Spotted! Fresh photos show mid-sized Royal Enfield Himalayan 650 adventure twin in development

Royal Enfield look set to be gearing up for the arrival of a larger new Himalayan 650 adventure bike, powered by the firm’s tried and tested 648cc parallel twin engine.

Already used within six bikes in the Indian company’s range, including the Shotgun, Super Meteor, and Classic 650, it already meets stricter Euro5+ emissions regulations, and would likely arrive in a larger Himmy producing the A2 licence capping 47bhp.

Spotted by a keen photographer in southern Europe, this new development bike looks almost production ready – wearing its indicators, mirrors, and number plate bracketry in what appears to be homologation specification.

• Related: Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 review

Being an Enfield test model, there’s also the signature sari guard over the rear wheel mounted to the new swingarm, with the engine casings and architecture clearly recognisable as based on the brand’s existing air/oil-cooled design.

Great expectations

We’ve been anticipating the arrival of a larger capacity Himalayan for some time now, with Enfield’s own Chief of Design, Mark Wells admitting to MCN last year that the demand for a larger twin-cylinder adventurer is there.

“There’s absolutely no doubt – and I’m not saying anything I shouldn’t here – in that it’s the most asked for product,” Wells said.

“I quite regularly say to people in conversation – especially journalists – what do you think we should do next? And nine times out of 10 that’s what people say.”

Further suspicions were aroused at the 2024 Goodwood Festival of Speed, when the firm’s inhouse custom department teamed up with artist David Gwyther of Death Spray Custom to produce a special twin-cylinder adventure build, bored out to an 850.

What we know so far

The proportions of the new development model appear to make it more of a comfortable travel bike, than a dedicated off-road explorer. If it was to be a dedicated trail explorer, it would have to buck the trend of past 650s and shed a few kilos, with the recent Classic 650 roadster naked weighing a claimed 243kg with 90% of its fuel onboard.

Elsewhere, there looks to be a new chassis, with a long fixed subframe holding a generous pillion provision and luggage mountings in place.

There’s also a deep, padded riders’ seat to make it accessible to many different leg lengths (which could well be height adjustable), and it runs a 19in front and 17in spoked rear wheel, rather than a larger 21in front – suggesting this is not all about heading off the beaten track.

Should you wish to venture off-road though, there is a hefty metal bash plate fitted stretching back as far as the side and centre stands.  You also get a single high-mounted exhaust can on the right, flowing out from under the engine.

Much like the recently released Guerrilla 450 naked, there’s no main rear light either, with everything placed within the indicators. The images also look to show a new central squared TFT dash, however this could still be a development unit ahead of the finished bike.

New bodywork

Sticking with styling choices, the half fairing and rounded headlight hold more than a passing resemblance to Husqvarna’s Norden 901 adventure bike, with the chunky front mudguard also shrouding the base of the bike’s upside-down forks.

The stanchions appear to be fully adjustable – with clickers at the top and bottom, with the rear shock also likely to have some wiggle room. MCN approached Royal Enfield about the photographs, however they declined to comment.

Related: Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 long-term review