Photography: Saidatta Naik
As only the second motorcycle to be powered by Royal Enfield’s Sherpa 450 engine, the
Guerrilla 450 has turned out to be a very interesting model in Royal Enfield’s line-up of retro-
styled motorcycles. It’s had a lot going for it right from the start, be it the engine performance,
the sportier dynamics as compared to most of its single-cylinder engine powered siblings, or
even the neo-retro styling. Effectively the Guerrilla 450 has always been a bit of a rebel, and has
tried to stand out, especially with its scrambler-esque stance. And to expand the line-up, Royal
Enfield has just launched the Guerrilla 450 Apex, a sportier version of the motorcycle that being
pegged as more of a streetbike.
The changes to the motorcycle are minimal, but Royal Enfield tells us these are changes that
improve the overall riding experience. But before we talk about the mechanical changes, let’s
look at the cosmetic ones. The first thing you’ll notice is the new paint job which looks quite
nice, as Royal Enfield has added more colours to the list of options, along with some interesting
looking decals. There’s a really good looking shade of red as well, which has the Guerrilla 450
look very similar to one of the previous generation Ducati Monsters, especially with the rear
seat cowl. You get a tiny fly screen at the front to have the bike look more aggressive, besides
the pillion seat cowl, which is part of standard equipment on the Apex.
Moving on to the mechanical changes, the handlebar has been lowered and moved forward, by
56mm and 57mm respectively, to alter the riding position and make it slightly more committed
as compared to the Guerrilla 450 (which continues to use the taller handlebar). This is in
keeping with the positioning of the Apex as a streetbike that’s also going to be hunting for
apexes on tarmac. We got to experience this side of the motorcycle in heaps on the narrow but
engaging corners in Meghalaya, and even on the highway towards Shillong. On another note,
the Apex continues to use the same tripper dash as the standard Guerrilla and offers turn-by-
turn navigation too, though controls for the accessing the console’s functions can still feel
slightly confusing.
There are no changes to the liquid-cooled 450cc single cylinder engine and it puts out 40PS and
40Nm like before, except for minor tweaks to throttle maps, though this does not alter the
performance or power delivery noticeably. And this means the Guerrilla 450 Apex is as much
fun to ride as before, thanks to the kind of performance and power delivery its engine offers. It
also adds a bit of character with its slight rawness, as there is a bit of vibration at slightly higher
revs, but that feels more like an inherent part of the motorcycle’s character. That said, throttle
responses and acceleration, especially in the midrange, help the motorcycle feel quite engaging
to ride.
The biggest update are the bike’s new tyres. These are from Vredestein, and are part of the
Centauro range of tyres that have been around for a while now, but we are told that the ones
on the Apex have been developed for it specifically. The standard Guerrilla on the other hand
continues to use knobbly-looking tyres, which by the way have been updated to offer better
grip too. Coming back the Vredesteins, Royal Enfield tells us these offer better grip in wet and
dry conditions both, thus affording better confidence while pushing the motorcycle around
corners. Wheel and tyre sizes have not changed though, and the Apex uses a rather fat, 120-
section tyre at the front and a 160-section at the rear, both mounted onto 17-inch wheels, and
these help in adding to the bike’s stance.
The tyres help in enhancing the bike’s handling, and as I found out around the fast bends on the
highway towards Shillong, the Apex offers lots of confidence, be it under hard braking before a
corner, or in terms of letting you lean in without having to be concerned about “how much
more grip do I have?” It’s a feeling that’s reassuring to the least, as it means you’ll be able to go
around corners faster, and thus explore more potential from the engine, before you even
ground the footpegs. The suspension setup is the same as before too and feels firm in the
interest of handling, but the bike’s sporty nature does not come at the cost of ride quality. In
fact the new Vredestein tyres seem to work better with the bike’s chassis and suspension than
the standard bike’s tyres. Effectively, along with the shorter and more forward-set handlebar,
the tyres help in turning the Guerrilla 450 into an even more impressive corner-carving
motorcycle.
So overall, the Guerrilla 450 Apex feels more playful in character, and more fun to ride, thanks
to the minimal but effective updates it has received. And with prices starting from just ₹2.5 lakh
ex-showroom, the Apex is a very interesting proposition, especially if you’re in the market for a
400cc machine that is sporty to ride.
