Assam Fire Brigade has inducted 14 Himalayan 450 into the service as these vehicles are set to act as emergency first response units, deployed across the state. Goal is to arrive at the fire site as quickly as possible before conventional big fire fighting rigs arrive, which could potentially prove to be life or death for victims and these responders can contain the fire and prevent it from evolving into a blaze.
These Himalayan 450s are modified to suit the purpose and 2W fire fighting motorcycles have existed in the past too. Royal Enfields seem to be a preferred brand for these fire fighter modifications as we have seen Bullet 500 and Himalayan 411 used for these applications. Now, Himalayan 450 has been inducted for this role by Assam Fire Brigade.
Himalayan 450 Fire Fighter
Standard Himalayan 450 from Royal Enfield is known for its rugged character and has excellent touring capabilities. It is the most advanced and most well-equipped Royal Enfield ever. The suspension is designed to take on loads and to traverse any rugged terrains for as long as its 17L fuel tank allows.
The bike is also large in dimensions and can accommodate necessary modifications to meet the application. The modifications include two water tanks – one at each side. These tanks look like they can hold 20L – 25L worth of water each. There is a special jig at the rear which has a hose pipe that could be around 100 feet or more in length.
Other modifications include much wider engine protectors that extend outwards quite a bit, positioned on these protectors is a water pump positioned on the left side and a fire extinguisher (probably CO2 based)on the right side. We can see sirens and strobe lights at the front and rear to alert other road users so that they can make way for the emergency responders.
We can also see PA systems on board to address the public and what looks like wireless radio systems to communicate with HQ. The pressure gun to spray the water is positioned vertically at the back for space optimization. And visually distinguishing these motorcycles is the custom Red and Yellow paint scheme.
Off-Roader / Tourer to Fire Fighter
In many ways, Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 makes perfect sense as an emergency first response fire fighter. We can see that there is seating provision for two, despite all these modifications and then there is the Google Maps support on the Tripper Dash which can help in navigating to the fire site.
Owing to its size, performance and off-road capabilities, Himalayan 450 can reach fire site much earlier than conventional fire rigs. Also, if the fire site is in narrow lanes or in remote areas without roads, Himalayan 450 shines bright.
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