Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 Rally Bike Spotted Testing

Quick Highlights

• The rally-ready Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 spotted in the 2024 Rally de Cuencas

• Indian rally racer, CS Santosh, was piloting the rally bike

• Royal Enfield’s plans for the 2026 Dakar Rally

Royal Enfield has entered the world of rallying with its participation in the 2024 Rally de Cuencas. After rumours proved to be true, Indian rally racer CS Santosh was piloting the modified rally-spec Himalayan 450 at the event. We’re glad to see that CS Santosh has finally made a commendable comeback in competitive rally racing after his horrific crash at the 2021 Dakar Rally.

Modifications on the Rally-Ready Royal Enfield Himalayan 450

The Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 has undergone a significant transformation to become rally-ready. While it retains key components like the fuel tank, engine, chassis, and headlight, a bunch of upgrades have been made to make the bike suited for rallying racing. Notably, the TFT instrument cluster has been replaced by a rally tower, which houses essential navigation equipment (like roadbook, trip-master, GPS) used during races. The suspension setup has also been swapped for a more robust system to better handle rough terrain. The bike now features a flat, one-piece seat that improves weight shifting while riding, offering greater control over the machine while riding off-road. Additionally, the tail section has been replaced with one from Royal Enfield's accessories catalogue. The most exciting upgrade is the rally-spec Akrapovic exhaust system, which promises to make the Sherpa engine sound even more thrilling. The rally bike appears to be in the early stages of development, but this is a promising effort from Royal Enfield. 

CS Santosh, Royal Enfield & Dakar Rally 

We reckon that Royal Enfield has its sights set on entering the mighty Dakar Rally in 2026. CS Santosh has been collaborating closely with Royal Enfield, playing a key role in developing and rigorously testing the Himalayan 450, a bike that’s become a go-to for many adventure enthusiasts. Leaving all things aside, CS Santosh's journey has been nothing short of inspirational and we wish him all the luck for the next chapter.