Royal Enfield was long speculated to be working on higher capacity motorcycles. The Bullet-maker finally unveiled its brand new 650cc duo - Continental GT 650 and Intercepter 650, at EICMA 2017 in Italy.
Just days after Royal Enfield (RE) 650 twins made their world debut, the Chennai-based company has now showcased its new bikes in India, at 2017 Rider Mania in Goa.
These new 650cc motorcycles have been engineered with global markets in India, and therefore, will go on sale in Europe before they launch in India. Expect the Continental GT 650 and Intercepter 650 to arrive in India during the third quarter of 2018. The RE 650 twins are powered by a brand new 650cc, parallel-twin engine that produces 47bhp and develops a peak torque of 52Nm. Sending the drive to the rear wheel is a new 6-speed transmission that comes with a slipper clutch.
As for their innards, both use an all-new steel tube cradle chassis that gets conventional front fork up at the front and twin gas-charged shock absorbers at the back. Both motorcycles come equipped with disc brakes and ABS is a standard fitment.
Both of the RE 650s are very similar mechanically, but they take a different design approach. The Interceptor 650 brings back the Interceptor moniker, last used in the 60s, back to the RE line-up. The bike is made on a retro-modern theme that houses elements like a tear-drop shaped fuel-tank, quilted twin-seat and wide handlebars. At first glance, the Continental GT 650 looks like the GT 535 with a bigger heart. However, there is no part sharing between the two, and the GT 650 is made to be a newer, dynamically better bike.
Both the Continental GT 650 and the Interceptor 650 will be available in variety of colourways and two distinct styles - Standard and Retro Custom. A total of 11 options have been developed by RE. While the Standard range of colourways take inspiration from the motorcycles of the 50’s and 60’s, the Retro Custom range is a bolder version of graphics and colours. The Interceptor 650 in Orange Crush and Glitter & Dust, and the Continental GT 650 in Ice Queen and Mr. Clean - were displayed at 2017 Rider Mania.
While The India pricing details of the RE 650s is not known as yet, expect these two motorcycles to be priced around the Rs. 3 lakh mark.
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