Royal Enfield Guerrilla 450 long-term review: Introduction

Naked roadster based on the Himalayan 450.
Powered by the 452cc water-cooled single-cylinder Sherpa engine.
TFT dash gives smartphone connectivity and Google Maps.

We’ve got our hands on the Royal Enfield Guerrilla 450 as the newest entrant to the BRM long-term fleet. While we have a few things planned and a couple of road trips to go on, let us first introduce you to the motorcycle itself.

Introduction

Royal Enfield launched the Guerrilla 450 late last year, and it made its debut in New Zealand and Australia soon after. Now, the Guerrilla is based on the Himalayan 450, a motorcycle we were mighty impressed with when we rode it in the mountains of India. And when the Guerrilla was announced, the internet was in a frenzy of excitement, given how impressive the Himi 450 was.

The Guerilla 450 was born out of Royal Enfield’s learnings from the Himalayan 411-based Scram 411. The latter was a stripped-down version of the ADV, with smaller wheels, lower seat height and fewer body panels. It was a purposeful motorcycle, nonetheless. But it did not seem to be a runaway hit for Royal Enfield…

Street-friendly Himalayan?

And that is where the Guerrilla 450 comes in. It isn’t just a Himalayan 450 on a cut. Instead, it is a ‘new’ motorcycle. The chassis and the engine are borrowed from the Himi 450, and there’s not much to complain about there. The 452cc, single-cylinder engine offers 39.47 bhp and 40Nm, which is also in the same state of tune as its adventure sibling. However, Royal Enfield has played around with the Guerrilla’s throttle response to make it feel more alive and in line with its scrambler character.

It also rides on different suspension, tyres and wheels, all of which are more road-focused. The motorcycle also has a relatively smaller wheelbase, lower seat height and is lighter too, making it a more accessible offering to a wide variety of riders. As for features, Royal Enfield has kept the list the same as the Himi 450. So, it comes with full-LED lighting, a colour TFT display with navigation (slightly different from the unit on the Himalayan) and dual-channel ABS.

Who is it for?

With the Guerrilla 450, Royal Enfield is targeting a vast variety of riders that would want to upgrade from their small capacity motorcycles, yet prefer something tame. With a low, 780mm seat height, the Guerrilla would be great for newer riders and for individuals between 5’3”- 6’’ tall. Although, due to its stature, anyone over would just be more comfortable on the Himalayan 450.

The Plan

Unlike most of our other long-termers, we are looking to ride the Royal Enfield Guerrilla 450 as our daily over the next few months. It comes at the right time as I commute to the University and to work regularly and step out on the weekend for short trips. But apart from that, we will also be using it for longer highway rides.

With that, we’ll also aim to tell you all about its comfort, usability, and enjoyment over the next few reports. Our plan also includes adding a few accessories that Royal Enfield offers and keeping you updated on how the Guerrilla performs and if it shows signs of wear. We will also make sure we attempt to stand up and slide around occasionally just like Guy Martin did with the Guerrilla. The man is a legend, and if this motorcycle gets me any close to looking like him on a bike, I am in!