SOURCE: AFI
The Argentine Army’s 24th Mechanized Infantry Regiment recently wrapped up unique training exercises in the rugged Patagonia region. The exercises involved soldiers honing their motorcycle combat skills, with an interesting detail emerging from the official photos released by the Army.
One soldier was pictured equipped with an AT4 anti-tank launcher, showcasing the potential integration of motorcycles into various tactical scenarios. Notably, the motorcycles used in these exercises were the Royal Enfield Himalayan, an adventure motorcycle manufactured by the Indian company Royal Enfield.
This development comes alongside a significant announcement from Royal Enfield. The company, a leader in the middleweight motorcycle segment globally, has partnered with Grupo Simpa, its Argentinian distributor since 2018, to establish a motorcycle assembly plant in Argentina.
This marks a historic first for Royal Enfield, signifying the first time the company will be assembling motorcycles outside of its facilities in Chennai, India. The decision reflects Argentina’s position as a major market for middleweight motorcycles in Latin America.
Royal Enfield established its presence in Argentina in March 2018 with its first dealership opening in Vicente Lopez, Buenos Aires. The company has since expanded its network to include five flagship dealerships across the country, contributing to a total of 31 flagship stores and 40 other dealerships spread across Latin America.
The Royal Enfield Himalayan, the bike featured in the Argentinian army drills, is powered by a 411cc air/oil-cooled engine that produces 24.3 bhp and 32 Nm of torque. This engine is paired with a five-speed gearbox and the bike boasts a 15-liter fuel tank with a total weight of 199 kg. For enhanced safety, the Himalayan comes equipped with disc brakes on both wheels and dual-channel ABS as a standard feature.