Royal Enfield 2024 Guerrilla 450 Review

Royal Enfield’s latest creation might just be its most important.

Named after the Spanish word for small war, the all-new Guerrilla 450 roadster is the sportiest Royal Enfield to date. And it proves that little bikes can be fun too.

It helps that the Guerrilla is armed with the brilliant 452cc single-cylinder Sherpa engine that debuted in the acclaimed dual-sport Himalayan late last year.

And it also helps that Royal Enfield has chosen a slightly edgier and more modern look over the brand’s usual “old bike” style.

In fact, the whole modus operandi for the Guerrilla 450 appears to be aimed at attracting a more youthful and rowdier crowd. The ambitious marketing campaign features anti-authoritarian, non-conformist, and revolutionary themes complete with hip-hop tracks from the likes of Kendrick Lamar.

Of course, flashy marketing will only get you so far. Fortunately, the lively, agile, and stylish Guerilla 450 picks up the slack. Australia has a historical obsession with horsepower and big engines, but bikes like the Guerrilla are starting to shift the tide.

Granted, the Guerrilla 450 is not perfect, but it is still probably my favourite Royal Enfield model to date. Let me tell you why.

We don’t know yet. But if I was a betting man (and I am sometimes), I’d say it will start somewhere in the vicinity of $8250 ride away. We're told the bike is expected to land in Australia in "late September, early October".

I won’t bore you with the math, but looking at Europe, UK, and India pricing, we’re expecting the Guerilla to be cheaper than the Himalayan 450, which arrived in Australia earlier this year with an “introductory” price of $8990 ride away.

A price tag just north of $8k would make the Guerilla cheaper than most of its key competition, including the KTM 390 Duke, the Husqvarna Vitpilen 401, the Triumph Speed 400, and the Harley-Davidson X500. The CFMOTO 450NK is currently available for an "introductory" price of $7790 ride away.

There will be three trim levels of the Guerrilla – Analogue, Dash, and Flash. I’ll explain what those mean below, but it’s possible there will be a $300-$500 difference between the bottom and top spec variants.

One Royal Enfield boffin told us he expects the Guerrilla to outsell the Himalayan globally three to one. This may not be the case in adventure-hungry Australia, but it does show how important this model is for the brand.

Royal Enfield tells us that there is no difference between this 452cc liquid-cooled single cylinder Sherpa engine and the one that debuted in the Himalayan. 

On paper, the figures are identical – 40hp at 8000rpm and 40Nm at 5500rpm. But one Enfield employee did say that there is a slight adjustment to mapping and gearing that makes the Guerrilla a little livelier than its dual-sport counterpart. 

The engine is paired with a smooth-shifting six-speed gearbox and slip assist clutch, while ride-by-wire allows for crisp throttle response and changeable ride modes.

Some people might tell you the Guerrilla is simply an offshoot of the Himalayan, and yes, it does share the same engine and frame.

But with a 17-inch front wheel, a revised head angle and subframe, a smaller fuel tank, conventional suspension, and altered bodywork, the Guerrilla is a completely different bike that is laser-focused on its road-going persona.

The 17-inch alloys wheels are clad in CEAT rubber, while braking is courtesy of ByBre components with a 310mm disc up front and a 270mm disc down back.

Enfield opted for a conventional fork over the inverted fork of the Himalayan, with the result being 140mm of travel to compliment the 150mm travel of the rear linkage type monoshock. The fork gaiters and round LED headlight help the bike maintain a timeless look without compromising the modern styling.

As I mentioned earlier, there are multiple trim levels for the Guerrilla. The base Analogue model comes with – you guessed it – an analogue dash (the same round gauge found on most Enfield models).

The next model in the range is the Dash version. Anyone want to take a stab? Yep, this one gets the attractive round colour TFT display that debuted on the Himalayan 450.

It not only looks neat, but it also comes with smartphone connectivity via the Royal Enfield app, enabling navigation (with a full colour map), music control, weather forecasting, and vehicle information.

It’s clever system and is quite intuitive once you get used to it. However the initial phone app setup is a little tedious, and your phone must remain unlocked for navigation to work, meaning your battery will drain quickly. The joystick control on the left-hand switch block is also a little fiddly. A touchscreen would be cool.

The third and final variant is Flash. Enfield describes it as “top spec”, but as far as we can tell, it is the same as the Dash variant but with the sweet-looking Yellow Ribbon colour scheme.

In the safety department, the Guerrilla packs dual-channel ABS, but it cannot be switched off like the Himalayan.

There is no traction control, which is perhaps not necessary for a 40hp bike, but it’s worth noting that the KTM 390 Duke and Triumph Speed 400 both come with switchable traction control (and cornering ABS for the KTM).

And finally, the Guerrilla comes with two ride modes – Performance and Eco. There is a noticeable difference between the two, but unless its bucketing rain or you are a complete novice, you’ll want to stick to Performance.

Having not yet had a chance to ride the Himalayan 450, the liveliness of the Sherpa powerplant really surprised me.

From the first crack of the throttle, the Guerrilla impresses with urgent acceleration and a strong mid-range. Keep the engine in the middle part of the revs and the Guerilla really excites as a zippy little road bike.

Of course, it is still a 450cc single. That means a lack of oomph at highways speeds, and a few vibrations through the 'pegs at higher revs. It also means you need to stay sharp with your gear changes. Come out of a corner a gear too high, and you’ll have hard time catching the bike in front of you.

None of that is unexpected for a small capacity machine though and, while it will sit comfortably on 100km/h when required, the Guerrilla is made for urban environments rather than high-speed roads.

Still, our tight, technical, and fast test route had us pushing the bikes harder than we probably should have, and the bikes never let up.

The Guerrilla is lightweight and agile, and the chassis felt strong as we banked left and right rapidly through the tight twisties. The Showa suspension felt tuned for the task, with both the fork and shock performing admirably. My philosophy is that if you don’t notice the suspension while riding, then it’s doing its job.

While most of our riding was on country roads, the Guerrilla would be a gem in urban environments. The lightweight and agile handling, and relatively small profile, make it very easy to ride.

Braking performance was adequate, if not a bit mellow, while I’d probably be quick to swap the tyres out for something a little more trustworthy. That said, even when we had the Guerrilla on the ragged edge, the tyres never gave way.

What else can I tell you? The ride position is comfortable and roomy (even for a big bloke), the exhaust note is surprisingly spicy, and the gearbox and clutch are smooth.

Complaints? Not many, but ground clearance is bit low, and I'm not convinced the fuel range is excellent. But for its intended purpose, those two things are not dealbreakers.

Overall, the Guerrilla 450 is a really strong package. It's lightweight, agile, exciting, and very easy to ride. It's almost certainly the sportiest Royal Enfield model to date, and it also could possibly be the brand's most refined model to date.

Is the Guerrilla 450 all that different from other roadsters in the segment? Well, no, not necessarily. But it does hold its own, and if Royal Enfield prices it below its rivals, then I would absolutely suggest it as the pick of the bunch.

Collectively, these small capacity roadsters are proving that size really doesn't matter. Unless you are looking for lap records or you’re spending most of your time on the freeway, then a 450cc single is all the bike you need.

The Guerrilla 450 might be Royal Enfield's best effort yet. And if the price is right, then it deserves to sell like hotcakes.

ENGINE
Type: Liquid cooled, single cylinder, DOHC, 4 valves
Capacity: 452c
Bore x stroke: 84mm x 81.5mm
Compression ratio: 11:5:1
Fuel system: Electronic fuel injection, 42mm throttle body, ride by wire system
Lubrication: Semi-dry sump

PERFORMANCE
Claimed maximum power: 29.44kW (40hp) @ 8000rpm
Claimed maximum torque: 40Nm @ 5500rpm

TRANSMISSION
Type: 6 speed
Final drive: Chain
Clutch: Wet multiplate, slip & assist

CHASSIS AND RUNNING GEAR
Frame type: Steel twin spar tubular frame
Front suspension: 43mm telescopic fork, 140mm travel
Rear suspension: Linkage type mono-shock, 150mm travel
Front brakes: Hydraulic disc brake, 310mm ventilated disc, double piston caliper 
Rear brakes: Hydraulic disc brake, 270mm ventilated disc, single piston floating caliper
ABS: dual channel
Front tyre: 120/70-17
Rear tyre: 160/60-17

DIMENSIONS AND CAPACITIES
Ground clearance: 169mm
Wet weight: 185kg
Seat height: 780mm
Wheelbase: 1440mm
Fuel capacity: 11 litres

OTHER STUFF
Price: $TBA
Warranty: 3 years unlimited kms + roadside assist