Image gallery: Royal Enfield Himalayan vs KTM 200 Duke vs Mahindra Mojo
OVERDRIVE is currently the sole magazine to have access to a Royal Enfield Himalayan for testing and we thought the standalone test was not enough. The KTM 200 Duke is a well-entrenched player in the premium segment space and at Rs Rs 1.6 lakh on-road Mumbai, it's just Rs 15,000 less than the Royal Enfield Himalayan. Roughly Rs 10,000 more than the Himalayan is the Mahindra Mojo, the only motorcycle in India to be billed as a tourer until the Rs 1.79 lakh Royal Enfield showed up. Here's how the Himalayan fared.
What a beauty! The KTM 200 Duke is connected, grippy and responsive. It is also a bit hyper-active. It likes being ridden with skill and commitment and we love that - and many people don't
The KTM 200 Duke hasn't changed significantly since it arrived but the new 2016 model fixes the weakest link - the brakes
The Mahindra Mojo has some pretty fancy aggregates. The tyres are from Pirelly, there are upside down forks, twin exhausts and Spanish-sourced brakes
The Royal Enfield Himalayan's screen seems to promise adjustability - see the second hole at the rear mount. But it doesn't really add any serious value. The bike isn't fast enough for windblast to be an issue and the screen interrupts your view of the road in slow or technical going.
The 2016 KTM 200 Duke and the Mahindra Mojo couldn't be more different. The Mojo is laid back and the KTM is hyperactive
The Royal Enfield Himalayan's instruments pack a lot of information. The speedo is heavily market but that digital readout underneath is easy to get used to. The hazard switch, though, it should be near the rider's thumb. The compass is poorly executed and more or less entirely without utility
The Royal Enfield LS410 is all-new and has a 2-valve SOHC head as well as a counterbalancer. Vibration is well controlled to 5,500rpm. Peak power is 24.5PS at 6,500rpm and peak torque is 32Nm between 4,000 and 4,500rpm
The KTM 200 Duke's engine makes 25.8PS and 19Nm, not the highest numbers of this test. But the weight - 44kg lighter than the Mojo and the Himalayan - gives it an amazing turn of speed.
The KTM 200 Duke's all-digital instruments take some getting used to but they're packed with information and not as hard to read you initially think
The Mahindra Mojo's ergonomics are comfortable but the seat is really soft which works for short trips but can be extremely painful on long ones. The engine is amazing in how effortless it feels, especially in its robust mid-range.
The KTM 200 Duke's a compact, small motorcycle. Tall riders - like Rishaad here - will find it cramped, especially once luggage is mounted.
Cornering the Mahndra Mojo is interesting. The Pirelli Diablo Rosso IIs have excellent grip and they make up for any issues the Mojo's chassis might have. It doesn't feel like a normal bike in some ways and we recommend a long test ride before you settle on a Mojo for this very reason. Note the heat shields are scraping in his photo but the peg feelers are still up in the air
What a test! We've been waiting to see how the Royal Enfield Himalayan handles company. The Mojo is Rs 10,000 more expensive and the KTM 200 Duke is Rs 15,000 less
Cornering on the Royal Enfield Himalayan is effortless. The Ceat Gripp XL tyres work better off-road and on broken roads through. You have to learn to trust them - tall suspension robs you of contact patch feel
Each of the three motorcycles here can be ridden far and wide and in the city. That's great. They all have completely different flavours, that's even better
The Royal Enfield Himalayan has exceptional suspension travel in this company and it knows how to use it. Landing jumps big and small doesn't bottom the bike out and it feels controlled and happy doing this
Looks right, no? The Royal Enfield Himalayan was designed to be off-road capable and it is.
The little frame at th front of the tank carries the weight of the headlight and instruments. It's a clever re-interpretation of the half-fairing that makes steering effort significantly lower. Smart!
We really found the Royal Enfield Himalayan's little wire rack at the back useful, especially when riding two up with bags. There does need to be a load rating on it though
All the three bikes offer persuasive reasons to buy them at their sub Rs 2 lakh price points
All the three bikes offer persuasive reasons to buy them at their sub Rs 2 lakh price points
The Royal Enfield Himalayan really is at home off-road. The suspension offers feedback, the tyres grip and the motorcycle is effortless and unflappable. Very confidence inspiring, even for new riders
The straight-line performance of three really, really different machines will shock you. They're all much closer to each other than you think
If we were to put Ashok pillion with Rishaad here, the KTM would, finally, weigh the same (approximately) as the Himalayan.
In the city, the Royal Enfield Himalayan can be hustled once you learn to ride its torque but the KTM is just insanely good at it
The Mahindra Mojo and the Royal Enfield Himalayan weigh an identical - and incredible - 182kg. That's 1kg less than the 675cc Triumph
In terms of comfort, the Himalayan leads from the front on long rides. It's upright, easy and comfy. The KTM comes close but the hard seat needs acclimatisation and the ride is notably stiff. The Mojo's ride isn't a problem but the soft seat is.
Out on the highway, the KTM runs the highest revs at any speed but it bothers the rider more than it troubles the motorcycle. The Mojo will cruiser as high as 115kmph without strain. The Himalayan is an odd one. It's extremely happy from 80 to 105kmph in cruise but accelerating hard produces transient noise and vibration
The KTM 200 Duke has the most coherent design. It's a sharp, light street bike and that is what it looks like. The Mahindra Mojo's got presence but there are too many unresolved elements in the design. The Himalayan has an industrial elegance that is manages without subscribing to any established styling ideas for adventure toures
Between the two, the KTM has the performance chops but the Mojo has a terrific engine too. No comparison in the corners - the KTM is vastly better.
There is a simple, straightforward appeal to the lines of the Royal Enfield Himalayan. Simple panels and design fit in perfectly with the brand's image