BSA Working On A Royal Enfield 650 Rival; 650cc Bike Spied!

BSA seems to be cooking something really interesting in its backyard as the new BSA 650cc motorcycle has been spotted testing for the first time. Looks like the company is preparing itself to take on the likes of the segment-disrupting Royal Enfield 650cc range, including the upcoming Roadster 650. 

Images of the test mule suggest the bike is still in the early stages of production. The long bench seat, beefy side panel, fuel tank, single-piece handlebar and fork gaiters -- all look similar to the ones on the Triumph Bonneville T100/T120. It will be interesting to see how the final production version pans out. The instrument cluster also appears to be a twin-pod unit, which goes well with the bike’s laidback demeanour. The easy-to-reach handlebars and the mid-set footpegs ensure an upright riding stance.

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A closer look at the engine casing reveals its design is reminiscent of the Rotax unit powering the BMW F 650 Funduro adventure bike. This 650cc single-cylinder powertrain features fins and a fuel-injector cover for an old-school appeal. You can also see the piping for the liquid cooling near the frame downtube. It goes without saying, this engine will comply with Euro 5/ BS6 emission norms.

The bike employs a raked-out telescopic fork, twin preload-adjustable rear shock absorbers, and disc brakes at both ends with dual-channel ABS. The spoke wheels are shod with old-school Pirelli Phantom Sportscomp tubed tyres -- similar to the previous iterations of the Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 and the Continental GT 650. 

Since the bike seems to be in early pre-production stage, the company will take its time to temper and refine the motorcycle’s design and mechanicals. This, along with the ongoing pandemic, means BSA is likely to unveil the motorcycle in 2022. Following this, the company could also take the wraps off its first electric motorcycle, the details of which you can read in our exclusive interview here.

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