Royal Enfield Heads To The Race Track For Retro Racing

In what comes as a big boost to motorsports in India, Royal Enfield has announced its new one-make racing series set to begin later this year. Called the Royal Enfield Continental GT Cup, the retro track racing series will feature in the JK National Racing Championship 2021. We first got wind of a Royal Enfield racing series back in 2019, but the COVID-19 pandemic delayed proceedings. The Royal Enfield Continental GT Cup will be spread across four rounds and is open to both novice and experienced racers.

The Machine:
As the name suggests, the race bike for this series is based on the Royal Enfield Continental GT650. Unlike normal race bikes that are extreme and are more of a prototype, Royal Enfield’s approach was to make minimalistic and performance-oriented modifications to the road bike. Thus the Royal Enfield Continental GT-R650 race bikes were born.

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The Continental GT-R650 features a stiffer race-tuned suspension with provision for adjustability on either ends. Talking about performance, the RE race bike features a custom stainless steel exhaust system that has increased the power by 12 percent. The stock Continental GT650 produces 47.65PS and the race bike churns out an additional 5.8PS. What’s even more impressive is that the builders were able to shed a massive 24kg off the standard bike, which with the increase in power should endow the bike with sprighty performance. However, the RE GT-R650 is still hefty by race bike standards at 174kg (without fuel).

It also features lowered clip-on handlebars and rearset footpegs for a sporty riding posture and better corner clearance. The GT-R650 also gets a new fairing design and belly pan for better aerodynamics and it endows the bike with the charm of an old school racer. Also, JK Tyres have developed soft compound tyres for the race bike.

The Racing Series:

Qualification
All riders participating in the event should be above 18 years of age. Participants need to have attended a track school or have undergone a track day session or competed in a FMSCI certified race event. Also, competitors need to have a valid FMSCI 2W Race License and have taken both the Covid-19 vaccine shots. This racing series is also open to non-Royal Enfield owners. You can register yourself on the RE website and it’s open till September 30.

Racing details
100 riders will be shortlisted for the Rider Selection Programme at Kari Motor Speedway, Coimbatore, from October 18 to 19. Only 18 riders will qualify for the 2021 Royal Enfield Continental GT Cup. The first three rounds (October, November and December) will be held at Kari and the final round will take place in January 2022 at the Buddh International Circuit, Noida.