The RE Interceptor and Continental GT 650 will be the biggest bikes in their portfolio
Royal Enfield is all set to launch the 650cc Interceptor and Continental GT 650 in the US tomorrow. The 650cc twins are very important products for Royal Enfield. They pack a new twin cylinder engine and mark RE’s entry into the large capacity multi-cylinder two-wheeler segment. The homegrown manufacturer unveiled the twins at EICMA last year and mentioned that will go on sale in international markets before being launched here in India.
The new 650cc parallel twin engine is built from the ground up and features a simple and old-school architecture. It features air and oil cooling, four valves per cylinder and a 270-degree crank for better low-down torque and an unmistakable V-twin exhaust note. And while the power figures of 47.6PS at 7100rpm and 52Nm of torque at 5200rpm may seem modest, it does have a lot of bottom end grunt and is tuned to deliver a relaxed ride experience. The gearbox is a bit more sophisticated, featuring six gears and a slipper clutch.
The steel double cradle frame is designed by UK-based Harris Performance, the same blokes responsible for the RE Himalayan’s chassis. It gets conventional 41mm forks with 110mm of travel at the front and twin shock absorbers with 87.5mm of travel at the rear. The 18-inch spoke wheels get tube-type 100/90 front and 130/70 rear tyres. Braking is courtesy a 320mm front disc and a 240mm rear disc with dual channel ABS as standard fitment. And while the Continental GT 650 gets a 12.5-litre fuel tank, the Interceptor 650 is equipped with a larger 13.7-litre one. The Continental GT is lighter as well, weighing 198kg. At 202kg, the Interceptor weighs four kilos more.
We expect both bikes to be priced between Rs 3.5 lakh and Rs 4 lakh in India. However, the US launch price, which is set to be revealed tomorrow, will serve as a better indicator. What do you think the prices for 650 twins will be? Let us know in the comments below.
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