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WHAT IS THIS?
The face of a derivative, and possibly the only one that we’ll see. The Himalayan is the Royal Enfield’s adventure-focused motorcycle that has carved its place nicely in the domestic as well as international market. It is a no-nonsense motorcycle that will do it all and some more. But, at its own pace, which I feel is absolutely fine. Based on the same utilitarian and off-road capable DNA, Royal Enfield felt the need for a similar purposeful motorcycle to take on the urban environment. In our country, one is always in the midst of adventure, even within the concrete jungle thanks to the variety of road surfaces and sudden bad road patches that can pop up at any given moment. While retaining the rugged and rough-road capabilities of the Himalayan, Royal Enfield has come up with a motorcycle that is more approachable and accessible for the urban motorist. Say hello to the new Himalayan Scram 411.

The first thing that strikes is how Royal Enfield has worked around the existing design of the Himalayan by knocking off a bunch of things. The tall and heavy headstock that housed the windshield, headlamp and stays for loading luggage has been made away for a more compact faring surrounding the round headlamp. Even the information-packed instrument console has been replaced with the one from the Meteor, here with a glossy black bezel and is positioned at an offset, which looks nice. The test bike we rode also had the additional tripper display for turn-by-turn navigation read-outs, which can be opted for separately. While the fuel tank remains the same 15-litre one, the empty space ahead of the tank comes with small extensions that are a nice touch for anyone who wishes to personalise their motorcycle.

Moving further, the Scram has a single-piece seat with a ribbed pattern, revised side panels and a more compact tail section, minus the luggage rack. All of this has been done to take away the Himalayan’s rugged and tall look, which was turning out to be intimidating for some buyers, mostly in terms of size.

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WHOM IS IT FOR?
For those who want a Himalayan, but don’t plan to go touring with it. The Scram 411 is for that set of buyers who would be spending most of their time on city roads. Those who buy it will be happy to know that the bike retains most of the underpinnings of the Himalayan. This means, should the need arise, the Scram will be capable of taking on trails and minor off-roading without much hassle.

DOES IT HANDLE?
Why change if it’s working just fine, right? The same goes here. Royal Enfield hasn’t tinkered with the brakes and suspension setup for the Scram 411. What has changed, however, is the riding triangle, where the handlebar is 60 mm lower and 20 mm closer to the rider, compared to the Himalayan. This allows for a more relaxed riding stance and adds to convenience when riding in city traffic. Besides that, since the focus is more on the urban environment, the 21-inch front has been swapped with a 19-inch wheel, inspiring better confidence and agility on city roads.

In the time that I got to ride the motorcycle, the first half involved riding on the street of Bangalore, followed by the highway, and finally some trails and MX drills at Big Rock Dirtpark. The smaller front end inspires more confidence to lean into corners and with more speed. On the trail and MX track, there was no occasion where I felt that a 21-inch front would have been nicer to have. Overall, the Scram 411 feels comfortable around corners, and a lot of people who plan to ride it within the city will appreciate how nimble and approachable the bike is.

For the tyres, the 19-inch front comes with similar dual-purpose tyres from Ceat. Whether on road or off it, the grip levels were consistent and seem to complement what the motorcycle is designed for. Disc brakes at both ends take care of shedding speeds adequately with enough progression and feel. Surprisingly, the Scram does not get switchable ABS as opposed to that on the Himalayan. Given the rough terrain capabilities of the motorcycle, it would have been nicer to offer it on the Scram, too.

HOW FAST IS IT?
During the part of the ride where I rode on the highway, the roads had barely any traffic as it was early morning. On several occasions, the speedometer needle hovered around the 120 kph mark in fifth-cog, still with more throttle to feed. On full gas, the Scram will be capable of doing about 140 kph, if required. However, the sweet spot on the open road lies around the 100 kph to 110 kph mark, where the Scram felt to be comfortable. The engine and gearbox, along with the final drive are identical to that of the Himalayan, which is fine, as there was never an issue with it anyway. The way the power and torque curve is positioned, there’s enough grunt to manage long urban commutes, without the constant need for a gear change. At the same time, the friendly and non-intimidating nature of the motor makes it easier to tackle off-road bits easily.

IS IT FUN?
I personally like the Himalayan as it is a motorcycle that may not be the king but is a jack of all. In the case of the Scram 411, it is more or less the former underneath, apart from the few changes, which makes it a capable motorcycle. Many frowned away whenever it came to the Himalayan’s looks, but that isn’t the case with the Scram, as the bike looks appealing with the vibrant colour palette accentuating it further. It is a viable option for those who like the Himalayan but don’t intend to use it for what it has been designed for. The bottom line seems that Royal Enfield has managed to cater to two different buyers with one motorcycle platform. Time will tell if we will see more derivatives like the Scram 411.