It is onerous to not recognize what Royal Enfield has accomplished in recent times. The model’s lineup has steadily grown to incorporate a spread of characterful, enjoyable bikes starting from 350cc to 650cc.
Till not too long ago, they’d primarily been air-cooled singles and parallel twins. However then got here the introduction of the Himalayan 450, and its all-new, liquid-cooled (!) single. Trendy motorbike improvement being what it’s, Enfield was additionally very up entrance about its plans to broaden this new engine into a brand new platform, upon which extra bikes can be primarily based. In spite of everything, it labored for the 650cc parallel twin—which, let’s not overlook, spawned the INT650, Continental GT 650, Tremendous Meteor 650, Shotgun 650, and naturally, the most recent child on the block, the Bear 650.
It additionally labored for the 350cc single platform and the OG Himalayan 411cc platform.
However the brand new 452cc liquid-cooled single marks courageous new territory for Enfield—and the brand new 2026 Royal Enfield Guerrilla 450 is yet one more few steps into modernity for a vaunted purveyor of bikes that hasn’t beforehand been identified for its tech-forwardness.
The Guerrilla 450 takes the model’s core values and provides slightly additional sprinkling of contemporary seasoning. Trendy suspension and brakes, actually cool sprint unit, and styling that does not appear like it is paying homage to the primary half of the twentieth century. It does not wish to be boxed in, and it’s extremely clear about these intentions.
Picture by: Visionary Media/Royal Enfield
The Guerrilla 450’s Design Course of
Listening to Royal Enfield lead idea engineer Ed Cobb’s telling of the story about how the Guerrilla 450 got here to be was fascinating. The concept, he mentioned, began as a tiny germ approach again in 2018. Enfield wished to do some issues that appeared form of loopy and unheard-of for the corporate, together with including a linkage-type rear shock so they may preserve the seat top as accessible to as broad a spread of riders as potential. And wait, I am sorry, however an engine as a confused member design? Say what?!
On the time, it was like nothing else in Enfield’s lineup. And actually, even now, that is nonetheless the case. It might share an engine with the Himalayan 450, however in its explicit mixture of parts, it is an outlier. That is in all probability why the model is concentrating on utilizing the phrase “unusual” to explain it in its advertising and marketing supplies. However simply because it is within the advertising and marketing supplies doesn’t suggest that it is unsuitable, or that it is routinely an overstatement.
Like all different fashionable Enfields, the Guerrilla 450 was designed over a interval of years, and clay fashions have been used to assist refine its traces. The ensuing kind is bolder, and extra aggressive. It is a bike that is unapologetic about what it’s and what it does. It needs to go play. Each its look and its stance completely talk that about it.
And when you mount up and change it on, you will rapidly discover that the promise hinted at by its seems to be aren’t overselling it. Somewhat, they’re making ready you for what’s to come back whenever you open the throttle.
A Large Step Ahead
It is no secret that I’ve appreciated what Enfield has accomplished over the previous few years. I imply, it is an organization that is been making good, stable, sincere bikes that do precisely what you count on them to do. They’re quirky, charming, and have a chill, traditional vibe that I genuinely recognize. And customarily talking, they provide nice worth for cash. I’ve ridden many of the model’s lineup at this level, and I’ve but to expertise a motorbike of theirs in latest occasions that does not earn the outline I’ve simply shared.
However the Guerrilla 450 genuinely shocked me, in an excellent approach.
I might been informed by my colleague Enrico that I used to be in all probability going to find it irresistible, since I beloved the Hunter 350 a lot. Since he is primarily based within the Philippines, he is had entry to the Guerrilla 450 for for much longer than we now have over on my aspect of the pond, and he thought it was brilliant. However after all, I keep a wholesome quantity of skepticism till I truly expertise them for myself.
Did it put an enormous, silly grin on my face? Sure, sure it did. A number of occasions.
Picture by: Visionary Media/Royal Enfield
Let’s begin by stopping; or to place it one other approach, let’s speak in regards to the brakes. They’re ByBre items, which is normally the case on Royal Enfield bikes. There is a 310mm rotor up entrance and a 270mm on within the rear, and the chunk on each is superb and usable on the road. Somebody from Enfield even steered that they is perhaps the perfect brakes on one in all their bikes but; whereas I am unable to say that for positive, I can say they did really feel just like the strongest ones that I’ve personally skilled on one in all their bikes so far.
Nonetheless, I might say that brake really feel is usually good, since you’ll need to have the ability to cease rapidly with the torque curve this engine has. On paper, this little 452cc single makes a claimed 40 horsepower and 40 newton-meters (about 29.5 lb-ft) of torque. It may not sound like a lot, however the fact is that these numbers inform you completely nothing about how accessible that torque is, all all through many of the rev vary. The Guerrilla 450 is a motorbike that desires to GO. NOW.
I by no means thought I might be telling you that there is a Royal Enfield the place it is truly potential to seek out your self immediately going quicker than you supposed, with an enormous silly grin in your face, and chanting “holy SHIT” time and again and over inside your helmet. And but, right here we’re.
It isn’t a superbike, and it isn’t meant to be a superbike (however oh, is it enjoyable). That is not what Enfield does, and that is not likely what it needs to do, both. As a substitute, the model is about getting energy, enjoyable, practicality, and worth into the fingers of any riders who need it.
Brief riders. Tall riders. Small riders. Large riders. As many riders as potential, actually, and that is all of the extra seemingly as a result of they’re typically priced to not break the financial institution.
Rain or shine, this bike does not care. And you will not, both.
Picture by: Visionary Media/Royal Enfield
The Trip Expertise
I not too long ago spent a day up in and round Milwaukee, Wisconsin—the house of Royal Enfield’s North American headquarters—taking the Guerrilla 450 by means of some genuinely good, curvy roads and pure areas, in addition to on the freeway. As a result of sure, that is proper, this little 450 is completely pleased to hop on the freeway with aplomb, even when that freeway has a posted 70 mph pace restrict and most of the individuals driving it are literally going quicker.
As I’ve famous earlier than, I am a brief rider with quick legs, which does not all the time make for the simplest time in case you’re additionally into bikes. I stand at 5’3″ and have a 27-inch inseam. The inventory Guerrilla 450 has a seat top of 780mm (about 30.7 inches), however the standover is kind of slim. The suspension on this bike has preload adjustability on that rear shock, which I have not performed with but, however because it got here from Enfield, it nonetheless works simply positive for my stature.
In actual fact, the ergonomics are fairly nice for me.
The clutch and entrance brake levers are flat-fronted; one thing I additionally genuinely love in regards to the Hunter 350 that I have been driving for a couple of months. The Sherpa engine is mated to a six-speed gearbox, and each up and downshifting are extraordinarily simple and easy due to its help and slipper clutch (one other concession to modernity, however a welcome one). So, in case you get caught in visitors, there’s completely no want to fret.
The inventory saddle is kind of comfy for me, and a number of the taller riders in my group additionally mentioned that they discovered the bike to be fairly comfy for the driving we did. Others did have some complaints and have been standing up a bit to stretch themselves out as a result of they felt a bit cramped. Each rider is completely different, so your mileage could differ in your individual expertise of this bike.
Enfield affords a few accent seat choices in case you do not just like the inventory unit. Whereas I briefly sat on the City saddle, and it did visually look like extra dished out (and presumably slightly decrease) than the inventory saddle, I am unable to say that it actually felt a lot completely different. Nonetheless, since I did not truly trip with that saddle, I am unable to communicate to its driving qualities.
Royal Enfield outfitted the Guerrilla 450 with its new Tripper Sprint, which is a single-pod show unit (in contrast to the previous-gen Tripper Navigation that added a smaller side-pod to the sprint, so that you had one barely larger spherical unit displaying RPM and pace and your clock, and a secondary tiny unit that displayed navigation in case you related your telephone through Bluetooth. To really carry it into the twenty first century, the Guerrilla 450 additionally has a USB-C port on the sprint, so you may preserve your telephone (or different machine) charged as you trip.
It is a ride-by-wire system, and it has two trip modes: Efficiency and Eco. Within the US market, each preserve the ABS switched on, however I did not discover it to be intrusive at any level, even after we did briefly trip on some rain-slicked roads after a thunderstorm large enough to warrant a extreme climate alert pounded the realm whereas we have been stopped for lunch.
That is an engine and a driving expertise to place a smile in your face, as a result of the ability is simply so accessible. It isn’t an outright hooligan bike expertise, however it’s lots nearer to it than you would possibly essentially count on from Enfield. All in all, it is only a pure pleasure to trip. And if you end up needing to get out of a bushy scenario on the street, the mere reality of that energy accessibility will provide you with the arrogance to simply twist the throttle and energy away.
That is what really separates this from the 350s. And, if I am sincere, the gearing additionally feels a bit extra aware of me than the 650s, as properly. On paper, the 650 parallel twin continues to be extra highly effective, however I merely cannot overstate the usability of the torque on the Guerrilla 450. Folks make the error of pondering horsepower and displacement are all that matter, however with out accessible torque, you are gonna want to vary your title to Peat, you will be bogging a lot.
The magic of the Guerrilla 450 is that this engine supplies energy the place you want it and whenever you need it. Enrico informed me that this bike is just like the Hunter 350 on steroids, and he wasn’t unsuitable. In actual fact, I’ve since heard lots of people describe this bike that approach, and guess what? They’re additionally not unsuitable.
That is precisely what this bike is. If the Hunter 350 is a pleasant, charming, quirky, lovely guinea pig, then the Guerrilla 450 is completely a capybara. It’s kind of larger, and a bit badder, however it’s nonetheless a buddy to all of the riders, simply because the world’s largest rodent is a buddy to all of the animals.
Picture by: Visionary Media/Royal Enfield
Picture by: Visionary Media/Royal Enfield
Picture by: Visionary Media/Royal Enfield
Colours, Pricing (together with a solution to that dreaded tariffs query), and Availability
In North America, the Royal Enfield Guerrilla 450 is available in three colorways: Brava Blue (my favourite in particular person), Smoke Silver (the one I rode), and Playa Black (the kind of retro-y paint scheme; the steel flake within the black a part of the paint is rather more seen within the solar in particular person than in images).
When you’re serious about shopping for one, pricing begins at an eminently cheap MSRP of US $5,299 for any shade you want. A full vary of equipment is accessible, and this bike went on sale by means of the model’s dealership community in North America as of August 21, 2025.
I requested Royal Enfield North America in regards to the potential impression of tariffs on its pricing plans and was informed that there will likely be no tariff surcharge. The value they’ve introduced is the value. Why? As a result of “in a challenged market, worth manufacturers win,” Royal Enfield Head of the Americas Ross Clifford informed us.
With the sheer quantity of enjoyable and stunning functionality this bike supplies, on the value that it is supplied at, it is tough to disagree. However we can’t know for positive till we see how riders take to it, will we?
You probably have an opportunity to take one for a check trip, I might positively suggest it. Whether or not you have ridden different fashionable Enfields earlier than, otherwise you’ve by no means thrown a leg over, I believe you will be in for a deal with, regardless. You would possibly suppose you realize what Royal Enfield is about; I do know I did. I imply, I’ve ridden nearly all of its present lineup; why would not I really feel like I knew the model properly?
The Guerrilla 450 is an intriguingly completely different animal, altogether. I am unable to wait to spend extra time driving the one which I am borrowing, and I will positively be telling you all about down the road. Keep tuned for each extra written items, social media, and movies to come back. And observe us in all of the locations if you have not already, so you may sustain with all of it!
You probably have any questions you would like answered in regards to the Guerrilla 450, go away them within the feedback beneath and I will do my greatest to reply them!
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