Royal Enfield Guerrilla 450 Apex Review - The Hooligan of the lineup

For 2026, the Guerrilla 450 gets a handful of updates. The Analogue variant has been discontinued, the CEAT Grip XL tyres have been revised to offer 8 percent more dry grip and 17 percent more wet grip, and there’s a new Twilight Blue colour of the Dash variant that comes with a headlight grille and handguards. The new Apex variant is built with a sportier intent with some of the main updates being road-biased tyres and a new handlebar. We rode the bike in Assam, first on a go-kart track, followed by a 140km round trip to Umiam Lake the next day and here is what we think about this new variant.

Guerrilla 450 Apex Design and Ergonomics - 8/10

The Apex variant distinguishes itself with a cowl on top of the headlight, another one over the pillion seat, and road-biased Vredestein Centauro ST+ tyres. It also gets an aluminium handlebar compared to the steel handlebar on the other variants and this unit has been positioned 56mm lower and 57mm ahead to put you in a sportier stance. The footpegs are in the same position but there is a reach to the handlebar and allows you to put some weight on the front for more spirited riding. 

The standard model will still offer more comfort as it keeps you sitting more upright but this was a nice position for carving up the track and twisty roads we were on. Another small detail on the Apex is the missing fork gaiters which are seen on the other variants. The Apex is offered in three colour options including Red, Black, and Green, of which Black and Green are dual-tone schemes.

Guerrilla 450 Apex Performance and Refinement - 8/10

On paper, nothing has changed. Same power and torque. But the throttle maps have been reworked, and that has made a noticeable difference. The earlier bike had a slightly snatchy response just past 3000rpm, which could catch you off guard, especially if you were new to it. That’s now been cleaned up. The power delivery is more linear and easier to manage. It doesn’t feel any slower, just more sorted and predictable. The riding modes have also been renamed from Eco and Performance to Street and Sport, and importantly, it retains the last selected mode on every ignition cycle.

Guerrilla 450 Apex Ride Comfort and Handling - 8/10

The suspension remains the same with a telescopic fork and a monoshock. There’s still no USD fork and that is a missed opportunity, as it would have further enhanced the appeal of this sportier model. This current setup remains on the stiffer side and good for aggressive riding, but not for bad roads as you have to slow down for every pothole or speedbreaker in your way.  

The Vredestein Centauro ST+ tyres on the bike are in the same sizes as the Grip XL: a 120/70 front and a 160/60 rear, but with a rounder profile. Throughout my time spent with the bike, they offered really good grip levels. On track, they were seriously impressive. I was able to tip the bike into corners quicker, and they just held on. Even at full lean, there’s a lot of confidence from the front and rear. Out on the road, that grip translates well, and the bike also feels quicker when changing direction compared to what I remember with the CEATs. A 110/70 and 150/60 combo would have probably made it even more agile, but I guess Royal Enfield wants you to have the fattest tyre combo in the segment and the bragging rights that come with it.

Guerrilla 450 Apex Features and Safety - 8/10

The Tripper Dash sees some meaningful updates. Earlier, using Google Maps required your phone screen to stay on, which wasn’t ideal for battery life. Now, Android users can turn the screen off and still use navigation, but this isn’t yet possible for iPhone users. There’s also support for GPX files, which means you can load routes directly onto the display. This is a genuinely useful feature if you’re going to be touring in areas with patchy network coverage. The bike misses out on traction control but in all fairness, the grip levels offered by the Vredestein tyres are really good. Additionally, the seat cowl can be removed for a pillion with an Allen key.

Guerrilla 450 Apex Price and Verdict - 8/10

I genuinely enjoyed my time spent with the Apex variant of the Guerrilla 450. The bike is much more engaging to ride with the new tyres, sportier riding position, and updated throttle maps. We did not get a chance to ride the variant with the updated CEAT tyres, so that will have to wait for now. The way I see it, get a Himalayan if you want a comfortable do-it-all bike, and pick the Apex variant of the Guerrilla 450 if you want a city and twisty road hooligan. With an introductory price of Rs 2.49 lakh (ex-showroom), the Guerrilla 450 Apex is currently a really a good deal considering that bikes above 400cc now attract a 40% GST.