Thinking of trading my V-Strom 650XT for the new Himalayan 450 – need your thoughts!

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FreeAgent

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Hey folks,
New guy here on the forum 👋 I’m in my fifties and only got my motorcycle license about a year and a half ago. Since then I’ve been absolutely hooked — put just over 30,000 km on my 2024 Suzuki V-Strom 650XT already. It’s been a fantastic all-rounder: smooth, reliable, comfy for long rides, and great on pavement.

That said… I’ve always had the itch to explore off-road a bit more. Nothing crazy, just the lighter stuff — gravel, forest service roads, maybe some Backcountry Discovery Routes (BDR) next season. The problem is, every time I think about taking the V-Strom into the rough, I remember how heavy it feels when things get loose. Dropping it solo on a rocky trail doesn’t sound fun. 😅

So now I’m seriously considering trading it for the new Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 (2026 model). From what I’ve seen and read, it looks like a much more manageable package off-road — lighter, simpler, and that new Sherpa 450 engine seems pretty solid.

Before I make the jump, I wanted to hear from folks who’ve been there:
  • Has anyone here moved from a midweight ADV like the V-Strom to the Himalayan 450 (or something similar)?
  • How’s the Himalayan on longer highway stretches — still comfortable enough for a few hours at 100–110 km/h?
  • Any concerns about reliability or long-distance touring with the RE?

I know the V-Strom is a “forever bike” for many, and honestly, it’s been great to me. But I’m wondering if a lighter dual-sport might better match where I want to go next with my riding.

Appreciate any input or first-hand experiences — especially from other riders who came to this later in life and are figuring out the balance between comfort, weight, and capability.

Ride safe everyone!
 
I've ridden a V-Strom 650 for a season, but haven't ridden the new Himmie 450 yet, but it's on my test-ride list. Rode the outgoing version (411), it's a right old POS, quality-wise and handling-wise IMO. Heard good things about the 450, but most of it is from the moto press and they've been known to be paid shills.

On paper and depending on the source, it's about 25-35 lbs lighter than the V-Strom 650XT. May not seem like a lot and the question is, is it worth the $$$ to switch for that little weight loss and give up the smoothness of the Strom's twin-cylinder engine for a vibey thumper, especially for the paved sections of your ride? It really depends on where the weight is, whether it's high (bad) or low (better). Not only does that affect maneuverability, but also picking the bike up when its lying flat on the ground.

I've done several BDRs on my 250lb EXC500 and one on my 500lb DDX and unless you're riding with a buddy, I'd go with the much lighter bike. Not all BDRs are rated the same difficulty, and unless you're Chris Birch, I wouldn't attempt the SoCal BDR on anything less than a DR650/690/701. For most mere mortals, that's a plastic bike trail. By contrast, WABDR can be done on a R1250GS, and the MABDR can be done on a Road King, IMO...

My take on this is that there is no unicorn bike. What makes a bike good on the trails makes it bad on the tarmac and vice versa. If you're aiming for a one-bike solution, my advice is to be honest about where your focus is, and enjoy a great bike on that surface and live with a terrible bike on the other kind.

My buddy rides 90% trails, so he opted for the EXC500 as his one-and-only. Asphalt to him is just a way to get from trail-to-trail without having to trailer the bike. He's done dual-sport rides and suffers greatly on the pavement sections, but he kicks the ass of the 690/701 guys on the trails, and that's what he loves.

Also interested to hear from someone who's actually ridden a Himalayan 450 on the trails, and what the strong and weak points are.
 
Watch Itchy Boots on YouTube...she rode one around the world and has a great video on her overall thoughts...there's a dealer in Acton, Old Vintage Cranks, that I believe allow a test ride (at least they did back in 2016 when I was looking at them)...
 
Lightcycle said:
I've ridden a V-Strom 650 for a season, but haven't ridden the new Himmie 450 yet, but it's on my test-ride list. Rode the outgoing version (411), it's a right old POS, quality-wise and handling-wise IMO. Heard good things about the 450, but most of it is from the moto press and they've been known to be paid shills.

On paper and depending on the source, it's about 25-35 lbs lighter than the V-Strom 650XT. May not seem like a lot and the question is, is it worth the $$$ to switch for that little weight loss and give up the smoothness of the Strom's twin-cylinder engine for a vibey thumper, especially for the paved sections of your ride? It really depends on where the weight is, whether it's high (bad) or low (better). Not only does that affect maneuverability, but also picking the bike up when its lying flat on the ground.

I've done several BDRs on my 250lb EXC500 and one on my 500lb DDX and unless you're riding with a buddy, I'd go with the much lighter bike. Not all BDRs are rated the same difficulty, and unless you're Chris Birch, I wouldn't attempt the SoCal BDR on anything less than a DR650/690/701. For most mere mortals, that's a plastic bike trail. By contrast, WABDR can be done on a R1250GS, and the MABDR can be done on a Road King, IMO...

My take on this is that there is no unicorn bike. What makes a bike good on the trails makes it bad on the tarmac and vice versa. If you're aiming for a one-bike solution, my advice is to be honest about where your focus is, and live with a great bike on that surface and a terrible bike on the other kind.

My buddy rides 90% trails, so he opted for the EXC500 as his one-and-only. Asphalt to him is just a way to get from trail-to-trail without having to trailer the bike. He's done dual-sport rides and suffers greatly on the pavement sections, but he kicks the ass of the 690/701 guys on the trails, and that's what he loves.

Also interested to hear from someone who's actually ridden a Himalayan 450 on the trails, and what the strong and weak points are.
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Thanks for making those excellent points. I just came back from a 10000km trip riding Toronto to Los Angeles and back. My initial plan was to ride a segment of the Colorado BDR and a segment of Death Valley but once the bike was fully loaded with my hard pannier, tailbag, tank bag and crash bar bags, it became way too top heavy. Plus i was riding solo and prefer riding solo in the future. Another challenge was the lack of cruise control on those long interstates road and for my style of riding a cruise control will be a must on my next bike. Some guys in India were able to drop the Himi down to 176kg and there is another one in England doing the same and i am interested in this. Thanks again for sharing your thoughts.
 
ifiddles said:
Watch Itchy Boots on YouTube...she rode one around the world and has a great video on her overall thoughts...there's a dealer in Acton, Old Vintage Cranks, that I believe allow a test ride (at least they did back in 2016 when I was looking at them)...
Click to expand...
Thanks, i saw the video on the Himalayan and i was overall positive despite some electronic issues which i think can be rectified by adjusting the frame rate of your camera. I think the dealer in Toronto is closer to me but given the recent snow, it think i will go for a test ride next year unless we have some good weather before that.
 
As Lightcycle suggested, be honest with yourself on how offroadie you're going to realistically get as there's tradeoffs.
The 650XT is fairly chunky but with decent tires it'll easily do any forest service roads and doubletrack trails.
Once you start venturing offroad you'll quickly realize if you want to stay fairly vanilla with service roads or get hooked and want a more dedicated weapon.
 
FreeAgent said:
My initial plan was to ride a segment of the Colorado BDR and a segment of Death Valley but once the bike was fully loaded with my hard pannier, tailbag, tank bag and crash bar bags, it became way too top heavy. Plus i was riding solo and prefer riding solo in the future.
Click to expand...

To @Hardwrkr13's point, "off-road" is such a sliding scale of difficulty/gnarliness. It'll help your shopping to narrow down what that means for you personally.

At DV, I've done Titus Canyon and Racetrack Playa and they're very big-bike friendly routes - doable on a R1250GS. You don't need a Himmie 450 for those. But there are sections around Chloride City I'd be wary of tackling on a larger bike, especially solo.

Contrast this to COBDR. I've ridden a lot of the fun sections, like Engineer Pass and Cinnamon Pass, so I trailered the cheater bikes (500EXC and FE501) down. It would have been very challenging on a V-Strom. At least for me - I'm not the best off-road rider. This is mainly because of the limitations of the Strom's road-biased suspension. If you're shopping to replace the Strom with a Himmie450 to do those kind of trails, I'd focus on the suspension and ground clearance, not the wet weight when you're test-riding it.

FreeAgent said:
Another challenge was the lack of cruise control on those long interstates road and for my style of riding a cruise control will be a must on my next bike.
Click to expand...

I know some people will consider it a deal-breaker if a motorcycle doesn't come with cruise-control straight from the factory, but I think it's a shame if you pass over a great-riding and handling bike when there are both mechanical and electronic aftermarket solutions which can add cruise control to most motorcycles:


Example of mechanical CC: Atlas throttle lock
Example of electronic CC: Veridian Cruise for Himalayan 450

Even if a bike's handling is "good enough for now", you may realize your demands on the motorcycle were greater than you initially thought after riding it for just a short while.

It's much easier and cheaper to spend $20-$500 to add aftermarket CC to a superior handling bike, than it is to spend $1000-$5000 on upgrades and replacement to suspension, wheels and geometry on a poorer handling bike, just to get factory cruise control.

Just my humble opinion. There are *many* people with differing priorities and use cases with a different take on this.
 
Buddy who is heading out for a year long loop of Australia swapped his Ninja 650 to a Triumph Tiger 800 XCx to get some decent off pavement capability while retaining power and smoothness.
1762939091249.png

Triumph Tiger 800 XCa

Motorcycle Specifications Overviews and Road Tests
www.motorcyclespecs.co.za www.motorcyclespecs.co.za

I think moving from a smooth Vstrom to get better off road to an underpowered single might be a backward step.....much less power and more vibration. Certainly more nimble off road.

What about a Tenere 700?
1762939206927.png

2025 Yamaha Ténéré 700

Motorcycle Specifications Overviews and Road Tests
www.motorcyclespecs.co.za www.motorcyclespecs.co.za
 
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I've ridden both, admittedly with a decade or more gap. The 650 is a bigger, better highway bike while the Himi is a better ADVer.
What shocked me was the punch from the 40hp RE powerplant - lots of midrange and plenty of juice for highway speeds (better than my KLR650 had). Different tools for different jobs.
 
MacDoc said:
Buddy who is heading out for a year long loop of Australia swapped his Ninja 650 to a Triumph Tiger 800 XCx to get some decent off pavement capability while retaining power and smoothness.
View attachment 76662

Triumph Tiger 800 XCa

Motorcycle Specifications Overviews and Road Tests
www.motorcyclespecs.co.za www.motorcyclespecs.co.za

I think moving from a smooth Vstrom to get better off road to an underpowered single might be a backward step.....much less power and more vibration. Certainly more nimble off road.

What about a Tenere 700?
View attachment 76663

2025 Yamaha Ténéré 700

Motorcycle Specifications Overviews and Road Tests
www.motorcyclespecs.co.za www.motorcyclespecs.co.za
Click to expand...
I am in Canada and i have not seen the Tiger 800 XCx and i think this is a retired model. With respect the T7, i went and see one last weekend. Great looking bike and they do have ride by wire which open the possibility for adding the veridian cruise control. The following is holding me back: 1 - installing aftermarket cruise control, will void the warranty right away. One can argue this is a Yamaha and should be bullet proof. 2 - No tubeless. There is a company VMX that is bringing tubeless wheels for the T7 and that would be another $2000 accessory to consider. I am still on the fence with the T7. There is another bike i am following which is promising: Kove 800x Pro and apparently late next year they are bringing in the updated version with ride by wire and cruise control installed at factory. It has tubeless already and apparently better suspension than the T7. My long term plan is to have a bike that i can take round the world with reduced headache if there is such a bike :)
 
Why so set on tubless. Years ago 4 of us rode the Trans Taiga on KLRs. One flat on the way home which we fixed at camp that night.
Another fellow went up the Taiga with his friends on tubless BMWs and after denting rims two came home in a pickup.
 
FreeAgent said:
I am in Canada and i have not seen the Tiger 800 XCx and i think this is a retired model. With respect the T7, i went and see one last weekend. Great looking bike and they do have ride by wire which open the possibility for adding the veridian cruise control. The following is holding me back: 1 - installing aftermarket cruise control, will void the warranty right away. One can argue this is a Yamaha and should be bullet proof. 2 - No tubeless. There is a company VMX that is bringing tubeless wheels for the T7 and that would be another $2000 accessory to consider. I am still on the fence with the T7. There is another bike i am following which is promising: Kove 800x Pro and apparently late next year they are bringing in the updated version with ride by wire and cruise control installed at factory. It has tubeless already and apparently better suspension than the T7. My long term plan is to have a bike that i can take round the world with reduced headache if there is such a bike :)
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As much as I love baubles, if I planned on exploring the world, it's hard to best the KLR. Easy for anyone to fix with scrap metal. Throttle by wire, cruise control, etc can end your journey with a tipover. @Lightcycle has spent half his life wandering around the globe. If this bike is supposed to be for that purpose, I would place a lot of weight on his opinions.
 
I ride a Vstrom XT and have done a fair amount of gravel and logging road travel in the last year. Is it ideal? Yes and no.

For roads that are actually roads, it's fine - in fact it's great. Remember, you need to get to those roads, so having a capable highway machine is a benefit. The breaking point for me is sandy logging roads, it's a big bike for loose dirt and mud - I get scary moments.

I also have an older DR750 thumper, which weighs about a hundred pounds less and is better set up for dirt. It's better on loose and muddy roads. It weighs 38lbs less and has a significant torque and HP over a Hymilan. I find it adequate on the highway; I certainly wouldn't want less power.

Another major consideration is vibration and cruising speed. I highway trip of 10,000KM as you did this year would be a LOT less comfortable in a single, particularly one with 40hp. You might find yourself numb after a couple of hours from vibration at cruising speeds -- and you're low on juice for passing 100-150kmh takes about 13 seconds, your Vstrom will be zero to 150 about 11.5 seconds.

A highway tourer and BDR bike in the 400lb range may be a unicorn, ever consider 2 bikes?
 
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The revamped Transalp might be a contender.
1762966161628.png
But no cruise control. I'd not hang my hat on that missing vs moving out from the big four if you are after bullet proof.
 
timtune said:
Why so set on tubless. Years ago 4 of us rode the Trans Taiga on KLRs. One flat on the way home which we fixed at camp that night.
Another fellow went up the Taiga with his friends on tubless BMWs and after denting rims two came home in a pickup.
Click to expand...
Good question. I do not think there is a right or wrong answer for this but more to do with who you are. The way i see it is as follows: Tube is yesterday's technology and for people who dont mind with the hassle of carrying extra tools and the time to change a tube tire. Tubeless is current tech with more convenience and less hassle when repairing. The type and style of riding i do, i have assessed that the risk of denting a tubeless tire is very low while acknowledging that the risk do exist. I do and planning to do more long distance solo travels and weight/convenience led me to discard tube tires entirely.
 
Mad Mike said:
I ride a Vstrom XT and have done a fair amount of gravel and logging road travel in the last year. Is it ideal? Yes and no.

For roads that are actually roads, it's fine - in fact it's great. Remember, you need to get to those roads, so having a capable highway machine is a benefit. The breaking point for me is sandy logging roads, it's a big bike for loose dirt and mud - I get scary moments.

I also have an older DR750 thumper, which weighs about a hundred pounds less and is better set up for dirt. It's better on loose and muddy roads. It weighs 38lbs less and has a significant torque and HP over a Hymilan. I find it adequate on the highway; I certainly wouldn't want less power.

Another major consideration is vibration and cruising speed. I highway trip of 10,000KM as you did this year would be a LOT less comfortable in a single, particularly one with 40hp. You might find yourself numb after a couple of hours from vibration at cruising speeds -- and you're low on juice for passing 100-150kmh takes about 22 seconds, your Vstrom will be zero to 150 about 1.5 seconds.

A highway tourer and BDR bike in the 400lb range may be a unicorn, ever consider 2 bikes?
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All great points. Having the ability to cover miles on highways was one of the reasons i picked the Vstrom last year as my first bike in Canada. I was quickly humbled by its weight though when i tried to ride it offroad fully loaded this year in the Cloyne area and gave up. If there was another rider with me i may have done it but not solo. With respect to numbness, after returning from my long USA trip i felt dumbness for couple of days; I believe this may have been caused by the tires (Dunlop Trailmax Raid) which made some vibrations on smooth pavement. Plus i also installed a throttlelock (see pic) which sorta work but would slip from time to time. And yes, i am considering the option of having 2 bikes though this would not be my preference. I still have some time till the next season start to finalize my decision and i am in no rush, hence, why i am seeking input from other experienced riders.
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