Introduction
The Royal Enfield Himalayan has received abundant praises, especially in its latest avatar. We even included it in our 2021 Off-Road Day line-up and guess which bike completed the course fastest and had Pratheek feeling the most comfortable on? Yup…here’s a cookie.
So, riding on all those accolades of the Himalayan, Royal Enfield came up with its stripped-down version - the Scram 411 - a motorcycle with similar ingredients as the Himalayan, but supposedly different taste. It has been touted as a slightly more urban version of the Himalayan with off-road abilities that are decent if not on par with the latter. As we figured out during our short ride, the Scram does nearly everything the Himalayan is capable of.
So why would one choose the Himalayan if there is the Scram 411 at nearly Rs 11,000 lesser?
To answer exactly that, the Scram 411 has entered the BikeWale long-term fleet and is here to stay for three months or so. And since we have more than enough time to get into the depths of it, I want to figure out if it makes sense to choose the Scram 411 over the Himalayan. Is the Scram better or worse when it comes to touring? And, since it is supposed to be relatively more urban, how is it to live with, in the city?
Same, same but different
Well, before I spill the beans on all that we plan to do with the Scram 411 in its long-term duration, let me give you a basic rundown of the motorcycle. So, as its name partly reads out, Royal Enfield has positioned it as a scrambler that uses the Himalayan’s platform and most of its components. The frame and bodywork are similar except that the Scram skips out on the tall windscreen, motocross-like fender and comes with a single-piece seat instead of a split unit.
Even the instrument clusters are different, with the Scram offering all the info the Himalayan displays in a compact, single-pod package. The Tripper Navigation system fitted on our long-termer is offered as an optional accessory on the Scram, whereas the Himalayan comes with it as standard.
That said, the Scram 411 shares the same 411cc, single-cylinder, air-cooled motor with its adventure-touring sibling. While the output numbers are similar, the Scram 411 offers its 32Nm of torque earlier at 2500rpm. However, the biggest difference is the smaller, 19-inch front wheel.
It has not only dropped the seat height by 5mm but also assisted in bringing down the weight by 5kg. And since Royal Enfield has also taken off the centre stand from the package, the Scram 411 is a whole 6.5kgs lighter than the Himalayan.
The Plan
In the course of the next three months, I will be riding the Scram 411 on my daily commute to office, on weekend jaunts to the nearest hill station and also on a tour for at least 600kms. And while at it, I also plan on working on my off-road skills with the Scram 411 since it is lighter and lower and certainly looks like it can take a beating.
Bike Stats
Odometer- 708km
Fuel Efficiency: 25-26kmpl
Price: Rs 2.52 lakh, OTR Mumbai (when tested)
Photos by Kaustubh Gandhi
Gallery
1/8
Royal Enfield Scram 411 Right Side View
Double Tap to Zoom
