Royal Enfield 650 Twins' test rides conducted in India [Video]
Few lucky Indians got a chance to test ride the new Royal Enfield Twins. The riders experienced both the Interceptor INT 650 and the Continental GT 650 in a controlled environment. Interestingly, the Continental GT 650 was seen with the longer seat, and instead of a cowl it had space to accommodate a pillion. There is an arrangement (pictured below) to bolt on a rear cowl over the pillion seat using an Allen key - a design feature that we have seen on Ducati motorcycles like the Diavel and SuperSport range.
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We won’t have to wait for too long to uncover the details as the new Royal Enfield Twins are reportedly scheduled to arrive in India in November 2018. Select dealerships have reportedly commenced the bookings for a token amount of INR 5,000, while the deliveries are claimed to start from mid-December 2018.
The 650 Twins will reportedly arrive in the sub-INR 3 lakh (ex-showroom) price range, which will make them the most affordable 650cc motorcycles in the country.
Both motorcycles share the underpinning but differentiate with styling and ergonomics. The Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 gets a curvy fuel tank design, a single-piece handlebar, and a flat saddle. The ergonomics are upright and comfortable as compared to the cafe racer. The Continental GT 650, on the other hand, gets clip-on handlebars that give the motorcycle more committed riding stance that would be appreciated around the bends.
Both, the Interceptor INT 650 and Continental GT 650, use Royal Enfield’s all-new 648 cc, parallel-twin cylinder, SOHC, oil-cooled, 8-valve engine that delivers maximum power output of 47 bhp at 7,100 rpm and peak torque of 52 Nm at 5,200 rpm. The motor is mated to a 6-speed gearbox and gets slip-assist clutch as standard – a first on Royal Enfield motorcycles. A 320 mm single disc at the front and a 240 mm single disc at the rear perform anchoring tasks while the safety net of dual-channel ABS comes standard.
Watch the Royal Enfield 650 twins on Indian shores
Do note that Royal Enfield is yet to announce the Indian launch date, the start of bookings, or pricing of the 650 Twins.
Meanwhile, a worker’s strike at the company’s plant in Tamil Nadu has been going on for over a month. Siddhartha Lal, managing director of Eicher Motors, confirmed in an interview that the strike has affected production.