cope with hand shift/foot clutch, though. Took me long enough to manage switching between right foot and left foot gearchange and, similarly, between manual and automatic cars.
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