Rebirth of the Royal Enfield Interceptor 650: If you’ve been living under a rock or on the moon, you may not be aware that Royal Enfield launched two new twins at ECIMA 2017 – the Interceptor 650 and Continental GT 650.
After years of development and months of spy shots and videos, Royal Enfield introduced two new EURO4-compliant motorcycles – christened the Interceptor 650 and Continental GT 650.
Royal Enfield Twins
The new twin-cylinder motorcycles, take the form of a neo-retro roadster and café racer respectively.
“…Heritage-inspired machines that carry the Royal Enfield legacy and character into the 21st century.”
The Interceptor moniker was first used by Royal Enfield in 1960 for its 692cc twin motorcycle, the 700 Interceptor. From 1960 to 1970, the Interceptor line went through three production iterations and one prototype, the 800 Interceptor which didn’t make it to production.
Interceptor 650 & Continental GT 650
The new motorcycles, while taking style cues from their predecessor, are thoroughly modern bikes. Both are powered by the same new, 648 cc twin-cylinder, air-oil-cooled engine, that produces 47bhp and 53 NM of torque.
This places the bikes firmly in the middleweight class – and [for European riders] rideable on an A2 licence. Not only that, the engine produces an authentic-sounding British-twin note, which is delicious to the ears.
Production Coming Soon
There are some final tweaks and modifications to be made before the bikes go into production. At the press launch, when CEO, Siddhartha Lal was asked about availability and price he cheerily responded; “Soon, not so soon, but soon!“ Later elaborating that we’re likely to see the bikes at some point in April 2018, with an “accessible” price tag.
Lal, also intimated that both bikes are likely to be launched in Europe first, with India following, once production levels are stable and able to meet the anticipated demand from the Indian market.
Continental GT 650 Image Gallery
Interceptor 650 Image Gallery
Interceptor 650 & Continental GT 650, Engine Specifications at a Glance:
- Type: 4-stroke, single overhead cam, air-oil cooled, 648 cc parallel-twin
- Power: 47 bhp @ 7100 rpm
- Torque: 52 Nm @ 4000 rpm
- Bore x Stroke: 78 mm x 67.8 mm
- Compression Ratio: 9.5:1
- Gearbox: 6 speed
- Fuel Management: Fuel injection
- Ignition: Digital spark ignition – TCI
Update: Royal Enfield Twins Background Video
This short video by Royal Enfield, featuring commentary by Mark Wells, Head of Product Strategy at the manufacturer, adds additional context to the launch of the new Royal Enfield twins, in addition to delving into the history of the Interceptor and Continental GT 650.
The Interceptor and GT Continental 650 were received well at their EICMA 2017 launch. An official launch date has not yet been confirmed however the new bikes are expected to appear at some point in the first half of 2018, if not sooner.
Additional Interceptor 650 & Continental GT 650 Images
