The flagship RE Interceptor 650 and Continental GT 650 have certainly eaten into the sales of their 500 cc siblings and here we explain why!
The Royal Enfield 650 Twins have caused quite a stir in the domestic market ever since they went on sale mid-way through November 2018 with a shockingly starting price tag of just 2.50 lakh (ex-showroom). With more than four months into its debut, it is appropriate to evaluate the sales cannibalisation the Interceptor 650 and Continental GT 650 have thrown at their siblings.
The 650 Twins crossed the 1,000 unit sales mark in the first month of 2019 as 1,069 units were retailed. During the same month, the 500 cc range comprising of Bullet, Thunderbird and Classic saw a massive drop in YoY sales. With 127, 146 and 854 units respectively the motorcycles witnessed sales slump of 51 per cent 19 per cent and 68 per cent.
Fast-forward a month, the scenario did not change for the betterment of the 500 cc models. In February 2019, Royal Enfield retailed 1,445 units of the Interceptor 650 and Continental GT 650 together while only 140 units of the Bullet 500 were sold at 68 per cent YoY drop, 613 units of Classic 500 with a huge 82 per cent volume deficit and the Thunderbird 500 endured a flat growth with just 145 unit sales.
The 650 Twins are way ahead of their smaller siblings in terms of refinement and build quality and the parallel-twin engine with 270-degree firing order is another big USP. The homegrown two-wheeler manufacturer is expected to continue its momentum with the flagship 650 duo, and on the other side, the 500 cc motorcycles will likely stay put with their downward YoY sales curve.
Prices for the Interceptor 650 and Continental GT 650 start at Rs. 2.50 lakh and Rs. 2.65 lakh respectively (ex-showroom, pan India) and they are sold with a standard warranty of three years/40,000 km (whichever comes first). The Interceptor 650 Custom costs Rs. 2.57 lakh and the Continental GT 650 Custom is priced at Rs. 2.72 lakh.
The 648 cc parallel twin engine with air as well as oil cooling produces a maximum power output of 47 hp and 52 Nm of peak torque. It is connected to a six-speed transmission with slip-assist clutch as standard. Built on steel tubular frame the Interceptor 650 and Continental GT 650 appeal for different set of customers despite sharing several components.