Royal Enfield’s Himalayan, originally carburetted, was converted into a fuel-injected bike to comply with BS-IV norms, but the time taken for the process of garnering all the required governmental approvals has seen a suspension in deliveries since April. Now, however, the fuel-injected, BS-IV compliant version seems ready for launch.
Spy pictures on the internet confirm the presence of a fuel-injected Himalayan at a dealership in Kerala. There are no visual changes apart from a blackened handlebar clamp and fuel lid. Of course, it does sport the tell-tale signs of the fuel-injection system such as the distinct lack of a carburettor and the presence of an O2 sensor. The pictures indicate that the bike is all set for an imminent launch. In fact, one of our dealer sources confirmed that deliveries of the bike will begin around mid-August.
The addition of FI, however, changes nothing in the engine’s specifications, with the 411cc, single-cylinder, oil-and-air-cooled unit putting out the same 24.5hp at 6,500rpm and a peak torque of 32Nm at 4,250rpm. The five-speed gearbox too stays unchanged. No word on pricing just yet, but expect a slight increase over the erstwhile carburetted model.