Himalayan 450 Chassis Breakage: Royal Enfield Reveals Reason Why This Happened
As many motorcycle enthusiasts may be aware, in the last few weeks, the Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 has come under the radar following two instances of chassis failures. These chassis failure issues plagued two Himalayan 450s. Now, addressing the concerns around these failures, Royal Enfield has explained what happened. It has stated that these chassis failures took place due to the use of aftermarket crash guards and incorrect bolt torque settings.
Analysis of these chassis failures
The Himalayan 450, as we all know, is the successor to the Himalayan 411. It features a design where the engine serves as an integral, stressed member of the frame. The company stated that this configuration requires precise engineering and adherence to specific torque settings.
Royal Enfield’s technical team has explained that adherence is primarily for the bolts that connect the engine to the frame. The company added that deviations from these specifications, more particularly when installing aftermarket parts, can result in abnormal stresses on the chassis.
Role of Aftermarket Crash Guards
The Chennai-based bike maker, with its investigation of the chassis failures of the bikes, has identified that in both instances they were equipped with aftermarket crash guards. It added that unlike the company’s Genuine Motorcycle Accessories (GMA), these aftermarket guards often come with bolts that do not match the precise specifications required for the Himalayan 450’s chassis.
Royal Enfield highlighted that the engine is mounted to the tubular steel main frame at three critical points. Two of the points are located at the top on either side of the engine head and one at the bottom. It added that specialized, load-bearing bolts and spacers are used in these connections. It added that the correct torque settings are maintained over the long term.
Results of Incorrect Bolt Use and Torque Settings
The investigation from the brand found that bolts used in the aftermarket crash guards do not meet the required specifications. This, coupled with incorrect torque settings, resulted in chassis failures. Royal Enfield also mentioned that simulation tests have demonstrated that improper torque can cause significant stress over time, ultimately resulting in chassis failure.
Recent Incidents
For those who may not be aware, the first reported incident occurred in Bengaluru. In this, the owner experienced a chassis break after riding over a rumble strip. The customer stated that the motorcycle, which was less than six months old, suffered a failure near the subframe mount in the main frame.
In addition to the above incident, the second one took place in Tamil Nadu. In this case, another Himalayan 450’s chassis snapped in a similar manner. It was noted that both of these chassis failures occurred at nearly the same location on the frame. This then suggested that there is a potential weak point that breaks due to wrong aftermarket accessories.
Royal Enfield Himalayan 450: Specifications and Features
The Himalayan 450, as stated, is the brand’s adventure tourer, powered by a new 452cc single-cylinder, DOHC, 4-valve engine. This motor has been named the Sherpa. This engine marks Royal Enfield’s first liquid-cooled unit.
It produces 40 bhp of maximum power and 40 Nm of peak torque. This motor comes powered with a 6-speed wet clutch with slip and assist. Despite the recent issues, the Himalayan 450 remains a popular choice for adventure touring.