Royal Enfield 650s ridden (at last)
Do Royal Enfield’s new middleweight twins signal a rebirth for the world’s oldest motorcycle manufacturer? We ride the Interceptor and Continental GT twins to find out
ROYAL ENFIELD IS the world’s oldest motorcycle manufacturer in continuous production, building bikes since 1901. But almost all the Indian-made machines — various classic roadsters, the Bullet and existing Continental GT café racer — are effectively new/old-stock, propelled by low-powered, air-cooled singles in rudimentary chassis. Though highly affordable, they’re not so much replicas of a previous biking era as from it. As a result, and despite a small, dedicated fan-base, even last year’s wellreceived adventure-styled Himalayan is barely on the radar of most motorcyclists.
In India it’s different. Last year, over 750,000 Enfields rolled off the Chennai production lines and now, under CEO Siddhartha Lal, Royal Enfield plans to re-establish itself in Europe and North America by taking advantage of the contemporary fad for unsophisticated, air-cooled, hipster-style classic bikes.
But to do that, the company has to build them with at least one wheel in the 21st Century. Which is why it bought British tuning firm Harris Performance a few years ago, then built a multi-million-pound R&D tech centre in Leicestershire, and populated it with top engineers, designers and development riders (some of whom came from Triumph, down the road at Hinckley).
The new twin-cylinder Royal Enfield Interceptor roadster and new Continental GT are part of the plan. Both share the same all-new 648cc, 46bhp, air-cooled fourvalve parallel-twin motor and same steeltube frame, non-adjustable suspension, single-disc brakes, wire-spoked wheels and tubed tyres. The differences between the Interceptor and GT are styling and ergonomics: the Interceptor has an upright single handlebar and mid-set pegs; the GT has clip-ons, a slimmer tank and rearsets.
Both are retro-basic: no water-cooling, traction control, gear-position indicator, mpg reading, LED lights, suspension adjustment or even adjustable lever spans. They are fuel injected and are Euro4 compliant — even so, I half-expected them to have kickstarts. Other manufacturers’ retros start with modern expectations of handling, performance and practicality which is then integrated into a classic bike aesthetic. Royal Enfield comes at its twins from the opposite direction: start with a classic bike aesthetic, then engineer in handling, performance and practicality.
For example, the Interceptor and GT use 18in wire-spoked wheels to fit Enfield’s vision of authenticity. But that puts limitations on suspension performance and tyre choice, which could impact ride
quality and handling — especially as Enfield’s engineers are limited by budget to using the same suspension springing and damping spec for bikes destined for British roads as well as Indian back lanes.
Either way, as a pair of new Royal Enfield Continental GT and Interceptor twins warm up in the weak morning sun of a northern Californian morning, we’re about to find out if Enfield’s plan is working.
The answer is yes, it is. As the Interceptor rolls through light town traffic, it’s obvious the UK test riders and chassis engineers have done a terrific job. The Interceptor feels light, agile and supremely manageable. Seat height is low (804mm), the riding position is open and engaging, suspension is soft and brakes and clutch show unexpected finesse. Darting between cars and crawling up to traffic lights reveals good low-speed balance with impeccable fuelling; with 46bhp under your wrist, the new Enfield twins never strain impatiently at the leash or get snippy when you prefer to waft about, relaxing into the ride. In terms of building a pair of novice-friendly, entry-level retro-classic machines for use about town, Royal Enfield has hit the spot.
Out onto open roads, climbing into low hills above Santa Cruz, the Interceptor and GT reveal suspension and engine performance limitations as pace and bumps increase. Though the 270° crank, counter-balanced parallel twin is smooth and civilised, it’s not quite lumpily charismatic or thumpingly powerful enough to fully engage heart and mind with the same conviction as something like a Triumph Street Twin. Acceleration through the slick six-speed gearbox is swift but not thrilling — and though 80mph is an easy cruising speed at only 5200rpm, it’s just past peak torque; the run to the 7500rpm redline is mostly downhill from there. This is a fine, viceless engine — and a big, handsome one at that — but is the kind of motor an experienced rider will spend 30 minutes exploring and the next five hours planning to bore out to 750cc, and 80bhp, instead. The Interceptor and Continental GT’S chassis is surprisingly capable given its budgetary and design limitations. It steers beautifully and is happy to change line or even brake mid-corner without drama and the specially adapted Pirelli Phantom Sportscomp tyres grip well. Whoever chose the steering geometry deserves a pay rise.
Even crashing-out the suspension mid-corner over particularly nasty bumps doesn’t upset the steering. Non-adjustable 41mm forks and preload-only rear shocks are made by Gabriel of India and, with limited wheel travel thanks to the 18in rims, there’s not much damping range to cope with both colossal, kidney-battering potholes and subtle control of the bike’s balance under braking. Of which there is plenty from the single disc and two-pot calipers, with added bargain Bosch ABS. It won’t stop the world, but it’s perfectly in tune with the balance of suspension and tyre grip; any more of either and the dynamic would be spoiled.
Comfort-wise, the Interceptor’s thin seat padding compresses after a few hours and you end up on the frame rails beneath. The GT, despite its clip-ons, is the more comfy bike because rider weight is better spread. The bars aren’t radically low — more like a sports tourer — and the seat doesn’t compress as much; the slimmer tank can be gripped more easily because the GT’S rearsets are tucked closer together, giving a more engaging ride than the Interceptor.
To help banish fears of low production values, Royal Enfield offers the Interceptor and Continental GT with a three-year unlimited warranty, which is an impressive gesture of confidence. UK pricing hasn’t been announced for either model as RIDE goes to press but, based on the prices of existing Enfields, it’s a fair bet that these new 650 twins will cost around £6000. A premium price, by Enfield standards, for a premium bike — by Enfield standards.
“The engineers have done a terrific job”