Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 vs. CFMoto Ibex 450

[MotoNews]

Published in: Bikes

Biggest Differences and Which One is Better for You?

There was once a time when lower displacement adventure motorcycles offered a bare-bones experience. Yes, they were affordable and beginner-friendly, but that was more or less it. They were usually stripped of the more expansive features you’d come to expect out of a bike that was supposed to take on the most dramatic terrains, the underpinnings were mostly timid and they simply didn’t feel modern or imposing enough.

Those days are gone. Royal Enfield’s Himalayan 450 and the CFMoto Ibex 450 are a testament to just how capable today’s sub-500cc adventure bikes can be. They are packed with modern tech, offer reliable platforms, and look the part as well. Both of these bikes come from respectable Asian brands and there’s plenty you need to consider between them. Let’s dive in.

• ENGINE - Battle of the 450s

The most notable upgrade to new-gen Himalayan is the inclusion of a brand-new 452cc single-cylinder “Sherpa” engine with twin overhead camshafts which features water cooling for the very first time on a Royal Enfield motorcycle.

The single now generates 40 hp and 30 lb-ft of torque at 8000 RPM and you get 90% of the torque kicking in at just 3,000 RPM. For a motor with a rather long stroke, the new water-cooled engine easily chugs along when the older 411cc would be all revved out at 5,000 RPM.

The Ibex 450 on the other hand gets a 270-degree, 449cc liquid-cooled parallel-twin engine that you'll find on CFMoto's older sport, classic, and naked offerings. The small-bore motor has been tailored for ADV duty on the Ibex, delivering 44 hp (at 8,500 RPM) and 32.5 lb-ft of torque (at 6,250 RPM). That’s more power and peak torque than the Himalayan 450, but the torque is delivered higher in the RPM band.

For daily stop and go riding, or less aggressive off-road riding, most of the time getting your torque at the lower end is more useable. It makes getting out of sticky situation easier, puts less stress on the engine and is more friendly to new riders. Sportier riders may enjoy revving up a parallel twin which is tuned for top end performance.

At 450cc’s of displacement, neither of them will be breaking any land speed records, but since engine performance characteristics are one of the most important aspects of a bike, the motors may make your decision for you.

• UNDERPINNINGS - All About the Hardware

Both ADVs are designed pretty well with a small footprint and premium components for their class and cost. The Himalayan 450 gets a revamped twin-spar steel chassis and cast swingarm. Enfield did well in retaining some key styling cues of the original Himalayan while changing everything else around it. There are so many differences between the first- and second-generation Himalayan’s, it fair to call it an all-new model.

You get a solid ground clearance of 9 inches, a long-travel suspension with 43 mm inverted Showa cartridge forks at the front, and an adjustable monoshock at the rear that allows for 7.87 inches of travel.

Then, you get the same 21-inch/17-inch wheel combo with the same 90/90-21 section tire at the front but a beefier 140/80-17 tire at the rear. Royal Enfield has also recently released tubeless wheels as an add-on accessory in India which is also confirmed to make its way to the USA soon. This also helps make the seat slimmer in the front – so standing up and moving around is very easy. The 4.5 gallon gas tank sits over the air box but looks fairly easy to remove for service. Also, the air box is placed high on the bike to help with water crossings.

The Ibex 450, rides on a chromoly steel tube frame that serves as a sturdy basis for off-road exploration. It comes with a KYB-sourced suspension in more or less the same specs and identical travel as the Himalayan. It has a linkage-type shock with preload adjustments and an inverted KYB fork with damping adjustment. Ibex’s 8.7-inch ground clearance is only slightly less than the Himalayan 450’s.

CFMoto offers tubeless spoke rims with a 21-inch front and 18-inch rear. Both the Ibex 450 and Himalayan feature similar-sized front 320mm discs, with Bybre calipers for the Himalayan and J.Juan calipers for the Ibex 450. ABS is standard and switchable for the rear wheel in both models.

• ELECTRONICS - Creature Comforts

Starting with the Indian ADV first, the Himalayan 450 gets two new ride modes: Performance and Eco, thanks to the addition of ride-by-wire throttle control - another first for RE. A Google-based navigation system comes integrated with the new Tripper dash which features a contoured 4-inch full-color TFT display. The Himalayan also gets all-LED lighting, featuring rear turn signals that also serve as brake lights.

As for the Ibex 450, it gets two ride modes as well: Standard and Off-road. Its 5-inch curved TFT display gets over-the-air update capability and can be paired with the handy CFMoto Ride App that tracks a whole range of data such as ride logs, navigational data, speed details, acceleration, cornering data, and brake data in addition to motorcycle diagnostics. It has all-LED lights as well, with twin LED projectors placed on top of each other, along with a large functioning windscreen.

• COLORS, STYLE, PRICING, and AVAILABILITY

Pricing for the Himalayan 450 starts at $5,799 and goes all the way up to $6,099 for the upcoming tubeless variants. It comes in five different colorways, i.e., Kaza Brown, Slate Himalayan Salt, Poppy Blue, Hanle Black, and Kamet White. We love it when a company offers a broad range of colors and graphic treatments as many brands may now only offer two at best.

The Himalayan’s softer, more flowing lines make for a less aggressive and more “friendly” looking bike. Also, like the original Himalayan, it’s a unique look which can’t be found elsewhere. CFMoto went with a sharper design on the Ibex 450 which is sure to appeal to a lot of riders and visually falls more in-line with larger, more expensive ADV model styling found in Japanese and European brands.

The Ibex 450 starts at an MSRP of $6,499 and comes in two colorways: Zephyr Blue and Tundra Grey. Both the bikes can be accessorized with add-ons straight from the dealer and both could be used for a range of riding endeavors.

• Which One’s for You?

Both Royal Enfield and CFMoto make affordable bikes which offer great value for your money when you stack their offerings against bigger, more established brands. Moreover, these two have stepped up to fill a long-awaited void which was summarily ignored by many popular makers who opted to first develop larger, more powerful models. This is why having variety and competition in a market is important and we hope both RE and CFMoto continue to listen to the market, provide attractive but affordable options, while supporting their customers for the next decade.

Comparing the two, the Himalayan is more affordable than its CFMoto counterpart and even though the engine and platform are new to us in North America, it’s been extensively tested in harsh conditions for several years. It is built on a hugely appreciated platform while making up for what its predecessor lacked.

On the other hand, the Ibex 450 looks to be around 40lbs lighter than the Himalayan, but the curb weight (with fluids) is listed on their site as “dry.” If you added fluids to the 386lb dry bike, you’d be looking at around identical ready-to-ride weights between the two models at around 430 lbs.  The biggest difference with the CFMoto engine is the fact that multicylinder bikes tend to be smoother and can spin up faster. If you’re looking to really ring out an engine, this may be the fun option, but long-term reliability is still yet to be determined.

When we rode and reviewed the Himalayan 450, there were a few things we nitpicked. For one, it could do with an adjustable suspension and higher handlebar for taller riders. Other than that, there’s not much RE has missed with the Himalayan. The ride quality is better than before, the engine has gained more power and it just looks well put together.

Similarly, a few things we nitpicked in our review of the CFMoto Ibex 450 were a taller seat height and some adjustments on the suspension. As a whole, it is a solid product that has some of the better fit and finish we have seen on a Chinese offering. One thing is for sure, bikes like the Ibex 450 are a quantum leap from what we saw 15 years ago from China.

Both these bikes exceed expectations for what are essentially “beginner” ADVs and give some of the bigger offerings in the segment a run for their money. To be honest, there are plenty of experienced riders looking to smaller, lighter more efficient bikes to add in the stable.

To answer the question though, of which bike is better for you, is a tough one. That’s because even though they have their differences and similarities, you cannot purely choose a bike based on its specs sheet. Comparison, as they say, is the thief of joy.

Both bikes are available in the USA, so a test ride of the two will help you gauge which one you connect with more. The Himalayan’s old-school charm, modern features, low seat height and tractable engine will make a lot of riders happy. We also like how it’s been extensively tested for more than four years prior to our introduction. The Ibex 450 with its more contemporary design and high revving engine really looks and feels the part of an exciting, rally-inspired ride that won’t break the bank.

As long as the reliability and customer support of these new platforms hold up, both could be good options for beginner riders or those looking to downsize. Based on on-line audience reaction, both of these models are receiving a great amount of interest and attention. Last, but not least, we’re glad Royal Enfield and CFMoto listened to what the market wanted and delivered two great options on a very affordable platter. For more info on these two hot rides visit the Royal Enfield site and CFMoto site.

• Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 versus CFMoto Ibex 450 Feature Comparison Chart

1. Engine & Performance

	Royal Enfield Himalayan 450	CFMoto Ibex 450
Engine Type	452cc, single-cylinder, liquid-cooled	450cc, multi-cylinder, liquid-cooled
Max Power	Approx. 40 hp	Approx. 46 hp
Max Torque	Around 29.5 lb-ft	Around 29.5 lb-ft
Transmission	6-speed gearbox	6-speed gearbox
Fuel Capacity	4.5 gallons	4.6 gallons
Wet Weight	Approx. 432 lbs	Estimated 420-430 lbs

2. Design & Build

	Royal Enfield Himalayan 450	CFMoto Ibex 450
Frame	Steel trellis frame	Steel frame
Seat Height	Approx. 31.7-32.5 inches	31.5 to 32.3 inches (adjustable)
Ground Clearance	9 inches	8.7 inches
Suspension (Front)	Showa 43mm USD (7.9 inches)	KYB, 41mmm fully adjustable (7.9 inches)
Suspension (Rear)	Showa monoshock (7.9 inches)	KYB Monoshock, adjustable (7.9 inches)
Brakes (F/R)	ByBre 320mm/270mm	J.Juan 320mm/240mm
Wheels	Spoked wheels (tube or tubeless)	Spoked (tubeless)
Tires	90/90-21 front, 140/80-17 rear	90/90-21 front, 140/70-18 rear

3. Technology & Features

	Royal Enfield Himalayan 450	CFMoto Ibex 450
Instrumentation	4” TFT (round)	5” TFT
ABS	Dual-channel ABS	Dual-channel ABS
Lighting	LED	LED
Riding Modes	Yes	Yes
Navigation	Google Maps/Tripper Dash	GPS through app

4. Price (Approximate)

	Royal Enfield Himalayan 450	CFMoto Ibex 450
Price	$5,500 - $6,100	Starting at $6,500

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Having over 15 years of experience traveling and documenting his adventures, Utkarsh Sood lives and breathes all things motorcycle. His quest to travel, write, and create films pushed him to quit his fancy advertising job to live life on his own terms. Or so he thinks. When he is not writing about bikes, he's busy riding his trusted Royal Enfield Himalayan and creating content for his project 'Silence & Stories'.

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