EXCLUSIVE: Could The Constellation Be The Upcoming Royal Enfield Cruiser? [UPDATE]

Published March 1, 2022
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The Constellation used to be a bike Royal Enfield had built for the American market

[UPDATE: Royal Enfield has shared a teaser with Royal Enfield logo (shaped like a comet) on a fuel tank, with a picture of the cosmos in the backdrop with several comets zooming past. The caption says "Astral. Celestial. Interstellar.", a nod to the name of its upcoming 650cc cruiser, to be unveiled at the 2022 EICMA in Milan, Italy on November 8. Here's the Instagram reel:

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Considering Royal Enfield has already trademarked the name "Royal Enfield Constellation", could that be the name for its upcoming cruiser debuting EICMA instead of the Super Meteor 650? The teaser certainly hints at that possibility. Whatever it is, we'll find the answer on November 8. So until then, stay tuned!]

Royal Enfield is going through a purple patch. The company is enjoying great success with its new J-platform bikes, and the 650s have been a stellar hit in international markets. With 2022 promising to ride in four new RE bikes, things only seem to get better for the retro brand; and the future might hold something starry.

Yep, it seems that Royal Enfield wants to bring back the ‘Constellation’ name for perhaps a new 650cc motorcycle. In RE history, the Constellation was the predecessor to the Interceptor and was primarily aimed for the American market. It was in fact a 650 to begin with and only when the Americans deemed the engine size to be a bit too small for their liking, was the motor bored out to 736cc for the Interceptor.

Now, Royal Enfield as a brand likes to keep in touch with its rich heritage, presenting old school ideologies in a modern package. The Interceptor, Continental GT, Meteor, and of course the Classic are clear examples of that. The Super Meteor and Shotgun are only building on the idea. Hence, the Constellation will adopt the same mantra. But what will it be?

Firstly, it could be the more subtle and no-frills version of a classic bike with the 650cc engine. We have already gotten a glimpse of what seems to be the Classic 650 on test in Europe, and the Constellation could very well be a partner to that. Think of it on the lines of when the Bullet 350 and Classic 350 co-existed with the UCE mill.

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While the above method seems to be the more logical approach, could the Constellation go for a more sporty twist? Afterall, the original Constellation was a ‘sporty’ motorcycle for that era, and now, it could arrive with alloy wheels, better suspension and a sportier riding stance than the Interceptor. The two would operate just like the Street Twin and Bonneville T100 do in Triumph’s modern classic family.

The possible arrival of the Constellation could be in late 2023 or early 2024. Until then, we have the Scram 411, Hunter 350, Super Meteor 650 and Shotgun 650 to look forward to this year, the first one arriving in a couple of weeks. Also, there’s the updated Himalayan and the Classic 650 for 2023. So, Royal Enfield will surely keep us entertained for years to come.