For Indian builder Arjun Raina, founding father of MotoExotica, a customized dwelling nestled within the Himalayan foothills, bikes are greater than insensate machines. His newest construct as an example, dubbed the Final Himalayan, was once impressed now not by means of a specific glance or efficiency function, however fairly, how it could function a great significant other for Raina’s common adventures within the mountains the place he was once born and raised.
“I’d believe myself a mountain goat,” he says. “So this motorbike is a mirrored image of me.” He provides that the purpose was once by no means about construction a motorcycle that may overcome the Himalayas, however as a substitute, bringing to existence a sidekick that may beef up his driving revel in. He sought after to exemplify how a bike and its rider can attach so utterly they develop into “a unmarried entity.”
And when you’re growing an object that’s a mirrored image of your self, no disgrace making it glance as horny as imaginable, too, even if the plain visible enchantment of this tradition was once a function secondary to bettering the motorcycle’s efficiency. Arjun says he and his group have been transparent on a couple of issues. They have been in search of stepped forward energy, competitive suspension and more potent brakes, in addition to weight loss and ergonomics suited to competitive off-road driving.
The entire paintings was once accomplished in-house on the MotoExotica facility in Dehradun, which in line with Royal Enfield’s Customized Global (a program that helps and showcases the imaginative and prescient of hand-picked developers), is a full-fledged prototyping heart the use of extremely trendy ways in its design and manufacturing processes.
To beef up the RE’s energy output, the Final Himalayan’s inventory 411cc unmarried was once bored to 500cc and fitted with a excessive carry camshaft. A standalone, programmable ECU lets in for adaptable energy control, whilst a fully customized copper-hued exhaust gadget does double responsibility as a visible spotlight.
The motorcycle’s inventory suspension was once swapped with a re-valved lengthy journey upside-down fork and customized swingarm with a right away mount, absolutely adjustable rear mono surprise. For higher keep an eye on, the entrance brake was once upgraded from a 300mm disc with 2-pot calipers to a 320mm with 4 pistons. As for wheels, the inventory 17” spoked rear was once swapped for an 18 incher, and coupled up with a 21” entrance. Each are shod in rally-spec knobbies.
When it got here to shedding pounds, Raina and his staff landed at the thought of molding a completely new fairing and frame panels the use of carbon fiber. As you’ll consider, this was once probably the most not easy facet of the construct, requiring now not most effective creative sense and talent, however high-tech CAD and CNC apparatus and the revel in to make use of it.
In an added problem on the subject of the usage of carbon fiber, the group determined to use a topographical map of Mount Everest, “as a result of that symbolized without equal Himalaya, in order that is going with the Final Himalayan theme.” The wrench was once that conventional vinyl graphics received’t adhere to carbon fiber so the design needed to be meticulously hand painted onto the fairing and carbon-shrouded aluminum gas tank.
As for the entire aesthetic, Raina says whilst he envisioned an advanced gadget, he additionally sought after other folks to take a look at the motorcycle and know instantly it was once a Himalayan. Due to this fact, nice consideration was once paid to keeping the motorcycle’s quirky silhouette, as an example, by means of holding the distinct spherical headlamp form. But inside that form are living two diagonal rows of marble-like LED lighting fixtures to provide the motorcycle an edgy vibe. In the back of the small windscreen the entire RE instrumentation was once got rid of and symbolically changed in its entirety by means of a Garmin GPS.
The Final Himalayan’s customized aluminum gas tank additionally echoes the usual motorcycle’s silhouette, even supposing in truth it’s slightly other and bigger. A easy, earth tone seat lends a muted high quality to the gadget, which is precisely what Raina was once after. “You’ll be able to really feel each bit and piece of the mountains,” he says of the colour tones and general glance. “It’s supposed to mix in and be delicate, but be robust in its personal part.”
As for the huge G.O.A.T. graphic, it without a doubt holds a double that means. Maximum will suppose that because the “Final Himalayan” it’s now not a stretch to nickname the motorcycle the Biggest of All Time. Or we will be able to understand that its author and proprietor, Arjun Raina, is a self-proclaimed mountain goat and this motorcycle, his carbon fiber and metal modify ego.
Both approach, this tradition seems love it desires to tackle some mountain trails, and do it with taste.
Pictures courtesy of Moto Exotica
Writer: Jamie Elvidge
Jamie has been a bike journalist for greater than 30 years, trying out all of the vary of motorcycles for the main print magazines and that specialize in adventure-travel similar tales. To this point she’s written and equipped images for articles describing what it’s love to trip in all 50 states and 43 overseas international locations, receiving two Lowell Thomas Society of American Commute Creator’s Awards alongside the way in which. Her most-challenging journey but has been driving within the 2018 GS Trophy in Mongolia as Crew AusAmerica’s embedded journalist.