Long-term report: The Royal Enfield Himalayan sparks debate about adventure bikes

I’ve been looking after the Royal Enfield Himalayan for a little while now and despite the seemingly never-ending rain here in the UK, I have managed to get some decent sessions at the bars.

One thing that keeps occurring to me during my time on the Himmy is just how many adventure bikes are on the road today, and so I looked into this to see if I was deceiving myself.

However, if you take a look at the Motorcycle Industry Association’s official figures for January 2026, adventure bikes were the second-most popular segment of bikes, outside of scooters. Registrations were up 35.9 per cent year-on-year, in fact, showcasing an ever-growing rise in popularity for these high-riding motorcycles.

Registrations for touring bikes – the usual go-to for long-distance riders – were down by 30.3 per cent, in contrast.

So why are adventure bikes so popular when touring bikes are falling out of favour? I spent quite a while mulling this over while riding the Himmy lately, and while the new Sherpa engine was humming away underneath me, I came to a few conclusions.

For one, adventure bikes look fantastic. This Enfield, for instance, has loads of presence out on the road with its tall height, prominent stance and big, chunky proportions. Adventure bikes do, it seems, appeal to the inner five-year-old in all of us, bringing more than a hint of ‘Tonka Toy’ to something that you can still buy today as an adult.

Next, it’s about that height. In a similar case to SUVs in the car world, adventure bikes can bring a little extra confidence as a result of the increased seat height. It gives you a clearer view of the road ahead and, in my mind at least, makes you more visible to other road users. Visibility is, of course, vitally important and when you’re sitting up high, it certainly feels like other drivers can spot you out more clearly, particularly when compared to a rider on a sports or classic bike.

Adventure bikes also give you more scope for, well, adventure. While touring bikes are only really designed for on-road use, the adventure bike has a multi-purpose character which means you can do big miles or, if you want to, head off-road. You’ll still have to make some modifications, such as fitting chunkier tyres, but adventure bikes give you the option to head off-road should you want to, whereas touring bikes simply don’t have that capacity.

As I was considering all of these aspects, I stopped for a quick break at the nearby Goodwood Aerodrome Cafe and, immediately, noticed several other adventure bikes parked nearby. One rider came across and enquired about the Himmy, and mentioned that they had tried one but struggled with the seat height. Certainly, for riders with mobility issues or those who are a little shorter, getting a leg over a tall adventure bike could prove a challenge. It doesn’t seem to stop those registration figures rising, mind.

The more you use an adventure bike like a Himalayan, the more you understand how multi-talented they are. I was able to sit on a dual-carriageway at the legal speed limit comfortably, before enjoying some twistier sections of the road that allowed this Enfield’s handling to shine through. Then, I could stop at the shops and pack some groceries into the Himalayan’s ‘Ear Muffs’ – I’m sticking to that term – before cutting through traffic to make it home well before I would’ve even been close in a car. If I want to, I can fit some chunky off-road tyres and take the Himalayan properly away from the beaten track, too.

I’d guess that the trend for adventure bikes isn’t going to slow down anytime soon, and I’ve noticed a lot of brands bringing out several to cater for this demand. The Himalayan has been around for a little while now, but the more time that I spend with it, the more I can understand just why these types of bikes are so popular. If it could stop raining now, however, that would make the whole experience even better.