All Royal Enfields to come with ABS soon

Subsequent to the Classic Signals 350, Royal Enfield will get ABS in the 500 range and the Himalayan

Royal Enfield launched the Classic Signals 350 at Rs 1.62 lakh (ex-showroom Pune) yesterday. This is the first-ever Royal Enfield to come fitted with ABS in India. At the launch event, Rudratej Singh, President, Royal Enfield confirmed that all their other models will gradually get ABS too, starting with their 500cc range and the Himalayan. The Chennai-based firm is expected to launch ABS equipped Classic 500 and the Himalayan before Diwali. Singh also confirmed that just like the Classic Signals 350, all their models will come equipped with a dual-channel ABS. This transition is likely to happen by February 2019, well clear of the 1^st April mandate.

Interestingly, Royal Enfield has been offering ABS on all their models sold abroad for a while, but none of the models in India came fitted with it. The Classic 350 with a rear disc option carries a price tag of Rs 1.47 lakh – roughly Rs 15,000 cheaper than the newly launched Classic Signals 350. With that in mind, it is safe to assume that that the ABS fitted 500s and the Himalayan too will demand a premium of about Rs 15 – 20,000.

As per the new government mandate, all two-wheelers launched after 1^st April 2019, and displacing more than 125cc, will have to be equipped with ABS. With that in mind, Royal Enfield’s move doesn’t quite come as a surprise – in fact, we can expect other bikemakers to follow the lead as well.