New Royal Enfield Himalayan vs BMW G 310 GS Spec Comparison: Which One Should You Buy?

Royal Enfield recently launched its new Himalayan in India. In comparison to the model it replaces, it is completely new, and is available at a price tag of Rs 2.69 lakh to Rs 2.84 lakh (all prices are introductory, ex-showroom). Now that we have all the details about the all-new Himalayan, including pricing details of Royal Enfield's new flagship ADV, we put it to comparison with the BMW G 310 GS to see how it stacks up in terms of performance, features, design, and more, on paper. 

New Royal Enfield Himalayan vs BMW G 310 GS: Engine

The new Himalayan uses Royal Enfield's modern, 452cc, single-cylinder, liquid-cooled unit that is mated to a 6-speed gearbox and slip-and-assist clutch. Called the Sherpa 450, the engine produces 40bhp at 8,000rpm and 40Nm of peak torque at 5,500rpm – about 15 to 16bhp and 8Nm more than the outgoing Himalayan. Moreover, the 452cc Himalayan is also the first Royal Enfield to come with ride-by-wire tech, and gets two riding modes – Eco and Performance. 

Also Read: Royal Enfield Shotgun 650 Makes India Debut at Motoverse 2023

Powering the BMW G 310 GS, meanwhile, is a 313cc, single-cylinder, liquid-cooled engine featuring a dual overhead camshaft and four-valve setup. This E20-compliant motor comes paired with a 6-speed transmission, and is tuned to belt out 34bhp at 9,250rpm and 28Nm of peak torque at 7,500rpm.

New Royal Enfield Himalayan vs BMW G 310 GS: Chassis

The new Royal Enfield Himalayan features an all-new twin-spar tubular frame, suspended by a 43mm upside-down fork at the front and a preload-adjustable offset mono-shock at the rear, both with 200mm of wheel travel. The braking hardware on the new Himalayan consists of a 320mm disc at the front and a 270mm disc at the back, both supplied by ByBre. These discs come mounted on 21-inch front and 17-inch rear wheels wrapped in all-new tube-type tyres. On offer is also dual-channel ABS, which comes standard with the bike and can be turned off at the rear. 

The BMW G 310 GS uses a tubular steel frame with a bolted rear frame, with a 41mm upside-down front fork and a rear mono-shock handling suspension. Braking duties are handled by a 300mm disc brake at the front and a 240mm disc brake at the rear. The G 310 GS rolls on 19-inch front and 17-inch rear 5-spoke alloy wheels shod with tubeless tyres. 

New Royal Enfield Himalayan vs BMW G 310 GS: Size/Dimensions

At a hefty 196kg (kerb), the Royal Enfield Himalayan continues to weigh more than the BMW G 310 GS. For comparison, the G 310 GS weighs 175 kilograms; however, it has a fuel tank capacity of 11.5 litres – which is 5.5 litres less than that of the new Himalayan. The 452cc Himalayan also stands out by offering a 1,510mm-long wheelbase and 230mm of ground clearance, while the BMW G 310 GS gets a 1,420mm-long wheelbase and 220mm of ground clearance.

In terms of size, the Royal Enfield Himalayan measures 2,245mm in length, 900mm (with handguards) in width, and 1,415mm (with a taller windscreen) in height. Seat height of 825mm is standard on the latest iteration, which can be lowered to 805mm or increased to 845mm. Compared to the Himalayan, the G 310 GS has a seat height of 835mm. 

New Royal Enfield Himalayan vs BMW G 310 GS: Features

This is where the Royal Enfield Himalayan pips the BMW G 310 GS. The new Himalayan is packed with a circular TFT  instrument console with smartphone connectivity for turn-by-turn navigation, SMS and call alerts, as well as information related to engine and battery health.

Also available are a chunky exhaust pipe, a circular LED headlamp with integrated turn indicators, a new fuel tank, spoked wheels, all-LED lighting, ride modes, and switchable rear ABS. As for the colour options, the base variant is available with a single colour option – Kaza Brown (Rs 2.69 lakh). The Pass variant gets two colour options – Slate Himalayan Salt (Rs 2.74 lakh) and Poppy Blue (Rs 2.74 lakh). The top-spec Summit also gets two options – Hanle Black (Rs 2.84 lakh) and Kamet White (Rs 2.79 lakh). 

The BMW G 310 GS, on the other hand, features a digital instrument cluster, an ADV-style front beak, a single-pod LED headlight, an alloy-wheel setup, a step-up seat, a luggage rack, an upswept exhaust, a flyscreen, semi-fairing, and a side-slung exhaust. This bike can be had in Kalamata Dark Gold Metallic, Cosmic Black, iconic three-tone Sport, or Racing Red colour options. 

Also Read: First-Ever BMW M 1000 XR Debuts with Wings and Over 200hp, Along with 2024 S 1000 XR

New Royal Enfield Himalayan vs BMW G 310 GS: Price, Variants

Available only in the Standard variant, the BMW G 310 GS is the most expensive bike here, priced at Rs 3.30 lakh (ex-showroom). The new Royal Enfield Himalayan, meanwhile, is much more affordable at Rs 2.69 lakh (the price is introductory, ex-showroom), and comes in 3 variants – Base, Pass, and Summit.