Key highlights

• Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 Raid launch preponed to early 2026
• The project named ‘K1X’ has been fast-forwarded by the company
• The Raid variant will be an off-road-centric trim of the standard version bike

Royal Enfield is catching up on its delayed schedule because of the pandemic. One of the planned motorcycles included a Raid variant of the new Himalayan 450, which is essentially an off-road version. Now, its launch has been preponed to early 2026. Read below what exactly is the Raid variant.

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Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 Raid – what is it?

Since the Himalayan 450 has been introduced globally, it has picked pace really well. The chassis and Sherpa 450 engine combination is worthy for a hardcore off-road machine, which is exactly what Royal Enfield is developing. A project, known as K1X internally, is focused on the development of an off-road version of the regular Himalayan 450.

This variant will be potentially called ‘Raid’ and it is going to debut in early 2026. Earlier, the reports online suggested that it was planned for a launch in 2027. However, the plans seem to have changed internally and its launch date is now preponed.

The Himalayan Raid is being co-jointly developed by the Indian and UK R&D teams. In fact, Dakar Rally rider CS Santosh is also an essential part of the project K1X. The Raid variant will get a new long-travel suspension with full adjustability for compression and rebound on both ends.

Additionally, the cycle parts will be of superior quality. The front USD fork tubes are rumoured to be of a much bigger diameter for hardcore off-road riding. Moreover, it will use sturdy and lightweight spoke rims and knobby tyres for supreme off-road grip and performance.

However, the chassis and the engine are likely to remain unchanged on the Himalayan Raid. The Sherpa 450 engine is a powerful unit that is now popular for its strong mid-range punch. The 452cc liquid-cooled engine makes 39.5 bhp and 40 Nm of peak power and torque.

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Our verdict

The current Himalayan owners have the option to purchase a ‘Rally Kit’ that includes a single seat, rally tail section, and knuckle guards. However, the Raid variant will offer a complete off-road hardcore machine to customers looking for more than the standard bike.

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