Royal Enfield 650 Twins Launched Internationally

Royal Enfield has launched the 650cc twins - the Interceptor and Continental GT 650 - in the international market. Both bikes are available in three variants, including Standard, Custom and Chrome. The Standard variant of the Interceptor and Continental GT 650 are priced at USD 5799 and USD 5999, respectively. This translates to around Rs 4.21 lakh and Rs 4.36 lakh in Indian currency. The Custom variants of both bikes, on the other hand, are priced at USD 5999 and USD 6249, while the Chrome variants get a price tag of USD 6499 and USD 6749. Royal Enfield added that both motorcycles will be launched in India later this year.

The 650 twins are being offered with a 3-year/unlimited kilometre warranty with roadside assistance in the US. However, expect the company to offer a 3-year or 40,000km warranty with free RSA for the first year in India.

To know more about how the twins sound, head here. We also got a chance to ride the Interceptor 650 during the launch in the US and were mighty impressed with the how the motorcycle has turned out. To know more, check out our First Ride Review.

Between the two, the Interceptor 650 comes across as motorcycle designed for long distance touring, as can be seen with the relaxed and upright ergonomics on offer. The Continental GT 650, on the other hand, is a cafe racer and hence, is dedicated for the racer in you, with a more aggressive and committed riding position. Royal Enfield even offers the Conti with a single seat. Even the fuel tank capacity of 12.5 litres is less than the 13.7-litre fuel capacity offered on the Interceptor 650.

The Interceptor gets a slightly higher seat height of 804mm, while the Conti 650 gets a seat height of 789mm. The Interceptor 650, at 198kg, is also lighter than the GT 650, which tips the scale at 202kg kerb.

The 650cc twins are powered by a 648cc, oil-cooled, parallel-twin motor that is mated to a 6-speed gearbox with slip and assist clutch. Peak power produced is 47.6PS @ 7100rpm, while peak torque of 52Nm comes in at 5200rpm.

Underpinnings consist of a telescopic suspension up front and gas-charged shocks with adjustable preload at the rear. Braking duties are handled by a Bybre 320mm disc at the front and 240mm disc at the rear. Both RE’s ride on 18-inch aluminium spoke wheels that come wrapped with 100/90 section front and 130/70 section Pirelli SportComp tyres at the front and rear, respectively.

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Royal Enfield is also offering the duo with a range accessories, which not only consists of dedicated apparel and riding gear but also aftermarket fitments like the S&S exhaust. However, the latter is only for USA & European markets for now.  

We were expecting the Interceptor 650 and Continental GT 650 to be priced between the Rs 3.5 lakh-4 lakh mark but going by the recent developments at the international launch event in USA, we expect the numbers to be under the Rs 3 lakh mark. If Royal Enfield does manage to price the twins this aggressively, it would be a winning proposition for Royal Enfield and a cracking deal for most Indian motorcycling enthusiasts as well.