Royal Enfield has launched the Guerrilla, what would have once been considered a Big Single roadster.
It’s the second bike to feature the Sherpa 450 liquid-cooled motor we’ve seen before in the current Himalayan, but this bike is aimed at street use, and as such it’s going to be compared to the big singles of ‘the old days’.
There was a time when a 500cc single cylinder motorcycle was not just considered large capacity, but also hit the sweet-spot of weight, performance, handling and value… and in many ways we can see the Guerrilla doing the same thing, although for somewhat different reasons.
The days of the 500cc single were post WWII until the 1960s. During that decade, twins became more reliable, affordable and offered higher performance than the singles and then, in 1969, Honda released the four cylinder CB750 and the motorcycling world was transformed, almost overnight… the Brits went broke and the Japanese manufacturers we ascendant.
But times change and 50 years later here’s a new big single road bike, albeit 450cc rather than 500, but of course modern technology means the new Guerrilla would eat-up and spit-out any road-going 500 from past eras, despite its LAMS approval and moderate performance by modern standards.
But where 500s back in the day were prized for their overall abilities, these days the Guerrilla will appeal to an audience looking for a basic machine which can offer decent performance with low weight, great value for money, a modern interpretation of classic looks and some versatility via accessories and easy customisation.
Royal Enfield gets those things right in spades, using materials and techniques which custom builders can modify, offering reasonably-priced accessories which are functional, beautiful and easy to fit, building engines with character and wrapping it all up in a chassis that works fine at road speeds with engines which have character.
I can see many an inner-city dweller parking a Guerrilla outside their house, using it to commute to work, shoot down to the beach, get across town to catch up with friends and maybe, just maybe, work on it themselves to learn about things mechanical.
The Royal Enfield Guerrilla is on sale now and is available in three colours – Yellow Ribbon ($8,690 ride away), Brava Blue ($8,690) and Playa Black ($8,590). Keep an eye on Australian Road Rider for a full test as soon as we can get our grubby mitts on one.
