The humble mule.

*8 years on, the Himalayan still shines on commutes, trails or tours- take your pick.*

On June 16th, 2024, my Himalayan 411, BS3, turned eight years old, standing tall and silent in its meagre parking lot. To celebrate, I took it out for a wash and some TLC while I mused upon the time we’ve spent together. With around 40000 kms on the odometer, and miles of happy, incredible memories, the humble Himalayan has earned a special place in my heart. It’s the longest I’ve ever owned one motorcycle, and I can’t seem to see this ownership coming to an end anytime soon.

This year though, I had also pledged to buy my next middleweight adventure motorcycle, something that I’ve been dreaming and raving about for years. My friends would say, I’ve got a handy list of options but I take forever to decide, and that’s true to an extent. The fact of the matter, is my realisation that the little Himmy has set a high benchmark for the motorcycle that would fill its shoes. In its recent lightweight avatar, with a beautifully maintained, single cylinder, long stroke motor offering loads of grunt and character, excellent ergonomics, and an extremely friendly ride, the Himmy is hard to beat.

It will happily take on a slow, gnarly trail or a full fledged cross country tour with equal abandon. Moreover, it’s one of the simplest motorcycles to own and work on if you have a DIY frame of mind. Eight years of tinkering and perfecting things on the bike, have led to creating what I believe is the quintessential motorcycle. To quote Siddharth Lal, the CEO of Royal Enfield, when he launched the Himalayan, “the only motorcycle you will ever need!”

*Lightweight, fast and nimble. In my opinion, this is how Royal Enfield ought to have made this bike.*

*I now deliberately don’t carry hard luggage. Been there, done that. When it comes to weight, reduce, reduce, reduce!*

But needs be must, and aspirations be calmed. As I get older, I crave that meaty twin cylinder character. I crave all day comfort and the assurance of tubeless tyres. On the very same day, to ensure this year did not slip by, I went ahead and booked myself a new motorcycle. How this beautiful stallion stacks up against my ageing work horse, remains to be seen. Will it replace the Himmy eventually? I shudder to think of the day. How do you let go such an essential, long time companion? I’ve compartmentalised that question for some time now, until lack of parking space or maintenance expenses for two motorcycles become too much to bear. Until then, will keep scrambling up that hill. Bring it on!