I've been lucky enough to have ridden a bunch of motorcycles in this job, and also lucky enough to live in a time when most motorcycles that come out are pretty great. Naturally, there are some I like more than others, just as I'm sure there are some that you like more than others. Riders have motorcycle opinions, and we have even more of them when we actually go out and ride more bikes; who knew?
Until recently, I didn't honestly think I'd find a Royal Enfield that I liked more than the Hunter 350. Sure, the 650s are more powerful than the 350s; I mean, it's right in their name. But there are a number of reasons that we enjoy riding motorcycles, and power isn't everything. The Hunter 350 is good-looking, charming, and absolutely excellent in city conditions. As a native Chicagoan, I found it perfect for just about everything except spending a long time at high speeds.
And then I met the Royal Enfield Guerrilla 450, and that new Sherpa engine is truly something special. The Tripper dash and its navigation functions are also great, too; particularly if you take advantage of the handy USB-C port on the handlebars to keep your phone topped up with power while it's in your tank bag. It's clear that Enfield's engineers put thought into where things are located, and how riders would want to make use of them. You can totally tell.
You may already have read my written, long-form review of the bike (and if you haven't, it's at the link above for your convenience). I wrote both that review and shot the video review you're about to watch before I rode the Guerrilla 450 home and spent even more quality time with it in Chicago.
After spending time with it in and around my city, with all the wonderful things that it has to offer (despite what the haters may try to tell you), I love this bike even more. I'm lucky enough to get to borrow one from Enfield on loan, but if we're talking about spending my own personal money on a Royal Enfield, this is the one that I'd buy.
Everyone's different, and your needs may be different from mine. But the Guerrilla 450 has done everything I've asked it to, and more. It's brilliant in tight city situations, stop-and-go traffic, and for ease of parking on city streets. Low-speed maneuverability is fantastic. It sips fuel, but has plenty of power to get out of a bad situation, or to get up to speed on a highway.
And it's even great for those fun weekend rides away from the city, out on those sweeping, curvy roads you can find out in the country around here. This area may not be known for a lot of elevation changes, but we do have some lovely roads in some places if you know where to look. The Guerrilla 450 is great for having fun there, too, and it keeps up just fine with bigger bikes, as well. It's got a lot of heart, and I mean it when I say it punches far above its weight.
