There’s nothing groundbreaking about the Royal Enfield Guerrilla 450—at least from the vantage point of 2025. In 10 or 20 years, however, it may be given an entirely different appraisal. By then, the Guerrilla 450 may be deemed an inflection point, the right bike for the right time. It just might represent a shifting in the balance of the motorcycle powers. Look closely, and it’s already possible to sense a gathering momentum. “Ten years ago, there wasn’t a midsize motorcycle market, other than a few Japanese bikes,” Ross Clifford, business head of Royal Enfield Americas, says. “Look at how many companies now make a 400cc single.”Despite that shift, in the US, 75% of motorcycles sold are 750cc and larger. Here, a 450cc single is considered small-displacement, a mere steppingstone to the three-quarter-liter threshold, beyond which lies the promised land of power, performance, and prestige. But in much of the rest of the world, particularly in developing countries like India and Brazil, midsize motorcycles, which Royal Enfield defines as 250cc–750cc, are considered aspirational. Quite cannily, Royal Enfield has managed to make aspirational products attainable. It’s a formula that’s proven wildly successful.In its most recent fiscal year, Royal Enfield sold over 1 million motorcycles. One million midsize motorcycles, mind you. We’re not talking 50cc scooters here.When is selling a million motorcycles not enough? When roughly 85% of those motorcycles are sold in your home market. India may be the largest motorcycle market in the world with 12 million motorcycles sold annually, but Royal Enfield sees a whole wide world left to conquer.The Guerrilla 450, the second model built around the K platform engine, is a technological leap beyond the brand’s retro habitat. It’s a new alloy of Royal Enfield’s brand values cast in a future-looking mold. What does a portent look like in 2025? It looks an awful lot like a Guerilla 450.“Groundbreaking” Is Relative

Royal Enfield has big aspirations for the Guerilla 450—as well as for the Himalayan 450 and future models built around the K platform—but as Executive Editor Justin Dawes points out in his first ride, “The Guerrilla 450 isn’t breaking any new ground in its segment; what it is doing is breaking new ground in the Royal Enfield line.”The K platform engine, or Sherpa familiarly, delivers a slew of firsts for the 125-year-old brand. It’s the first RE single to use liquid-cooling, dual overhead camshafts, a forged piston, a plated cylinder liner, a six-speed gearbox, and ride-by-wire.Royal Enfield claims the 452cc engine produces 39.5 hp at 8000 rpm and 29.5 lb.-ft. of torque. Power is transferred to its six-speed gearbox via a multiplate, slip and assist clutch. From the outset, RE engineers wanted to build a relatively long-stroke, but revvy engine. They settled on a bore of 84.0mm and stroke of 81.5mm, which is considerably more oversquare than its other designs (the 350cc J engine, for instance, has a 72.0mm bore and an 85.8mm stroke). On the road, the Guerrilla is easygoing, unintimidating, and fast enough to stay ahead of interstate traffic. Tapped out in fifth gear, I saw an indicated 96 mph, a new realm of speed for an RE single to be sure, but it was breathing hard by the time it got there, and I suspect hitting top speed in sixth gear would require a stretch of pavement better measured in fractions of miles than in meters.

Accelerating onto the freeway with any real earnestness requires twisting the throttle to the stop through practically every gear, but it complies to the extent that the sadist in you will permit it, or until the rev limiter cuts in at around 9000 rpm. Given acceleration is more wanting than top speed, Royal Enfield was wise to add an additional tooth to the rear sprocket (compared to the Himalayan 450). While that ups the rpm for a given speed, and thus the potential for unwanted vibrations, it’s a fair trade-off. In top gear, at an indicated 76 mph, the engine spins at around 6000 rpm and hands and feet start to get a bit tingly, cluing riders into the blessed work done by the balancer shaft in preventing them from feeling too much kinship with riders of yesteryear’s singles. Rubber-mounted pegs and handlebars pay dividends here as well.The feeling of modernity extends to the gearbox. Shifter action is super light, requiring the most casual en pointeon the lever. At a standstill, finding neutral is easier than on any other motorcycle that springs to mind. If it’s executed a bit clumsily though, it’s easy to accidentally snick it into second, or even third gear—the gearbox is just that slick. Really impressive. The one quirk of shifting is, as Dawes describes in his first ride review, a surge after clicking up from first to second gear. One of RE’s engineers suggested it was related to engine mapping rather than gear spacing.

Fueling is otherwise spot-on with smooth, fluid throttle response. While the Performance ride mode (more on that later) offers the most immediate throttle response, it’d be nice if it were a bit livelier. It’s probably nigh on perfect for most riders, to be fair—and OK, it’s a 450cc single—but a sharper throttle response might make it feel a tad sportier. Like, it’d be nice if winding on the throttle initiated at least a little bit of a maniacial laugh in the helmet. Still, there’s no question: The Guerrilla is a different kind of Enfield. It wasn’t long ago that Royal Enfields were on the “too authentic” side of retro, equipped as they were with kickstarters, drum brakes, and gen-u-ine carburetors—none of the ersatz numbers found on Triumph’s modern classics, you know. And now this: The Guerrilla 450 has ride-by-wire and two ride modes. Electronics In the US, the Guerrilla has a 4-inch round TFT dash that supports navigation (via Google maps), music (via iTunes), and phone calls. In theory, that’s pretty awesome, but using navigation, for instance, requires the phone to be unlocked, which is a battery-draining bummer. Yes, there’s a USB-C port on the handlebars, but if you’re going to plug in your phone, chances are you’ll mount it on the bars, obviating the need for on-screen navigation. The Guerrilla 450’s two ride modes, Performance and Eco, adjust throttle response (there’s no traction control to muddy the waters); ABS is non-switchable and is identical in both ride modes. Eco mode softens throttle response and limits torque given throttle position and gear selection, but gives full torque when it’s asked for (e.g., at wide-open throttle in top gear). Switching ride modes is, unfortunately, a bit of a faff. On most motorcycles, changing modes on the go requires selecting the mode and then shutting the throttle for a moment to lock it in. On the Guerrilla, it requires selecting the mode, shutting the throttle, and then pulling in the clutch lever for what feels like an indeterminate amount of time. Sounds easy enough but I struggled to actually make it work consistently. Making matters worse, the dash doesn’t clearly display the selected ride mode on the main screen. Even pressing the mode button, which scrolls through both mode options, doesn’t make it clear which one is selected.

The left handlebar has a five-way joystick to navigate through the dash, but it’s about the size of a pencil eraser and is very sensitive to use (apparently there’s a fix in the works). On top of that, the UI seems, well, like a first effort. The TFT display doesn’t always offer visual clues to guide users. For instance, there’s no visible “settings” menu to navigate to on the screen; you just have to figure out that pressing up on the joystick lever will get you there. The advantage of a TFT dash is that it literally illuminates actionable items, so a user’s manual isn’t required to figure out how to navigate through it—unfortunately, that’s not the case here. But, man, it’s a heck of a first effort, and hugely ambitious of RE to incorporate Google maps on the dash. The brand clearly wants to give its riders a premium experience in an extremely affordable package. More than that, Royal Enfield insists it’s a premium brand. But are “premium” and “affordable” mutually exclusive?What Does Royal Enfield Mean By “Premium”?

Every Royal Enfield I’ve ever ridden has conveyed its “Made Like a Gun” motto. The things just feel solid. The Guerrilla 450 is no exception. It’s also rife with delightful design details. The switch gear, other than the joystick, is nicely thought out and feels quality to use. Welds are nice and tidy, rivaling anything built in Japan. The brake light is integrated into the turn signal indicators, BMW-style. The TFT dash is crystal clear. The sculpted tank is a lovely thing to look at—pictures don’t do it justice—and the clear coat over the decals shames my pricey Italian motorcycle, with its peeling logo on the tank shrouds (maybe it’s a weight-saving measure? Yeah, that’s it!). Still, some details feel a bit rough and ready. Many of the fasteners look like they were plucked from the bulk bins at a hardware store. The chunky bolts mounting the engine to the frame look like they could hold together the Brooklyn Bridge. The ill-fitting plastic beauty cover at the front of the tank on my testbike didn’t exactly say “premium.” Fine. The Guerrilla 450 is not a premium-priced motorcycle. According to Clifford, however, it’s premium in other ways. “Premium doesn’t mean expensive,” he says. “You don’t have to spend $40,000 to feel like you’ve had a great brand experience. “When I say ‘premium brand,’ ” he continues, “I mean it’s a full buyer experience—from accessories, to clothing, to riders clubs, to rides, to engagement. It’s more than a transactional motorcycle. It’s not: ‘You bought a $5000 motorcycle, now go away. Come back if you need service.’ For many brands, midsize bikes are entry-level, they’re just about getting you into the system. Our core business is to develop an exceptional brand experience around that midsize bike.”

It doesn’t sound too revolutionary—customer engagement, after all, is an investment in the future. Every buyer should be treated as a potential repeat customer. Yet, I’m willing to bet that’s not the customary experience when purchasing a $5000 motorcycle. Part of the experience of owning a motorcycle from a high-end European marque is the opportunity it affords to interact with the brand. Own a Multistrada? Do the Giro Alpino and ride with Ducati NA’s CEO. Own a GS? Compete in the GS Trophy at BMW’s world-class facility in South Carolina. “We’ve got a premium brand like you think of the Europeans, yet we’ve got a value play,” Clifford says. “Very rarely do you get the two things together. The premium brands have historically never touched the midsize segment because they can’t make money on the midsize segment. Because you need scale.”How Is the Guerrilla 450 This Good—And This Cheap?

Talk about burying the lead: The Guerrilla 450 costs $5299 in whatever color you choose. That makes it amazingly affordable for what you get. With a claimed dry weight of 382 pounds and a low 30.7-inch seat height, the Guerrilla 450 is as physically approachable for a broad demographic as it is affordable. As Dawes reports in his first ride review, the Guerrilla 450 “just works.” Handling is stable at highway speeds or when banked over on a twisty country lane. Bespoke Showa suspension (adjustable for preload in the rear) is compliant and damping is appropriate for most uses. The ByBre braking setup features a single 310mm disc in the front and a 270mm disc in the rear. Brakes are a big upgrade over other REs I’ve tested. No complaints.How did Royal Enfield make a bike this good, this cheap? Simple economics, really. By producing, literally, a million motorcycles a year, it doesn’t have to charge an arm and a leg for each one. Nor could it; not in India, where it sells the Hunter 350, for example, for roughly the equivalent of $1700. To be profitable at that price, Royal Enfield has had to become incredibly efficient at manufacturing motorcycles. It starts at the design level where parts are optimized for ease and cost of manufacturing. In-house assembly of frames and paint application ensures quality and cost. The result? A shiny, new Royal Enfield motorcycle rolls off the production line every 40 seconds. “If you’re a low-volume manufacturer,” Clifford says, “you spend x hundreds of thousands of dollars on a tool, and you might not pay it off until you reach 50,000 units—which might be five years. For us, it’s less than a month of production.”What Makes the Guerrilla 450 Different?

In India, amid the masses of Hero HF 100s, Bajaj CT110s, and TVS Sport 110s, Royal Enfields, especially the likes of the Guerrilla 450 and Himalayan 450, look unquestionably aspirational. The brand has cultural cachet and 125 years of heritage that comes with a distinctive brand story.In Western markets, the Guerrilla 450 faces stiff competition and incredibly high consumer expectations. The Triumph Speed 400 (built by Bajaj) costs $5295, virtually the same price as the RE—and it’s excellent. The Husqvarna Vitpilen 401 and KTM 390 Duke start at $5899, and they’re techno-wonders backed by KTM’s “Ready to Race” ethos. The Honda CB300R starts at $5149, and it’s well, a Honda. I could keep going.Still, the Guerrilla has its own vibe. Royal Enfield brags about how it’s not “toylike” like the competition. That might be marketing hype, but it has a kernel of truth. It rides like a big bike. It has a narrow seat with low standover height, but ergonomics are spot-on. There’s plenty of room to move around on the seat, the bars are tall and wide enough to give an in-command stance without feeling cramped, and overall, the bike doesn’t read “piddler.” There’s also something novel about the brand in Western markets, which may be especially attractive to young, first-time customers. That novelty makes it theirs to discover, theirs to fall in love with. It’s unlikely their dad or middle school math teacher or grouchy neighbor owned a Royal Enfield. They can write their own story with it. As a machine, however— to reiterate Dawes’ observation—the Guerrilla isn’t actually groundbreaking; it’s just groundbreaking for Royal Enfield. So, really what’s all the fuss about? Well, Triumph and KTM and Honda aren’t selling a million Speed 400s, Dukes, or CBs in a single year.A Changing World

In an interview with the Brookings Institution, Homi Kharas, author of The Rise of the Global Middle Class: How the Search for the Good Life Can Change the World, says: “We are adding 110 to 115 million people into the middle class each year, despite all the difficulties the global economy is presenting. But that’s what’s powering the world economy forward.” The global middle class, we should be clear, is economically distinct from what we consider middle class in the West. For much of that exploding population, primarily centered in India, Asia, and South America, owning a midsize motorcycle—not a midsize car, as would be the aspiration of an upwardly mobile person in the West—is an increasingly realistic ambition. Royal Enfield, based in Chennai, India, in the nucleus of that exploding population, has gone from selling 300,000 motorcycles per year in 2015 to 1 million 10 years later. In that time, it has become a cash-rich, high-volume manufacturer that can support investment in foreign markets. In short, Royal Enfield prepared itself to take on a changing world. “Ultimately, our goal is to be the number one midsize brand globally,” Clifford says. “What does that look like? Our target should be 25% market share in each of our key markets.”Outside of India, RE already has the second largest market share in Brazil and Argentina, and the third largest market share in Columbia. Impressively, it accomplished that feat while offering what is essentially a niche style of motorcycle. Now, with the K platform, it has a modern, more universally comparable product that’s poised to compete directly with OEMs from Japan, Europe, and China. And that’s what could make the Guerrilla 450 such a significant model. “To be frank,” Clifford says, “I think the K platform is our first truly global platform. It was designed as a global bike but clearly the appeal is in both the developing and highly developed markets: South America, North America, Europe. It has levels of refinement previously not really seen with a Royal Enfield.”

The question is, does the Guerrilla 450 really have global appeal? By Western standards, there’s nothing truly seminal about it. It’s a fine small-displacement motorcycle, to be sure. It’s fun, it handles well, and it’s pretty well-equipped. And it’s backed by a growing dealer network and a three-year, unlimited-mileage warranty. It should certainly appeal to beginning riders, but also to mature riders looking for a cheap runabout for when their Multistrada feels like overkill for a hop to the shops. The Guerrilla 450’s strength is that it can satisfy riders from two different worlds. In the developing world, it’s an aspirational motorcycle built for the upwardly mobile. In the West, it’s an affordable runabout for leisure mobility. And it’s great at being both.Clifford says in the US, Royal Enfield is targeting to sell between 15,000 and 20,000 units a year. “We’re a very progressive brand,” he adds. “When we get to that, it will be: ‘What’s next?’”Given how far Royal Enfield has come in a decade, that’s precisely what we should all be wondering.

GearbagHelmet: Shoei RF-1400Jacket: Aether Draft Mesh Motorcycle JacketGloves: Aether Moto Jeans: Saint Unbreakable 12 Oz. Coretec Slim JeansBoots: TCX Street 3 Air2025 Royal Enfield Guerrilla 450 Specs