Royal Enfield has announced the Himalayan Scram 411, a bike the company describes as a multipurpose ADV Crossover, but something we’d call a scrambler.
Of course the title of scrambler has been incorporated into many motorcycles these days, so Royal Enfield probably didn’t want to use it, but a retro-styled machine with laced wheels, dual purpose tyres and a single cylinder motor, that reads from the scrambler playbook of the 1960s.
Royal Enfield has engaged full-throttle marketing speak for the Scram. Here’s one section of the press release:
“Royal Enfield’s high-altitude adventurer DNA has evolved from decades of expeditions and thousands of kilometres of rides across the most challenging terrains in the world. The Scram 411 is derived from this very DNA. It is a multi-purpose tool optimised for agility; an ally that’s always ready for whatever life has in store. This is no cosmetic crossover or pumped-up street bike – this is a brand new subspecies.”
Well, we like the Himalayan and we think the Scram will be a nice bike, but I’m glad I didn’t write the line “multi-purpose tool optimised for agility”.
The Scram runs the same 411cc single cylinder four-stroke as the Himalayan producing 24 horsepower and 32Nm of torque, so it’s perfect for novices, while more experienced riders might enjoy getting everything out of the Scram it’s capable of delivering.
For squirting around town, across the occasional paddock and exploring some dirt roads, it might just be a very inexpensive machine to get your kicks on, although a price hasn’t been announced yet (it won’t be expensive).
As a commuter bike it should be comfortable, capable, reliable and easy to ride.
It should be here mid year, pricing TBA.
