Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 draws its power from the recently unveiled 650cc, twin-cylinder motor; India debut happened at Rider Mania
Royal Enfield has been eyeing to take on Harley Davidson for quite some time, and the company unveiled its 650 twins at the 2017 EICMA show in Milan, Italy. The two bikes are Continental GT 650 and Interceptor 650. They had also been showcased to the RE community at the Rider Mania festival.
The Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 resembles the now-defunct 535cc model in terms of design. With its unveiling, the bike is now the flagship model from the Indian retro motorcycle manufacturer and has set high hopes in the market. Royal Enfield has long been mulling over a motorcycle that would take on the upmarket foreign manufacturers.
Also Read: Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 India Launch Likely In Late-2018
This would not only up the company’s image but also divert the attention from the mid-size category the oldest motorcycle brand in continuous production expertises in.The motorcycle will be vying for the top spot against the likes of the mighty Harley Davidson Street 750 with a predictably mouth-watering price tag.
The discontinued RE Continental GT received power from a 535cc engine and kicked out 29.10 bhp of peak power. The power and torque figures of the GT 650 though top it all by a huge margin, as it is squarely aimed at the Harley Davidson Street 750 that belts out 47 bhp. The production for this motorcycle will begin soon at Royal Enfield’s new Vallam Vadagal plant near Oragadam in Tamil Nadu.
It will enter Indian market following the launch in Europe and will have similar spec and equipment as the international model with the presence of dual-channel ABS and slipper clutch.
The production will be ramped up in phased manner and the retro motorcycle will reach all 750 showrooms of RE across India by the end of next year. Here we take a look at the known facts of the Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 motorcycle:
Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 India Launch
Continental GT 650 Launch | Mid-2018 |
Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 made its India debut at the Rider Mania event. Aiming to offer old school motorcycling with modern heart, it will be introduced in Europe around April when the riding season kicks in.
Reports say bookings are accepted for 100 GBP (Rs. 8.600) in the UK with estimated price of 6,000 GBP (Rs. 5.14 lakh). The Continental GT 650 falls under the A2 category in terms of power and capacity as well as safety standards. It will cater the needs of young A2 license holders who are in vast numbers in the continent.
Its tentative price in Australia has now been released as it costs 400 AUD more expensive than its Interceptor sibling at 10,400 AUD (around Rs 5.2 lakh).
Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 India Price
RE Continental GT 650 Price | Around Rs. 4 Lakh |
The flagship Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 is expected to be priced between Rs. 3.75 lakh and Rs. 4 lakh (on-road), as it eyes the Harley Davidson Street 750 as its competitor. The Street 750 is priced at around Rs. 4.98 lakh (on-road, Delhi).
Therefore with such aggressive pricing, the Continental GT 650 variant looks quite appealing and could easily impress the buyers over Harley model.
Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 Engine Specifications
Engine | 648 cc twin-cylinder, electronic fuel injection, air-cooled engine |
Power and torque | 47 bhp at 7,100 rpm and 52 Nm of peak torque at 4,000 rpm |
Transmission | Six-Speed Manual with slipper clutch |
Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 draws its power from a 648 cc parallel-twin engine with 270 degree firing order and electronic fuel injection technology. This engine is mated to a six-speed transmission and churn out 47 bhp at 7,100 rpm and 52 Nm of peak torque at 4,000 rpm.
The gearbox further comes linked to a slip assist clutch. It develops nearly 18 bhp and 8 Nm torque more than the standard Continental GT with 535 cc single-cylinder air-cooled engine.
The new Continental GT 650 rival Harley Davidson Street 750 which draws power from a 749 cc twin-cylinder liquid-cooled engine which is paired with a six-speed transmission. The engine belts out 47 bhp of peak power and 60 Nm of peak torque at 4,000 rpm.
Also Read: Royal Enfield Bullet 350 ES is the New Name of Electra
Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 Brake and Suspension
Brakes | 320 mm front disc / 240 mm rear disc, dual channel ABS |
Suspension | 41 mm telescopic front forks / rear Paioli gas-charged adjustable shock absorbers |
Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 has been fitted with a 320 mm disc brake up front along with a 240 mm disc at the rear. A dual channel ABS comes standard. On suspension front, the motorcycle gets 41 mm telescopic front forks with 110 mm travel and Paioli gas-charged adjustable shock absorbers at rear. The motorcycle runs on 100/90-18 front and 130/70-18 rear tyres that are tubeless.
Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 Design and Dimensions
Length | 2,122 mm |
Width | 744 mm |
Height | 1,024 mm |
Wheelbase | 1,400 mm |
Seat Height | 790mm (single seat), 793mm (dual) |
Ground Clearance | 174 mm |
Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 bears almost the same appearance as its smaller sibling. The retro looking café racer style remains intact. It sports the same round headlamp, twin pod analog instrument console, a large and muscular fuel tank offering a generous amount of fuel capacity, which enables the motorcycle to run a long range without refueling.
The all-new Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 sits on a twin-downtube cradle frame and its seat, tail section and taillight are identical with its smaller sibling. Biggest difference that comes into notice is the larger in size engine and also the twin exhaust pipes making the model distinctive than its smaller sibling.
Royal Enfield says both the Continental GT 650 and Interceptor 650 are developed from scratch and will have superior build quality. The former measures 2,122 mm in length, 744 mm width and stands 1,024 mm tall. It has a wheelbase of 1,400 mm and seat height of 790 mm with the ground clearance at 174 mm.
Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 Rival
Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 will give Harley Davidson Street 750 a tough competition with its power, performance and aggressive pricing.