Can my Himalayan keep up with a KTM 690 Enduro off road? Of course not, but I got there in the end

Recording an off-road special for MCN’s YouTube channel presented a unique challenge: capturing two seasoned riders on focused KTM 690 Enduros tackling a slimy and flooded Salisbury Plain landscape. With a ‘film car’ out of the question, I had to think outside the box.

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• Update one: First impressions of the Himalayan 450
• Update two: Heading off-road with the Himalayan
• Update three: Is the 450 too modern for 411 purists?
• Update four: 3k-mile European road trip for the ‘Himmy’

I decided to repurpose my Himalayan 450, transforming it into a rugged off-road filming rig capable of handling the tough terrain ahead. The first major change? Swapping the road tyres for something with more grip.

However, with the relentless rain we’ve experienced in the UK, and Salisbury Plain’s particularly low-grip slimy-when-wet terrain, standard 50/50 tyres weren’t going to be up to the task. After exploring my options, I stumbled upon the new Mitas Trail Enduro XT+ Dakar – an 80/20 off-road/road tyre offering, and the most aggressive option available for the Himalayan.

Once the tyres were sorted, I strapped my Enfield up with all the camera gear needed for the shoot. As I hit the road, I was pleasantly surprised by the tyres’ performance on slick, wet tarmac. They grip well, almost with comparable composure to the Anakee Wilds I’d used before, which is impressive given that those are 50/50 tyres.

Our first trail was a flooded, muddy forest track – conditions that would test the limits of me and the bike. With the added weight of expensive film gear in my backpack, I felt a bit apprehensive.

The KTM 690s powered through, leaving me feeling outgunned. But, to my surprise, the deeper and more aggressive tread on my new tyres bit into the mud without clogging. The only downside was the amount of muck they threw up under the rear seat, which quickly turned into a messy problem.

After covering several miles with new-found confidence, we started to encounter deep ruts. This is where the Himalayan showed its limits. The pegs are too low and wide, meaning they were decking out and digging in. Despite the challenge, we pressed on and eventually reached our filming location – an epic hill climb that made for some stunning shots.

So, can the Himalayan compete with a dedicated enduro bike? Not quite, but with the right tyres, it can tackle challenging off-road terrain and instil confidence in relative off-road novices, like me. It’s no enduro bike – but it’ll get you where you need to go.