Royal Enfield Guerrilla 450 Long Term Review: Introduction

The Royal Enfield Guerrilla 450 was launched in the Indian market just at the onset of festive season last year. It is the second motorcycle to run on the new Sherpa 450 engine which also powers the new and now successful Himalayan 450. The Roadster is lighter, more affordable and more accessible when compared to the Himalayan which means it appeals to larger section of riders. Recently the motorcycle joined the car&bike garage and here's how our first few weeks have been with it.
 

The Roadster segment is fast catching up with others in the Indian motorcycle space. Bikes here come across as multi purpose and can be used both for everyday commutes as well as weekend rides. A lot of it has to do with their design and how ergonomic is it to spend time with. With a 780 mm seat height and a weight of 185 kg, Guerrilla is a bike that's easy to handle even before it starts moving. Combine that with a small 11-litre fuel tank and shorter (than Himalayan) wheelbase of 1440 mm, the Guerrilla comes across as unique offering in the long RE lineup. 
 

What we have with us is the mid-spec Dash variant of the bike finished in Playa Black. This colour option is also available in the base Analogue variant and makes the bike look quite premium. The single-pod full digital cluster here gets Google Maps integration and is visible even in bright sunshine. We plan to put it to good use over in times to come.  
 

Wider profile of tubeless tyres with bespoke tread pattern are attributes that promise to work well for a motorcycle that has to be primarily used in the urban chaos. Ground clearance of 169 mm is sufficient too and the bike is able to take on the speed breakers without any trouble. However what is desired is a lesser turning circle, something that could come in handy while squeezing through narrow gaps in traffic laden roads. Despite that the motorcycle is easy to maneuver which is an advantage.
 

The Sherpa 450 cc engine has good power and torque in almost the entire range. Close to 40 bhp @ 8.000 rpm and 40 Nm at 5,500 provides the much needed push and with 85 percent torque available from 3,000 rpm, Guerrilla seems ready to prove its worth as a bike that doesn't disappoint either in the City or on the Highway. During his first ride review, Preetam felt at triple digit speeds, the vibes were quite evident so that is something I'll be keenly watching out for. While claimed fuel efficiency is approximately 30 kmpl, in the real world usage we were able to generate around 25 kmpl.
 

With a slightly longer gearing when when compared to the Himalayan, downshifting at the right time more so in the lower band is key to a fun ride, something I've realised while being on the saddle till now. The 43 mm telescopic front forks are doing their job well and suspension travel, though seemingly short on paper with 140 mm at front and 150 mm on rear, feels adequate. Just as we experienced during the media ride in Spain, the ride is a bit stiff but we will clock many more miles before giving you a final verdict on that.
 

The Delhi winter has ensured that we have not spent as much time with the Guerrilla 450 as I would've liked. However the aim is to more than make up for that in the weeks to come as the weather opens up. So far there's little to complain about the bike but stay tuned as we get you more details in the following weeks. A face-to-face battle with its sibling, the Himalayan 450 is on the anvil so watch out for that too.