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Royal Enfield, the leading two-wheeler manufacturer in the premium and retro-modern motorcycle segment, has officially launched the new updated model of its most popular flagship cafe racer bike ‘Continental GT 650’ in India. Available at dealerships across the country, the starting ex-showroom price of this new bike has been fixed at ₹ 3,58,427.
Inspired by the traditional British café racer culture of the 1950s and 60s, the company has equipped this motorcycle with many important cosmetic and practical features keeping in mind the needs and style of modern riders. Royal Enfield’s 650 Twins series has already made a strong mark in the Indian and international markets, and with this new update the company has given a direct message of further strengthening its dominance in the 500cc to 800cc middleweight motorcycle segment.
What are the new changes? Black cowl, LED indicators and Type-C fast charging port
The updates made to the new Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 primarily focus on improving its visual appearance and daily usability for the rider:
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Black-painted instrument pod cowl: To make the front look of the bike more aggressive and clean, it gets a new blacked-out visor/cowl, which sits perfectly with its retro twin-pod analog console and further enhances the café racer stance.
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All-New LED Turn Indicators: In place of the old halogen blinkers, the company has now given all-LED traffic indicators (LED Indicators) with modern and sleek design. This will not only improve visibility at night and fog, but will also enhance the premium look of the bike.
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Fast USB Type-C Charging Port: A new fast USB Type-C port near the handlebar is included as a standard feature for charging smartphones, action cameras or GPS navigation devices during long distance travel and daily riding.
Blacked-out treatment in Rocker Red: alloy wheels and new swag of dark theme
The biggest cosmetic highlight of this new launch is its ‘Rocker Red’ colourway. Earlier, the company’s signature dark-theme and black-out treatment was limited to the ‘Apex Grey’ trim only. Now, in view of the huge demand from the riders, the company has also added the option of blacked-out engine crankcase, matte black exhaust pipes (silencer) and cast alloy wheels in the Rocker Red variant.
The biggest advantage of getting alloy wheels is that this variant now gets the support of tubeless tyres, due to which the risk of sudden puncture during long distance journey and the hassle of repairing it is completely eliminated. At the same time, for lovers of traditional retro look, the option of spoke wheels has also been retained in the lineup.
Color options and variant-wise prices: Full rate card from ₹3.58 lakh to ₹3.88 lakh
The new Continental GT 650 has been launched in the market with a total of four premium colors and different wheel setups. The company has removed its old ‘Slipstream Blue’ shade from the lineup. Ex-showroom prices of all variants are as follows:
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Rocker Red (blacked-out engine and cast alloy wheels): ₹3,58,427 (Ex-showroom)
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British Racing Green (classic chrome engine and traditional spoke wheels): ₹3,58,427 (Ex-showroom)
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Apex Gray (Blacked-out mechanical theme and cast alloy wheels): ₹3,80,921 (Ex-showroom)
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Mr Clean (Top-Spec Full Chrome Finish Tank and Spoke Wheels): ₹3,87,667 (ex-showroom)
Despite the addition of new features, the company has increased the prices very marginally, making it still the most value-for-money multi-cylinder performance bike in India in its 650cc segment.
Engine and Performance: Unmatched power of 648cc parallel-twin motor
On the mechanical front, Royal Enfield has not tinkered with its tried-and-tested and highly refined powertrain. The bike has the same famous 648cc, 4-stroke, air/oil-cooled, parallel-twin SOHC engine.
This engine generates maximum power of 47 bhp (47.4 PS) at 7,150 rpm and peak torque of 52.3 Nm at 5,250 rpm. This engine with 270-degree firing order provides great grunt and throttle response in the low-end and mid-range. The engine is mated to a 6-speed gearbox with a slip-and-assist clutch. This technology prevents the rear wheel from locking during fast downshifting and keeps the clutch lever extremely light and smooth.
CHASSIS, SUSPENSION AND SAFETY: Harris Performance Frame with dual channel ABS
To improve the handling and stability of the bike, it has been given a steel tubular double-cradle chassis designed by the famous ‘Harris Performance’ of UK. Clip-on handlebars, rear-set footpegs and sculpted fuel tank give the rider a committed, lean-forward and aggressive café racer riding posture.
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Suspension Setup: It comes with conventional 41 mm telescopic forks at the front (110 mm travel) and preload-adjustable twin gas-charged shock absorbers at the rear (88 mm travel), which provide excellent stability in sharp turns and highway cruising.
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Braking and Safety: For braking duty, a large 320 mm floating hydraulic disc brake is provided at the front and a 240 mm disc brake at the rear. The bike comes standard with Bosch dual-channel ABS, which ensures safe stopping power during sudden braking.
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Dimensions: The bike has a 12.5 liter fuel tank, seat height of 804 mm and ground clearance of 174 mm.
What does it mean for Indian youth and bike lovers?
Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 is considered not just a bike but a lifestyle statement among the Indian youth. The GT 650 has always been the first choice for riders fond of weekend café rides, highway touring and customisation.
The introduction of new LED indicators, USB charging port and alloy wheels in Rocker Red has addressed many of the customer complaints that previously required them to rely on aftermarket accessories. This unique combination of twin-cylinder exhaust note, classic café racer look and modern reliability is not seen in any other motorcycle in the Indian market in a budget of less than ₹4 lakh. This bike, which reached showrooms with new updates, is all set to create new sales records in the upcoming festive season.