After Buying a Royal Enfield: Things to Know!

I’ve read the Royal Enfield Himalayan’s manual and paperwork so you don’t have to. Here’s the most important things I learnt about my new motorcycle.

First things to do with your new beast

Set your clock. Hold select and mode buttons for 3 seconds then press it to set hours. Hold select for 3 seconds to move to minutes and then AM/PM.

Save Royal Enfields Roadside Assistances number: 1800 2100 007 (for Indians).

Put a copy of your insurance and purchase proof under the pillion seat of your motorcycle (for Indians).

How to care for your Himalayan… properly!

Only wash your bike with water. No soaps – they’ll wreck the surfaces. No polishing either – same issue. The manual goes on to contradict itself saying you can use soaps if you need to get mud off.

Wash the engine is it’s cold. Don’t use a high-pressure jet on any part of the bike. After washing dry your bike and run the engine for a few minutes then drive slowly and press the brakes to get the water out of them.

Things you might not know about the Himalayan

Your exhaust pipe will discolour naturally. Nothing can be done about it.

Don’t fill petrol beyond the bottom of the fuel cap! When the bike warms up the petrol can expand and spill out the cap.

The temperature sensor is only accurate when your engine is off! Else it picks up the heat from your engine and gives an inaccurate reading of the outside temperature.

There’s a document holder and a tool kit under your pillion seat.

What is a Bi-Starter? Good question!

This lever will help you warm up the bike on cold mornings. Don’t accelerate your engine on cold starts…

Use the Bi-Starter instead. Hold it for at least 1 minute when starting the engine and the engine will idle nicely on a cold morning.

Himalayan maintenance schedule & oil changes

Your first service is at 450km. Second at 4900km. Then every 5000km after that.

There is a running-in period. Do not exceed 60kmph for the first 500km. Then 80kmpr up till 2000km.

Engine Oil: 1.6L SAE 15W 50 API SL Grade JASO MA 2 Semi-Synthetic.

Front Fork Oil: 10W (Viscosity range 35).

Brake Fluid: DOT 4 (100mls front and rear).

Battery: 12V 8AH MF.