It was the shock tree that satisfied me.
On a two-day trip from Mumbai to Vagator, Goa, there had been loads of alternatives to place the 2026 Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 Mana Black to the take a look at – too many, one would possibly argue – but it surely was on this second that I began to imagine the hype.
At a lunch cease, I had wandered off on my, down a bit of dust path that ran via a little bit of forest. Nothing massive or intelligent; some stones right here and there, some uneven bits, some little bumps. The path was slender, however even then nothing to check somebody of my restricted off-road capacity.
To my left and thru the bushes, about 20 metres away, I may see a sandy seaside, waves crashing on the shore, and the blue expanse of the Arabian Sea past. It was lovely. And distracting. I didn’t see the fallen tree till I used to be about 3 toes away.
2026 Royal Enfield 450 Mana Black
It wasn’t an enormous tree – in all probability solely about 8 inches in diameter – however sufficiently big. I’d have averted it in regular circumstances. There was no time for that now.
Within the limitless house of the thoughts, within the millisecond earlier than the entrance tyre made contact with the tree, I used to be capable of think about the way it was going to prove:
I’d lose the entrance finish. I’d fly over the handlebars. I’d hit the pine tree simply to my left. The bike would slam into me, breaking my femur. I’d lie in excruciating ache, honking the bike’s horn, till assist arrived. It could take not less than an hour to get to medical assist, being transported down bumpy roads. I’d wait one other hour in suffocating warmth to see a physician. I’d have a torturous flight house, with nothing however paracetamol and the fixed worry of DVT to distract me from the ache. Again house, I’d comply with up at my native hospital and so they’d inform me the leg had been set incorrect, that it wanted to be rebroken. I’d spend six months recovering. The entire expertise would weigh heavy on me, till I finally determined I used to be too afraid of crashing to work in moto-journalism. I’d find yourself promoting footwear. And by some means, inexplicably, I’d get deported.
“Duh-thib.”
2026 Royal Enfield 450 Mana Black
The Royal Enfield’s 21-inch tyre hit the tree and rolled over it, assisted by the bike’s Showa forks – non-adjustable however clearly constructed for this form of factor. The 17-inch rear adopted with out fuss. Not the slightest trace of drama. So little, in actual fact, that I needed to cease, get off the bike, stroll again to the fallen tree, and kick at it to be sure that it was actual.
It was, and I used to be offered.
Royal Enfield has made a bike that may do the issues that the corporate says it may do. Actually, it may do them time and again, as I’d study over the approaching days. No, it’s not an enduro machine by any stretch, however it’ll take abuse – greater than most customers will ever suppose to topic it to.
Right here’s what’s new
I spent 5 days in India with the 2026 Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 Mana Black. In all of the ways in which matter, it’s the similar Himalayan 450 that we already know and love.
2026 Royal Enfield 450 Mana Black
Identical liquid-cooled 452cc single-cylinder engine pumping out 40 bhp at 8000 rpm and 29.5 lb-ft of torque at 5500 rpm. Identical ByBre brakes gripping the identical 320mm single disc up entrance and 270mm disc on the rear. Identical CEAT tyres. Identical Showa suspension. Identical metal twin-spar body. Identical 196kg kerb weight. And so forth.
The Mana Black will get its identify from the Mana Cross. Situated within the Himalayas – which Royal Enfield describes as its ‘religious house’ – it is among the highest vehicle-accessible mountain passes on the planet. What’s totally different concerning the Mana Black from the remainder of the Himalayan 450 household is essentially aesthetic. Though there’s one addition that appears to alter the character of the bike.
So, right here’s what’s new. Firstly, the Mana Black will get spoked wheels that may accommodate tubeless tyres. Opinions will differ on whether or not tubed or tubeless tyres are proper for this sort of bike, however actually it’s good to have the choice.
Secondly, the handguards on the Mana Black are inventory. You must pay further if you need them on the usual Himalayan 450.
2026 Royal Enfield 450 Mana Black
Third, the so-called Black Rally rear mudguard has a special aesthetic than that of the usual bike and appears, not less than, prefer it would possibly do a greater job of retaining mud off the rider.
Subsequent, you get the Mana Black livery, which, between you and me, isn’t that spectacular. One in every of Royal Enfield’s strengths for me is the hassle that often goes into paintwork. The styling of the Mana Black, although, is a black tank with a sort of darkish camo decal. The issue right here is that Royal Enfield has set my expectations so excessive with its different machines. Have been this to return from virtually another producer, I wouldn’t care.
Lastly, and most noticeably, the Mana Black will get the Black Rally twin seat – a single unit that’s thinner and taller (860mm seat top, versus 825 mm) than the two-seat set-up on the usual Himalayan 450.
Right here’s what’s not new
One of many first issues I’d do as an proprietor is exchange the tyres. The Himalayan 450 Mana Black’s customary CEAT Gripp tyres are usually not terrible, however they’re equally removed from nice.
2026 Royal Enfield 450 Mana Black
Opposite to the identify, they lack grip (and really feel) on highway and off. They’re sturdy, I’ll give them that. However I’d a lot fairly have a pair of Michelins or Metzelers to assist enhance confidence – particularly in cornering.
In equity, I believe the tyres are usually not an instance of penny pinching on Royal Enfield’s half, fairly the knock-on impact of a protectionist Indian authorities. There’s an expectation and monetary incentive to make use of as many India-based parts as doable.
Thankfully, Showa has manufacturing services in India, so the bike’s suspension – non-adjustable 43mm the other way up fork up entrance, monoshock with adjustable pre-load on the again, with 200 mm of journey at each ends – is great. Individuals who wish to push arduous via corners will discover the suspension too delicate, however in case you’re the kind who desires to go nuts within the twisties, what the hell are you doing shopping for a 40bhp journey bike?
For on a regular basis on-road and not-too-challenging off-road use, the bike is ready up nicely. Certainly, the suspension is right for the UK’s oft-neglected highway surfaces. Councils not desirous to spend the cash to really repair their roads may simply provide subsidies on the acquisition of a brand new Himalayan 450.
2026 Royal Enfield 450 Mana Black
Additionally commendable is the standard of the bike’s brakes. Nicely, for essentially the most half. The discs that the ByBre calipers grip are a bit of bigger than you would possibly discover on opponents’ fashions (for instance, Kawasaki’s KLE500 comes with a 300mm entrance disc and 230mm rear), and, in keeping with Royal Enfield, that helps ship extra stopping energy.
Nonetheless, the Himalayan 450 Mana Black’s so-called “Efficiency ABS” system might be disappointing when the tempo picks up. It has a behavior of partially locking the rear tyre. Or, not less than, that’s what it seems like. Whereas with regular ABS, you are feeling pulsing when ABS engages, right here the engagement feels much less refined and too keen.
It kicks in at bizarre instances, like in that little “tap-tap” braking one does to settle a motorbike simply earlier than dropping right into a nook. You get a micro-moment of the rear tyre locking, hear the “skireeck” of rubber on the highway, and really feel the rear beginning to kick out. The micro-moment is simply lengthy sufficient so that you can react, to suppose, “Ah, hell, I’m in bother right here,” and go into old-school braking mode: on-off-on-off-on-off-on-off-on.
I’m prepared to just accept, although, that not all the blame for this problem falls on the ABS set-up. The bike’s CEAT tyres, and the questionable high quality of Indian roads – particularly within the warmth of the day – additionally performed their half. The actual rider, too. I requested others in the event that they have been experiencing the identical problem; a couple of stated, “Oh, yeah, I suppose it does kinda do this typically,” but it surely didn’t appear to trouble them as a lot because it bothered me.
2026 Royal Enfield 450 Mana Black
The ABS might be switched off, in the meantime. In hindsight, maybe I ought to have simply performed that.
Opposite to what you would possibly anticipate from a bike costing lower than £7,000, all the levers, pedals, and fixings are strong and durable. Mirrors work as they need to, and are usually not too buzzy, regardless of the presence of a single-cylinder engine.
The six-speed transmission, too, is slick and dependable. Although gearing is such that the entire present favours lower-speed driving. You’ll be inclined to click on into fourth gear at 30 mph. Glorious for off-road or metropolis work, much less nice for lengthy motorway hauls.
Know-how
The Himalayan 450 sprint consists of a 4-inch TFT display screen that may provide every kind of helpful information, in case you can determine tips on how to navigate the bike’s far-from-intuitive switches. There’s a button on the best grip, a joystick on the left, and also you just about have to be a Royal Enfield worker to know wherein order to press them.
2026 Royal Enfield 450 Mana Black
One of many key promoting factors is the bike’s Tripper characteristic, which works in partnership with a telephone app to ship a map to the bike’s TFT sprint. Numerous producers have this form of set-up and I despise all of them. There are just too many potential factors of failure, and I’ve by no means managed to get one in every of these setups to work correctly.
Royal Enfield will let you know that the system is straightforward and helpful, and I’ll concede that a number of Royal Enfield staff have been capable of get maps to work on the bikes they have been utilizing. My private expertise, nonetheless, is that the entire thing is a ball ache. After spending half-hour setting every little thing up, I discovered that the app simply crashed each time I attempted to make use of it. You might have a special expertise than I did.
Exterior of that, the sprint is evident and straightforward to learn even in brilliant daylight. Lighting entrance and rear is LED, and I can affirm, because of a number of night time rides, that the headlights throw an excellent unfold of sunshine – helpful in a rustic the place herds of buffalo wish to sleep on the highway.
What it’s wish to trip
Roughly 90 per cent of the Himalayan 450’s torque arrives under 3000 rpm. This implies it’s glorious for each city and off-road conditions, the place you usually need to have the ability to entry energy from a lifeless cease.
2026 Royal Enfield 450 Mana Black
Kerb weight is 196 kg, which, Royal Enfield is fast to level out, is inclusive of things like the middle stand, which different producers would possibly ignore of their claims. Regardless of the case, it feels lighter than that to me. The bike is supremely manageable – well-balanced and straightforward to muscle about.
Associated to that, the bike handles very well. Sure, the softness of the suspension means you gained’t be hooning via canyons at extra-legal speeds, however at normal-person tempo, the bike is planted and confidence inspiring.
Under 60 mph, the Himalayan 450 is among the general greatest bikes I’ve ridden shortly. Even with its typically annoying ABS. Above that pace, the chassis continues to be planted and manageable, however the limitations of a 452cc single-cylinder engine begin to present themselves.
The bike has sufficient oomph to earn you a right away driving ban on a British motorway (ie, travelling greater than 20 mph over the pace restrict), however you’ll need to place a bit of effort into incomes that ban. It’s not one thing that’s going to sneak up on you.
2026 Royal Enfield 450 Mana Black
Associated to that, there’s sufficient energy to carry motorway pace all day lengthy – even uphill – however there’s a good bit of buzzing via the bars. Spend an hour or two travelling by twin carriageway and while you cease, you’ll be clapping your palms collectively to get feeling again into them.
You may additionally be rubbing your bottom in case you’re driving the Mana Black version.
One of many issues that individuals liked concerning the Himalayan 450 when it first got here out was its consolation. In Toad’s evaluate of the 2024 bike, he mentions this a number of instances. The Mana Black’s rally-style seat, nonetheless, was met with blended response by the riders I used to be with.
Taller, narrower, and firmer than the usual Himalayan’s butt perch, the Mana Black’s seat didn’t trouble me, but it surely was the supply of intense complaints from others. Exterior of that, nonetheless, everybody agreed that the ergonomics of the bike have been glorious.
2026 Royal Enfield 450 Mana Black
Straightforward to work on
Below the seat of the Himalayan 450 you’ll discover a toolroll containing all of the instruments that you must perform common upkeep on the bike – all the best way right down to a fuse puller. It’s there as a part of Royal Enfield’s declare that the Himalayan 450 is designed to be straightforward to work on roadside, that it’s constructed to go world wide just about out of the field.
At lunch someday, I made a decision to place this declare to the take a look at.
“The air filter’s beneath the tank, proper?” I requested one in every of Royal Enfield’s crew. “Thoughts if I take away the tank, simply to see how straightforward it’s?”
Usually, that is the form of query that may ship a PR individual right into a shouty, hand-swatting panic. Royal Enfield’s man, nonetheless, was nonplussed: “If you wish to stand out right here within the solar doing that, go forward.”
2026 Royal Enfield 450 Mana Black
It took me lower than 5 minutes to get to the air filter. That’s having by no means labored on a Himalayan 450 earlier than. The engine was sizzling – so I didn’t attempt – however accessing the sump plug and oil filter would have taken even much less effort. So, there’s your primary service (which Royal Enfield says ought to come each 6,000 miles) sorted in much less time than it takes to cook dinner a frozen pizza.
No fiddly bits. No eradicating of fairing. Straightforward-peasy, and roughly £70 in labour charges saved. I‘m certain your native Royal Enfield dealership would like that I hadn’t simply instructed you that.
Verdict
The Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 Mana Black isn’t excellent, however no bike is. And all of its positives, and its enticing worth level, are greater than sufficient to encourage you to miss the weaker factors.
It wouldn’t be my first alternative for a monitor day, nor an all-motorway journey to Austria. However as an on a regular basis takes-abuse commuting all-rounder? Positively. Solo touring on the slender, damaged roads of the Scottish Highlands? Preferrred. Gentle green-laning? No downside (though, I’d exchange the inventory plastic bash plate with one thing extra strong). Bimbling exploration of native lanes and B roads? Good.
2026 Royal Enfield 450 Mana Black
At £6,400, the Mana Black isn’t essentially the most inexpensive in its class. However it’s not outrageous. The equally specced Kawasaki KLE500 SE, for instance, is ready to return in at £6,599.
And in case you’re not a fan of the look or really feel of the Mana Black’s rally seat, you will get the Mana Black’s different stand-out characteristic – tubeless tyres – for rather less. Tubeless tyres can be found on any ‘customary’ Himalayan 450 for as little as £6,250.
All in all, I’d argue that the bike is value what Royal Enfield is asking for it. Certainly, it’s a bike that has stunned me, which is one thing that Royal Enfield appears to do usually.
Irrespective of what number of instances I encounter Royal Enfield bikes, I nonetheless discover their worth for cash to be spectacular. Positive, it’s possible you’ll have to be a bit of extra liberal in your use of ACF-50, however on the entire, the corporate delivers well-made, fascinating bikes – bikes you need to maintain on to for years – at inexpensive costs.
The identical factor has occurred right here with the Himalayan 450 Mana Black. It is much better than I used to be anticipating. And you’ll trip it over a fallen tree.
2026 Royal Enfield 450 Mana Black
2026 Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 Mana Black specs
|
PRICE |
£6,599 |
|
ENGINE |
452cc liquid-cooled single cylinder, DOHC |
|
POWER |
40 bhp at 8000 rpm |
|
TORQUE |
29.5 lb-ft at 5500 rpm |
|
SEAT HEIGHT |
860 mm |
|
FUEL CAPACITY |
17 litres |
|
KERB WEIGHT |
196 kg |
|
TYRES |
Entrance: 90/90 21-inch Rear: 140.80 17-inch |
|
BRAKES |
Entrance: 320mm single disc, double piston ByBre caliper Rear: 270mm disc, single piston ByBre caliper |
|
SUSPENSION |
Entrance: 43mm The other way up fork Rear: Linkage-type mono shock with adjustable preload |
