Massive Price Hike For Royal Enfield Himalayan 450's Tubeless Spoke Wheels!
In a shocking move, Royal Enfield has increased the prices of the tubeless spoke wheels (also known as Cross-spoke wheels) for the Himalayan. These used to cost Rs 12,424 for a pair, when bought as accessories. However, if the user chooses to spec his vehicle with these, at the time of purchase and through the RE configurator, the cost would be just Rs 11,000. Royal Enfield is, however, offering a price protection for buyers who had bought the Himalayan before the debut of cross-spokes.
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The latest price revisions apply primarily to the existing Himalayan owners who are on the lookout for these. They will now have to shell out Rs 40,645 for a pair- an increase of over 300 per cent! This also means that existing buyers who plan to buy tubeless spoke rims will now have to spend roughly 10 per cent of the bike's on-road price on the same! This would be a hard pass for many.
New bike buyers, however, will continue to get these wheels for Rs 11,000 a pair. The Himalayan 450 is one of the most affordable motorcycles in India to feature cross-spoke wheels- a fact that is highly appreciated by most motorcyclists.
Royal Enfield Cross-Spoke Wheels Price Revision: The Larger Picture
Royal Enfield launched the tubeless spoke wheels in September last year, and these started reaching dealerships by October. It was announced that new bike owners will only have to pay Rs 11, 000 for these while existing ones will have to spend Rs 12,424. The 1,424 rupees premium was bearable for most people and added much value to the product. The price point was so aggressive that it even undercut many tubeless-conversion kits.
The revised pricing would take cross-spoke wheels off the lists of many existing Himalayan 450 owners. Royal Enfield is yet to respond on if they would keep the prices unchanged on bundling these with the bike or will revise them as well.
Now, cross-spoke wheels for the Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 come in three colours- Black, Black Olive and Gold. All these have the same prices. These would suit the various colourways of the motorcycle itself. Royal Enfield offers five colour schemes on the Himalayan 450 - Kaza Brown, Slate Himalayan Salt, Slate Poppy Blue, Kamet White, and Hanley Black.
Why Cross-Spoke Wheels Are A Good Idea For The Himalayan 450?
The Himalayan 450 is known for its adventure/ dual-sport nature. Many of its owners take it on off-road journeys. The motorcycle has a capable powertrain, well-engineered chassis and an excellent suspension that has a dual nature to it- it shines on road runs and on off-road adventures.
The stock bike, however, comes with tubed wire-spoked wheels- 21-inch at the front and 17-inch at the rear. These are more cumbersome to fix than tubeless wheels, in case of punctures. Cross-Spoke wheels (tubeless spoke wheels) on the other hand, wrap the tyres around the wheels without the need for a tube.
The above process is definitely more complex than wrapping the rubber on alloy wheels. The advantage, however, is that in case of a puncture, repairs can be done using a patch or puncture repair kit. One wouldn't need to take the entire assembly or tube out for repairs.
Spoke wheels can absorb impacts better and are more flexible. They can bend and flex under stress in scenarios where some alloy wheels could crack or break completely. They are thus durable, repairable and more suited for off-roaders and adventure bikes like the Himalayan.
Himalayan 450 Specifications And Price
The Himalayan now has its ex-showroom prices in the range of 2.85 to 2.98 lakh rupees. It is powered by a 452cc liquid-cooled single-cylinder engine that makes 40 hp and 40 Nm of torque and comes mated to a six-speed gearbox. It sits on a steel twin-spar frame and has inverted Showa cartridge forks at the front and a monoshock at the rear, in suspension. Both wheels get disc brakes as well.
Source: Autocar