Royal Enfield is the oldest continually produced motorcycle manufacturer in the world, but for many years its bikes lacked consistent updates, development, and refinement, making them antiquated and outdated compared to offerings from Europe and Japan. In 2018, Royal Enfield propelled itself into modern motorcycling with the release of the INT650 and Continental GT 650, the first two bikes with the P-platform 650cc twin engine. This platform has been massively successful for Royal Enfield and marks a new standard for the brand. Since then, we have seen many additions to the 650cc platform including the Super Meteor, Bear, and Classic. Now, after more than 100 years of manufacturing motorcycles, Royal Enfield developed its first liquid-cooled engine, the Sherpa 450. We got our hands on one and ran it on our in-house dyno for the first time..embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; }Originally debuted in the Himalayan 450, the Sherpa 450 is a 452cc DOHC four-valve liquid-cooled single-cylinder engine with fuel injection via a 42mm throttle body, a ride-by-wire system, and a six-speed transmission with a slip/assist clutch. Bore and stroke measurements are 84 x 81.5mm. The Himalayan 450 chassis consists of a Harris Performance–developed twin-spar tubular steel frame, a steel swingarm, Showa suspension offering 7.9 inches of travel, ByBre brakes, and 21-inch front, 17-inch rear spoked wheels. A 4-inch TFT display provides switchable ride modes, switchable rear ABS, smartphone connectivity, and navigation via Google Maps.

Before hitting our inhouse Dynojeet 250i dynamometer, the Himalayan 450 weighed 441 pounds on our automotive scales. On the Cycle World dyno, the 2024 Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 produced 37.44 hp at 7,700 rpm and 27.38 lb.-ft. of torque at 5,840 rpm. For reference, the 2022 Honda CB500X produced 42.6 hp at 8,400 rpm and 29.3 lb.-ft. of torque at 6,500 rpm. Like so many engines today, the Himalayan 450 has a very flat torque curve and linear power delivery making it flexible on and off-road. Whether you are pulling away from a stoplight or traversing a rocky pass, riders have access to usable power throughout the entire rev range.