Why Does Himalayan 450 Lean So Much On Side Stand? Royal Enfield Lead Concept Designer Explains

[@prodyunborah93]

It’s been 5 month owning it and everytime I ride my himalayan 450 it automatically brings a smile on my face truly loving this motorcycle

[@OxSnowdog]

I computer from the computer / software world. Usually when you point out a flaw, the sales pitch is always, it is not a bug it is a feature. He could have spun it and said “it keeps it from being blown over”, but he owned it, basically said we messed up, and will fix it. Very refreshing.

[@MrTwangstaable]

A rarity in the corporate world indeed!

[@dragoclarke9497]

I don't think it leans over too far, I'd rather it be like this than too upright.

[@SBMotoZ]

As a KTM owner, it’s refreshing to see and hear from a Company that seems to genuinely care about their owners/riders. I’m thinking of getting an RE for the first time, they seem like they’re doing some great work.

[@paulyflyer8154]

Agreed. I'm a bmw, triumph and honda owner and am seriously thinking about the himalayan to simply because I've done the modern classic bit but I like Enfield's attitude and philosophy.

[@Prashanthhi5]

I’ve done 10k already on my Himalayan and love every moment that I ride , it’s the best bike, hands down .. love the chit chat that u had with the designer himself , ur questions were sensible to the point , no nonsense what so ever, keep up the great work buddy.

[@ChawkiChahed]

The guy speaks in such a sincere way! Kudos! Definitely my next bike!

[@barryhughes1612]

I took delivery of my 450 on the 1st June, it replaced my 411 and Interceptor 650 and I am very pleased with it.

[@devan_dew]

Facts & Figures! Thanks Abhinav for catching up with Steve and sharing with us

[@Trev350]

Outstanding interview. Refreshingly candid response to everything. This is one reason I love the brand. Marvelous team in India and the UK. More content like this please.

[@thefastelephant94]

Abhinav, these are quite insightful conversations. Thanks alot for these. Alot of "EXPERTS" will perhaps swallow their pride and admit everything on there is sensibly planned or left as is.

[@MarkN67]

Great questions and even better, straight answers. How refreshing to hear a designer speak so realistic and honestly about a product. I’m really impressed with this bike and and it’s certainly worth a much closer look.

[@johnsilvers5883]

I'm in the US and just purchased one. Waiting for delivery from my dealership. I'm so excited to get riding ! I think the new Himalayan is a very good-looking bike and I really love its fit and finish. Sitting on it was incredible and comfortable for a big guy like me. Loved the information in the interview. Thanks for the insight .

[@dhruvmehrotra270]

Genuinely unparalleled content🙌🙌. The creative idea of having these deep design discussion could only have come from a true petrol-head.

[@wltrlg]

Picked up the new Himalayan this week, including tubeless rims. Kinda sad the marketing focus is on off road riding, this bike is a great on-road touring machine as well: comfortable, sufficient power, sips fuel!

[@ranjithk9150]

The bike has turned out to be good. Yes there are minor niggles and quality issues, but those are things that can be lived with. The thing probably I like improved would be the harshness and vibey nature of the engine. Still love it.

[@martyn_g]

Turn the bars before you get it off the side stand. It’s really simple. I’m surprised that folks don’t know this simple basic tip. I learnt this way back when I first got my licence during my training.

[@kaikruger1176]

He has some good answers and make no senseless excuses (side stand).. i like that from a company.

[@kvasios]

So great to actually hear from the guys that build the machines. Excellent content, I wish other manufacturers where so open as well.

[@stefanhansen5882]

Great questions and wonderful, honest, replies.

[@relaxingnature2617]

Im 6ft 2 and low seats are great when working your way thru rocky areas , both feet can touch in any terrain condition

[@deepak3267]

Thanks again for this informative video, Abhinav. Your channel is The go to place for H450 owners like myself. And thanks to Steve for creating this incredible machine 🤘

[@johningle8850]

Great to hear the background on a bike I have enjoyed for the past 2 months. Black with gold wheels is pleasing to look at enhancing your design. Handling, engine, riding position, rear brake, build quality are superb. Dash indicator lights could be brighter. Side stand you covered. RE have a great product here well done guys 👏👏👏

[@Dheeeeraj]

Wonderful interview!

[@Fractal379]

Great questions + Sincere Answers, Well Done!

[@anjalivartak4797]

Hey Abhinav, Gr8 interviews that have indeed provided a lot more insight into all that goes into the rolling out of the final product. People tend to be quick in commenting as we live in a world of "Instant". Everything we need/want is at our fingertips. People have forgotten that good products with good design requires patience!! Especially if you're creating a new product. Ride safe & tc. Cheers!!

[@007kingston]

Excellent interview. Wonderful questions with insightful and sincere answers.

[@kepa504]

Good questions and honest answers , and the best thing is when he replies Yes i know all its problems then explains why they exist.

[@regorohan]

Thanks for this interview. I love the old 411 design, cant say this about the 450 , my personal opinion. The 450 is a great improvement over the 411 in too many ways. The improved suspension , extra ground clearance, new liquid cooled engine, Aluminium rims, air filter higher placement. But the 411 design was brilliant from every angle, and yet the bike was so simple. 450 tank, front /rear mudguards is not tasty for me .I would have liked the bike to retain some of the old 411 character. and I dont agree with Steve that because other manufacturers are moving to new technology RE move in that direction. The Himalayas are a place where you want well proven and simple to fix technology. As too much modern tech is creeping into RE motorcycles, the riding experience is getting poorer. The previous RE motorcycle since last few years had maintained the unique RE timeless design. The 450 breaks away from that character . I dont think450 will reach the cult status of the 411 in the years to come and will be forgotten .

[@kevynjoshua14]

Thanks Abhinav, what a great interview!

[@LloydGrace1]

What a great interview! So much honest and interesting information. Well done👍

[@thefastelephant94]

Steve is insanely talented

[@gilbyseventy5]

Came for the wonky side stand explanation and leaving having subbed. Loving the content.

[@defiancecycling]

I'm patiently waiting for the tubeless model here in the US. I owned a 2020 BMW GS and while it was a great bike, it was simply too much bike. I'm so looking forward to owning and riding the Himalayan 450.

[@atinshed]

An excellent interview, thank you.

[@Borednow1966]

I am late to the party! but I will buying one early next year (Feb/March) have watched so many reviews but this video was really Informative! subbed and thank you :)

[@Jonathan-L]

I went to my local RE dealer today to look at the Himalayan 450's on display. First up, I'm not sure if his inventory had longer than normal side stands, but I didn't think that they were too short, and really I'd say it's perfectly okay. I did discover something interesting though ... upon putting the bike on the centre stand (quite easy I must say), it was impossible to get the bike off the centre stand as the machine simply slid along the smooth concrete floor. Not a fault, just a 'feature' ... or perhaps it's a simple anti-theft design for individual bike thieves ... not so secure if 2 guys tackle it. But for the lone owner in his garage at home, it could be a bit of a chore, so investing in a thick piece of rubber mat might help. Maybe I'm missing something, such as an auto-locking system with a hidden release lever? Anyway, the bike looks well made and the price is quite reasonable. I'm sure a demo / test ride will help me learn what the bike is all about. Overall, I'm impressed and it's not bad for a first generation of a totally new model.

[@shadow_realm47]

This is some valuable insight big bro💪. Normally we dont get this kind of content from the industry journos!👀 Understanding the people behind the design and the context of the choices they made humanizes them instead of the monolith that a big company such as this is normally viewed as. You did ask about all the problems that YOU faced so you shouldn't have to respond to the super negative comments.

[@abhinavbhatt]

Thanks bro. I really don't give a shit about negative comments as I am not here to please anybody. Cheers.

[@shadow_realm47]

@@abhinavbhatt I understand the no "Fucks given attitude" 😅but I want you to have positive feedback as well cus you do different stuff than the norm and in my mind it should be appreciated cus its super cool! :P

[@abhinavbhatt]

@@shadow_realm47 definitely. And that is why I selectively engage in comments :)

[@AbhroneelGhosh]

Awesome interview, didn't skip a sec.

[@dolfanrob262]

21:55 is where he actually talks about the side stand. But the whole video is informative if you have the time.

[@ianseddon9347]

New to your channel…. This is outstanding, thank you very very much…. I met some of the designers at ABR and didn’t get a test ride, now I think I’ll replace my 411…. Maybe I’ll wait for that new side stand! 🙈😂! 🇬🇧 I have lots of your back catalogue to work on!

[@markdearlove8634]

Really great and insightful interview.

[@vic110291]

Killing it with the content, boss!!! Top, top videos. Super-insightful and informative. This and the other one with Antoine as well. Well done!!!!!🎉

[@JonnySundance]

An excellent and very informative video, much appreciated.

[@rajvijayrai217]

Hi Abhinav, Across the world motorcycle enthusiasts work on their bikes themselves. If RE wants to improve upon its phenomenal brand loyalty, it must encourage its clients to carry out minor repairs and maintenance themselves. As a first step towards that end would you please convey to RE that they must release the repair manuals of their bikes , even at a cost if necessary.

[@abhinavbhatt]

Sure.

[@StephenHucker]

​@@abhinavbhatt I have a husqvarna norden 901 and you can buy the PDF of the repair manual for US $30 ... which I love. Speaking of manuals, the normal bike manual for the Himalayan 450 you can download, but lots of the "pictures" are just blank spaces or fuzzy pictures. They need to fix this. Also the manual for the Australian version is non existent (different regions have different service intervals) .... but most important ... Let us pay a reasonable price to be able to download the repair manuals & put up official videos for basic repair processes e.g. changing oil, air filter. Putting up videos would be a huge PR boost.

[@StephenHucker]

Almost forgot, GREAT VIDEO .. thanks

[@abhinavbhatt]

@@StephenHucker thanks

[@jonathanschulster117]

I’ve never ridden or owned a bike I had to consciously park on a slope to be able to get it off the side stand. RE should and could have owned up to this much earlier and avoided losing 1000’s of shorter buyers who simply didn’t even test ride an otherwise amazing bike.

[@Whatreally123]

with the rally accesories available, I would hope they also offer adjustable shock and suspension down the line.

[@abhinavbhatt]

Maybe in the Raid version 2/3 years from now.

[@Whatreally123]

@@abhinavbhatt btw are the tubeless rims available as spares in the UK and other western markets? The price difference between the variants having the tubeless rims and the ones with normal rims seems to be around 25-30k INR (converted from pounds). If these are available as spares, I'll definitely have a friend bring a set to India. 😀

[@abhinavbhatt]

@@Whatreally123 I do not know if available as spares, but they are getting delivered with tubeless wheels there.

[@d3lchan]

beatiful explanations and cross questioning! Please interview more people!

[@abhinavbhatt]

Few more videos from ABR will come soon.

[@endianAphones]

I think my biggest complain about the bike is that the big windscreen is not standard. Other than that the finishing isn't the best (ok for the price but mt450 looks better finished), and I had a part breaking due to poor QC.

[@sag2975]

Better finished ❌ Better looking ✅

[@me1ne]

Insightful, interesting talk. Greetings from Germany

[@philboyes2669]

Very interesting video and comments about the too short sidestand, which ruined the bike for me. Hints that RE knew it was a problem at launch and are bringing a longer one out.

[@tamasvarga67]

Seriously? I was going for a test ride expecting some drama about the side stand but it was a non issue… ordered the bike right away.

[@slakk5093]

Good to hear that cruise control is on the Wishlist.

[@abhinavbhatt]

Wish they give heated grips too.

[@outandabout67]

Never mind the stand...I've been seeing videos on KZbin about the frame breaking, supposedly because of fitting crash bars. I'm a bit concerned because I've recently bought this bike. Any feedback on this would be appreciated.....never heard of that b4 on any bike ever.

[@Jonathan-L]

Two words come to mind. Indian & steel.

[@christelting1359]

Translation... we designed the sidestand before the rest of the bike and did it on paper rather than actually trying a few prototypes.

[@theodoret-bagbagwell5947]

Royal Enfield is one of the very few manufacturers that listen carefully what it's audience has to say for each model

[@macharika7641]

Somehow I don't feel comfortable with the use of engine as a stressed member for a ADV , a cradle frame would have helped. Any rational for that? Spoke too soon, got their rational close to end. Perhaps extend the front mount to the crankcase front, like the Meteor 350, minus the underside subframe.

[@richarddsouza9010]

Insightful interview! Would the changes spoken translate to the existing 450 customers? As in, the side stand fix, traction control etc would be available to the existing 460s.

[@slimturnpike]

My 2019 Interceptor 650 leans just as much when on the side stand. I've just got used to it. I also added a side stand extender which makes it a bit more stable

[@pietervanderzee9998]

Fantastic bike. And the 411 bs 4 also

[@CarlosGeraldi]

Suspensions adjusters please! At least rebound both shocks and forks as preload on forks as well

[@timlubbers2884]

Very good interview!!! The one thing I think is interesting is that this bike was built with the India people in mind first, as it should be . The side stand isn’t an issue for me but the first aftermarket company that comes up with an adjustable side stand could/would make some $$ . 🙏🏻🙏🏻

[@abhinavbhatt]

People have already made side stand extenders/shoes for it.

[@timlubbers2884]

@@abhinavbhatt that’s cool! Where I live (the us) we haven’t even got the 450 in country yet so looking for/at accessories doesn’t make any sense. Gotta ride one before proper changes can be considered. Keep being great!! 🙏🏻🙏🏻

[@caldaemon]

Another great vid! Thank you!

[@dazsyvo8499]

Feels like the bike is going over before you get it on the side stand if you don't get it down properly it's definitely going on the floor and the fuel cap is the wrong way round ,the front luggage rack bracket s a poor and will rust from the inside but overall its a good bike

[@pawandhiman21]

The most beautiful thing on this Bike is its Meter.

[@Rayraysplums]

Wtf is that

[@bharathchand2608]

@@Rayraysplums dude the taxi meter that you get to buy additionally. It’s the best thing ever. It’s so accurate that your Uber rides will be more comfortable. Specially for your clients.

[@quentendawson81]

Great review. Great bike from RE!

[@Willberight2moro]

The bike also has a centre stand, so if the lean is the biggest flaw, then use that. Turning the front wheel to the right makes it easier if you do use side stand. I've worked for Yamaha, they don't listen or care about customer/dealer feedback..very arrogant..

[@jeremymurfitt1512]

Very good and informative video.

[@yatrikashish]

Great! However, I wish you had also asked him why they gave it a short stroke engine which goes against the grain of RE. Hither to before all REs, including H411, had a great low end, why the change?

[@abhinavbhatt]

I'd like to believe they've covered it earlier. More power at high revs etc.

[@amitkrupal1234]

@@abhinavbhatt Also reduced deck height is result of it

[@sk8lucas]

I don't get why people freaked out about the side-stand so much. load the bike with luggage and the extra lean angle is actually a great thing, as the suspension compresses more. In my opinion it's a way more versatile configuration.

[@johnquinn5362]

The lean angel is far too much. A very bad design issue

[@sk8lucas]

@@johnquinn5362 I still think that some luggage weight on the back will make the bike sag the right amount.

[@johnquinn5362]

@@sk8lucas That's all well and good But most of the time I don't have any luggage on the bike

[@sk8lucas]

@@johnquinn5362 well, you can always lower the preload on the rear shock.

[@johnquinn5362]

@@sk8lucas You shouldn't have to. It's not been designed properly. It will stop people buying the bike. I tried one today. And it was an effort to get the bike off the side stand. Stopped me buying one. And not just me . Other people commented also. This was at a dealer open day too

[@Gmac237]

Steve has a lovely set🤱

[@Jonathan-L]

I've just placed an order for the man-boobs shirt and the wind-tunnel wig. I'm hoping the chicks will dig me. Fingers crossed of course!

[@Gmac237]

@@Jonathan-L 😂

[@MrTewaka2]

I had a CRF250 on order here in Bali for 9 months. Still not entered the country. When the Himalayan was released I canned the order and put a deposit on this. With the tax on bigger cc bikes going up exponentially. The Himalayan costs 18700 Australian dollars. A huge investment against the honda as that is 9k Australia. But after seeing everything I can on KZbin I'm finally getting it in 2 weeks time. Really can't wait but it'll be a better fit as with my experience of a lifetime of super bikes I doubt I'll get bored and with the suspension travel over these rough roads here I'll love it way more than the ADV160 Ihave now

[@MrSrijit]

Where in Australia does it cost 18700 AUD? All the news that I have seen is AUD9990 ride away price.

[@MrTewaka2]

@@MrSrijit it cost this in Indonesia i left Australia and never to return

[@TwoUpTourer]

Bought one last week, A$9690. $18700??? Way off beam.

[@sanjaykumarguda8374]

Good questions

[@tushardoultani1]

Quality content 👍

[@abhinavbhatt]

Thanks bro

[@andyrussell2873]

Why no proper central rear light brake lights ?

[@madhursurve]

Abhinav has done an amazing.....

[@hypocrisy_101]

Abhinav is there any plan by RE for new twin cylinder for ADV division? Hondas are expensive bro

[@abhinavbhatt]

Don't think that's happening for a couple of years. There have been reports online that a bigger Himalayan will eventually come.

[@Yash-ye1zq]

Nice one mate

[@iluvatar_78]

I'm very interested in this bike, but I've seen some things in several reviews that worry me, like if you take your hands off the handlebars the bike leans to the right (I know you shouldn't do this, it's dangerous). Any idea why this happens?

[@Jonathan-L]

The camber of the road causes that. If the bike is designed in a country where everyone drives on the left side of the road, then what will happen is the bike will want to pull to the right if you ride on the right hand side of the road.

[@iluvatar_78]

You're joking, right? I mean while riding on a flat road. I've ridden many bikes and none of them lean to one side when you let go of the handlebars, unless they have some mechanical problem. For example, the fork is out of alignment due to a blow.

[@pratikkagale6971]

Hi Abhinav can we get an insight on when are going to get tubeless rims from RE in INDIA.

[@abhinavbhatt]

No timeline yet.

[@pratikkagale6971]

​@@abhinavbhatt thank you

[@sanjaykumarguda8374]

Grear step up from 411. Still feels more top heavy than the 411. Also still too heavy. And quality in terms of pulling right. ..else great

[@vindiesel5466]

This bike is only $8990 in Australia. Alot of bike for that price, could be lighter, Side stand complaints, just get it lengthened wouldnt cost much

[@alidohorizonte]

Just wanted one so bad. Purchased a 400x instead (due to: not launched in my country yet =P).

[@jimmydickson8854]

Can the lead designer tell us when they will bring out a lowering kit for this bike so us short riders can reach the ground they are missing out on a lot of sales of this 450 especially in Asia ,I had to buy a another brand of bike

[@simonwalden131]

I’m 5’7” just about with a maximum 29” inside leg and it’s easily manageable for me. Can’t flat foot quite but can get the balls of both feet down.

[@ghumakad164]

I love your informative videos. I am facing a few problems with my Himalayan 450. I feel that you are the best person around to talk to. How can we connect?

[@abhinavbhatt]

Just ask here, please.

[@ghumakad164]

@@abhinavbhatt I'll share the problems in points. 1. There's a missing problem. Bike jerks back while accelerating. The company says it's due to reserve fuel as the fuel pump isn't getting enough fuel. The missing problem is more on ECO mode. 2. After the first service, the rear tyre has started making noise as if something is rubbing against a plastic part. 3. After the first service I drove it for 379 kms straight after which engine noise has changed alot. 4. Whenever I turn off my bike, there's a single knock sound as if someone got a stone on the engine. 5. If I am traveling with just a pillion, no luggage, the rear tyre rubs against the body even on small bumps. 6. Sometimes there's a loss of power. As if the bike is struggling for its life. I know it's a big query but kindly help me with this as the company is not helping me out with anything.

[@abhinavbhatt]

@ghumakad164 I am not an engineer nor an expert on any of these matters. You'll have to figure this out with the service centre. Sorry.

[@ghumakad164]

@@abhinavbhatt ok

[@tonnie_j]

Why does the bike feel heavy when its slightly off balance when im trying to lean sideways. There is no problem with honda transalp quite easy indeed which weighs more than himalayan

[@davidmallia628]

It leans so much on the side stand, it was so heavy to get upright, it put me off. My 1200 GS low suspension feels lighter, to get off the stand!

[@abhinavbhatt]

GS is amazing in the way it carries its weight down low. Nothing comes close to it.

[@eliut6855]

I just bought one, will arrive in december. I think this guys have right now what the Japanese had in the 60s (the only thing japanese designers have right now is arrogance)

[@jimmydickson8854]

I’m listening from Australia

[@xxxxavixxxx]

Anyone noticed a rally Himalayan 16:24

[@pyciar]

It's a pity there are no 2 versions: "18/21 standard" and "17/19 low"

[@abhinavbhatt]

Who knows they might do a Scrambler some day with a 19 front.

[@Jonathan-L]

Good point you make. They could have easily done what Suzuki did with the V-Strom 800; larger wire wheels for the DE version and smaller cast wheels for the RE version. C'mon Royal Enfield, you can do it!

[@aladinfox4098]

side stands are so easy to customise.

[@zweispurmopped]

16:47 Tongue in cheek Triumph-photobomb? 🤣

[@Jonathan-L]

If the wind changes, he might stay like that forever!

[@zweispurmopped]

@@Jonathan-L 🤣

[@santanuroy1993]

Loved it

[@relaxingnature2617]

the sidestand is terriffic on certain slopes , you dont need to find a perfect parking spot when in mountain terrain

[@Mustaqahmedmu]

Am i the only one to see better finish in the bike shown compared to my bike, specially on just back of engine head, i dont see wire exposed in the bike shown,

[@selfmy60]

Super ❤

[@stevencunningham4680]

Hey Steve , how about redesigning that big ugly bulbous fuel tank. That is by far the ugliest tank I've ever seen. There was nothing wrong with the old tank , it was plenty big.

[@tm-ew3vs]

Function over form😂

[@pabloitare]

🙌🏼

[@kingsleykronkk3925]

Air cleaner easy access and inspection was not on his list. And dont say that it couldnt be done.

[@relaxingnature2617]

cruise control is illegal in most countries

[@critterIMHO]

I’m not big on off-roading, but I’m really looking forward to the Guerrilla version of this bike.

[@kiranm25x]

Integrated brake light with indicator mounted to plastic part mud flap is pure pathetic design choice. I run Tail tidy on all my bikes, dedicated fixed single brake light on chassis would've been much better.