Royal Enfield has launched its adventure touring motorcycle, Himalayan, in Delhi at a starting price of 1,73,676 (on-road Delhi). The announcement came after uncertainty over sales of the Royal Enfield Himalayan in Delhi, due to a Delhi transport department decision to bar registration of two wheelers which don't meet Bharat Stage IV (BS-IV) emission norms.
That decision by the government left the fate of BS-III compatible Himalayan in the doldrums, as the adventure tourer was barred from being sold in Delhi from April 1, much to the disappointment of eagerly patient customers. But now, the Delhi government has decided to permit sale of BS-III two wheelers, which were launched before April 1, 2016. All new two wheelers need to be BS-IV compliant from April 1, 2016 and existing two wheelers will need to upgrade from April 1, 2017.
The Royal Enfield Himalayan was launched earlier this month, well before the April 1 deadline, and as a result, the purpose built adventure tourer was eligible to be sold in Delhi during the next fiscal despite the BS-III compliant engine. However, the Delhi Transpot Department had barred the registration of newly launched non-BS-IV compliant two-wheelers in the capital since December last year without an official order, thereby catching most manufacturers off guard.
This led to a host of new two-wheelers not going on sale in Delhi, with the Himalayan being one of the same. Nevertheless, the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) had a meeting with the Transport Department officials and the issue was resolved, resulting in the ban being lifted. That said, Royal Enfield will have to roll out the BS-IV compliant variant by next year in accordance with the April 1, 2017 deadline, wherein all vehicles sold in the country will have to be BS-IV friendly.
Announcing the commencement of sales in Delhi, Rudratej Singh, President, Royal Enfield said, "We are delighted to announce the availability of our latest motorcycle - Himalayan, in New Delhi. The timing of the launch in Delhi could not have been better as all motorcycling enthusiasts in the region start frequenting the hills post Holi. We are very confident that with its simple design and versatile performance, the Himalayan will inspire confidence amongst the amateur motorcyclists. At the same time, seasoned riders will appreciate the motorcycle's purpose-built features and attributes in terrains that have inspired the Himalayan. Towards creating and growing a new segment which offers an option for adventure loving motorcycling enthusiasts."
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