Confused between two 450 cc offerings from Royal Enfield? We help pick the right one for you.
While both the bikes are based on the same Sherpa 450 platform, the Himalayan is an adventure motorcycle (ADV), whereas the Guerrilla is a street-legal roadster.
The Guerrilla 450 has a 70 mm shorter wheelbase of 1,440 mm than the Himalayan, and suspension travel is 140 mm front and 150 mm rear, compared to the Himalayan's 200 mm suspension travel. Its ground clearance stands at 169 mm, while that of the ADV is 230 mm.
Both the Himalayan 450 and Guerrilla 450 get the same 452 cc, single-cylinder, liquid-cooled, DOHC engine that has the same state of tune, putting out 39.5 bhp and 40 Nm. The Sherpa 450 has familiar performance and character in both bikes, but the throttle modulation of the Guerrilla 450, coupled with its lighter weight, makes it feel more enthusiastic from the get-go.
The Guerrilla 450 feels urgent on opening the throttle, which makes it tempting to accelerate quickly from stop light to stop light, rather than cruise sedately. And the result of such riding habits is that it affects fuel consumption. In straight line performance through, it's the Guerrilla 450 which feels more spirited and eager, although the Himalayan is no slouch either and will hit triple digit speeds in no time, and without any effort.
It's between 4,500 rpm and 6,000 rpm that this 452 cc engine is the most responsive on both the motorcycles. That said it has some vibrations and mechanical clatter on both models.
The Guerrilla 450's ride quality is firm but it's not worrisome till the time you stick to smooth road surfaces. That said, over broken patches and potholes, you will notice that the Guerrilla 450 will make every bump and shock felt. On the other hand, the high-quality damping and turning of Himalayan's suspension offers unmatched performance over all kinds of surfaces. Any rough patch of tarmac is handled without a whimper by the himalayan.
Thanks to its lighter weight and shorter wheelbase, the Guerrilla 450 is an agile and fun bike, most suitable for short and playful rides in the city. On the flip side, the Himalayans superior comfort and ergonomics make it the one to pick for longer journeys. Although the Himalayan is capable on twisty roads, the extra 11 kg of weight does equal to more labour in moving it in traffic and a bit tough while parking it. When it comes to braking performance, both bikes are equally good, with the Himalayan having switchable rear ABS whereas the Guerrilla 450 offers confident shopping power despite its smaller front disc.
Although both the RE offerings have the same engine, the Guerrilla's lighter weight and smaller rear sprocket do offer it an advantage in fuel efficiency, although the real-world differences are marginal. The Guerrilla's engaging throttle and sharp dynamics translate to higher fuel consumption. avaraging 23 kmpl in city riding. the Himalayan, with its larger 17-litre tank and combined fuel economy of 26 kmpl, provides better range, meaning it is the ideal bike for longer rides.
Royal Enfield has priced the Guerrilla 450 between Rs 2.39 lakh and Rs 2.54 lakh, while the Himalayan 450's prices (for tubeless wheels) range from Rs 2.96 lakh to Rs 3.09 lakh (ex-showroom) .