Himalayan vs Scram

Nice review, thanks. I've not ridden a Scram, but have ridden a Himalayan both on the road and on green lanes and was thoroughly impressed by it. I just don't think I would ever choose to ride one over my other bikes, if I happen to find one in my garage.
 
Nice review, thanks. I've not ridden a Scram, but have ridden a Himalayan both on the road and on green lanes and was thoroughly impressed by it. I just don't think I would ever choose to ride one over my other bikes, if I happen to find one in my garage.

Thank you.

I think it’s very much a state of mind thing and, not least, it’s different to anything else in that it only produces 25 bhp. I don’t have the patience to bimble (a word I hate, along with toasty) at 55 on bikes that can exceed 100 mph with no difficulty at all.

The whole thing was brought home to me when a friend and I made a 2,400 mile half lap of France in his car in June of this year. We had originally planned to do it on our bikes but circumstances overtook us, so we went in his car but using all the same D roads we would have taken had we been on two wheels. We simply mooched along (the roads really were empty, mile after mile after mile) rarely ever exceeding the posted speed limits. It was in a word, nice and not something I had done before, as normally an empty French D road is an open invitation to hit the loud pedal. If I can replicate that on an RE without breaking the bank, I’ll be happy.

I noticed that when I first got on the Himalayan, I was trying to twist the throttle past its stop. I quickly realised that this was just daft. Where I picked the bike up, the A12 dual carriageway eastwards towards Essex and the M25 junction at Brentwood is a 50 mph limit for several miles. The bike got to 50’ish with no problem and was comfortable on about a half to 2/3 throttle at an indicated 55. I was faster than some cars and slower than others. At each set of lights and at the two busy roundabouts I was past them all. When the A12 switched to the national limit the bike did an indicated 65 to 70 and settled down at roughly 3/4 throttle, maybe less. It certainly wasn’t uncomfortable on my wrist and the bike wasn’t straining. Again I was faster than some vehicles and slower than others. OK, it wasn’t a rocket ship to go from 55 to 65 but it wasn’t like turning the pages of a calendar either.

The Scram was different. Then I really did think, I want to do 85 or 90 and kept screwing the throttle back to the stop which does nothing at all. Just the same down the twistier country roads in Essex, I wanted the Scram to go faster. It’s a testament to how well set up the bike is, as much as anything else.

It did though get me thinking as to whether there is perhaps something more going on? I think a part of it might be something as simple as the screen. The Himalayan has a basic screen, which does a pretty good job of keeping some wind off the rider; it - and the seating position - sort of lends itself to trundling along. The Scram has no screen, the feeling of the wind sort of speeds you up as you ‘feel’ like you are moving, aided to a degree by the slightly quicker steering and a different riding position. You end up wishing you were on a naked sports bike or had naked sports bike power….. but you don’t get the same feeling on the Himalayan. Ride them and find out.
 
Excellent review young Wapping, thank you.
And you should not retire, simply reduce your working week to two days.

What do folk think of the build quality of the Himalayan ?
I spotted some Enfield a few years ago that was then only a few years old.
It was not a Himalayan but cannot remember the model but the bike looked very tired with rusty rims and looked distinctly rough.
I had no idea how it had got to the condition and may have been parked in a ditch for all I know.
Any views on build quality of these please people ?

And I shall have look at your review next EKIMYRF.
 
Great review and thanks for the your observations on the differences between the two. I've had my Himalayan for almost a year now and still enjoying it, it is very much a state of mind when riding.

A couple of other things to mention, it will loosen up and be much nicer to ride in a couple of thousand miles, the engines are built tight and do benefit from running in. If looking to keep one I'd steer clear of ex demonstrators, as they will have not been run in as they're advised. That's one of the downsides, the first 300 miles at not more than 40mph followed by up to 50mph for until 1500 miles (might be 1200, I forget).

From what I've read, the Himalayan wasn't designed as a first world bike, that's the role of the Interceptor and Continental and the new 350 engine (Meteor etc), it will come with added character which might not always be appreciated, bolts coming loose, head gasket/rocker leaks, steering bearings made of cheese (like the F650GS :D), ancillary OEM parts which won't fit properly (pannier frames, engine guards, racks), the misting clocks and for some, but not all bikes the infuriating stalling, which will iron itself out. Ah, also the compass, it'll work if the bike is ridden lots, the complaints come from bids who only occasionally use their bikes. Be prepared.

However, a lovely bike which puts the joy back into motorcycling for me.

Lastly, I'll try not to mention that 'B' word in my trip reports in future... Bimble :D

of course YMMV
 
Probably cheap enough at a main dealer
RE bits are reasonable if that rack price is anything to go by

Without a doubt JB :thumb

I'm across at the main dealers Manhattan Motorcycles in Sheffield tomorrow or Satuirday.

Paul, who owns it, worked there when it was Jack Woods, MZ dealer many years ago, known him forty years :rob
The shop is like Rainbow of old, when at Attercliffe, Paul very much like Shaun in the day. A pleasure to visit :thumb2

:beerjug:
 
I am working on getting a price for a Himalayan from the dealership in east London. Their demonstrator (which I would normally be happy with) is in the camouflage colours, which isn’t really my thing.

Nor would it be mine. However...

I was just passing Crowthorne so dropped into Hatfields for a closer look.

It's well established that these bikes are built down to a price, but the only place where I could really spot a compromise on quality was the tank/side panel painting. On the 2-tone bikes, it's actually one colour with a large decal providing the contrasting colour. (What ever would our man in Maidstone have had to say about this...!) The decals on the (red/white) Scram side panel looked poor even from 2 metres away.

So my point is that for a small discount I'd take the bike and either re-paint bits myself, or have them done. Himmys look good in flat single colours and because the RE name is on the crash bar rather than the tank, that simplifies the painting even more. Perhaps add an alternative RE decal from the parts list for a more interesting colourway? Quick and easy job. Match the colour to the 1600, maybe!!

Just looking at pics of the camo option, it looks like a base green with camo decals on top - they'd come off easily enough.
 
Quite a fun comparative review from India’s answer to the Lemon Drizzle Gang:

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I’d concur with all of this fellow’s comments, many of which Micky and the Lemon Drizzle Gang have voiced:

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9ybMIgmtsPc" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>


I don’t mind going down some light’ish dry unmade roads on my 1600 but I really do not want it falling over on me or getting stuck. Now and again in France I see tracks going off that I wouldn’t mind having a little ride down (I am definitely no off-road god) so the Himalayan might well enable me to do that.
 
Good one Wappers :thumby:

There aren't many motorcycles that you could ride all the way down to the Alps, or across to the Pyrenees, or even the Himalaya or Urals and then hit the mountain tracks (severity and skills not withstanding) but the G650 Xcountry was one, and now the Himalayan :thumb

:beerjug:
 
Without a doubt JB :thumb

I'm across at the main dealers Manhattan Motorcycles in Sheffield tomorrow or Satuirday.

Paul, who owns it, worked there when it was Jack Woods, MZ dealer many years ago, known him forty years :rob
The shop is like Rainbow of old, when at Attercliffe, Paul very much like Shaun in the day. A pleasure to visit :thumb2

:beerjug:

Thanks for the tip
I may well drop in to see him/them
 
Thanks for the tip
I may well drop in to see him/them

Was there today JB .... he's 'old school' the shop, everything. It's like Rainbow was thirty years ago :thumby:

Paul even let me take a photo of his computer desktop work around to turn off the service light on the Himalayan :D:thumb2


:beerjug:
 


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