- Himalayan Raid launch now planned in 2026
- Project K1X fast-forwarded by a few months
- Will take on the KTM 390 Adventure
Royal Enfield is planning to introduce the Himalayan Raid, a variant based on the current Himalayan but far more capable off-road. This Royal Enfield was previously planned for a late 2026/early 2027 debut, but now the project has been expedited.
Internally called ‘Project K1X’, the Himalayan Raid is being co-developed by the company’s R&D team in India and the UK, along with its new racing team based in Europe. CS Santosh is also part of the development and testing teams of K1X.
The Himalayan Raid will share most cycle parts with the current model but will feature superior and more capable cycle parts. The suspension will be new and fully adjustable for compression and rebound at both front and rear. In fact, the fork tubes will be much larger in diameter.
This ADV will also get rally parts as standard. Currently, Indian consumers can buy the rally tail section, rally seat, handguards, and a few more things as accessories. However, with the Raid variant, these will come as standard features, including tubeless spoke wheels.
Mechanically, the Himalayan Raid is likely to carry the same performance as the current model. But according to our sources, the 452cc engine is receiving upgrades that could bump up the power and torque. However, it remains unclear if this engine will make its way to the Himalayan Raid.
The Himalayan Raid is likely to carry a price tag of Rs. 3.5 lakh (ex-showroom), positioning it close to the newly launched KTM 390 Adventure. The idea behind the Himalayan Raid is for Royal Enfield to take on some of the KTM buyers in India and around the world. However, given KTM’s distinct fan following, it will be interesting to see how Royal Enfield markets the Raid.
