Find out which motorcycle will suit you better as we compare the Royal Enfield 650 twins with its closest rival the Duke 390
Royal Enfield launched the much anticipated 650 twins in India in November 2018 and as promised they have kept the pricing quite aggressive. As a matter of fact, the 650 twins after its launch is now the most affordable mid capacity twin cylinder motorcycle available in India.
The prices for the Interceptor 650 starts from 2.50 lakh onwards while the Continental GT café racer is priced from 2.65 Lakh. On the other hand, its closest rival the KTM Duke 390 is priced at Rs. 2.41 lakh (all ex-showroom). If we keep the pricing point in mind then the 650 twins compete directly against the KTM Duke 390 and Kawasaki Ninja 300.
Today we are here to tell you why you should think of getting your hands on the 650 twins or its closest rival the KTM Duke 390 and who should buy what motorcycle. Both the Interceptor 650 and the Continental GT 650 have taken their styling inspiration from the retro motorcycles for which RE has always been known for.
The Interceptor 650 takes its styling cues from the 60’s iconic Interceptor while the Continental GT too borrows its styling cues from the old café racers. The KTM Duke 390 happens to be their biggest rival and is a modern bike in every sense and its styling definitely looks radical and the most aggressive amongst the trio. The Interceptor 650 offers a laid-back riding stance.
The rider triangle ensures that the Interceptor 650 has a more comfortable seating position and also the softer and cushioned seats amongst the duo. The wide and tall set handlebars and the perfectly positioned footpegs definitely will attract the attention of those who love to ride for a long distance without any uneasy feeling.
The Interceptor is definitely meant for highways and also gets the bigger fuel tank amongst the 650 twins which will also provide it more range. The Continental GT 650, on the other hand, gets a more aggressive riding position. The short clip-on handlebars are set a lot lower while it also offers a single seat and RE does offer a dual seat as well.
The motorcycle also gets a smaller fuel tank which has a capacity to hold just 12.5 litres of fuel. The Continental GT 650 will attract those young buyers who always wanted to get their hands on a RE motorcycle but wanted a powerful motorcycle which can actually go fast.
The Continental GT 650 will also attract the attention of those buyers who love to ride a stylish motorcycle but for a shorter distance. Keeping in mind the nature of this motorcycle, the suspension setup is on the slightly stiffer side to improve the over handling of the motorcycle.
The last motorcycle and perhaps the closest rival of the 650 Twins in terms of prices is the Duke 390. The Duke 390 is a completely different motorcycle than the other two. This is a modern motorcycle in every sense. It offers plenty of modern electronics and rider aid which will definitely attract the attention of young riders who love speed and thrill.
The Duke 390 obviously is a motorcycle for the sports bike enthusiast and those who prefer to cover the shorter distance in less time. The motorcycle gets many advanced rider aids like ride by wire throttle, dual channel ABS, slipper clutch etc. However, the stiff suspension setup and hard seats make the Duke390 a not so comfortable motorcycle for long rides than the Twins.
If we compare the powertrains, then both the 650 twins share the same engine and are powered by the newly developed 648 cc, twin cylinder liquid cooled fuel injected motor which produces about 47 PS of peak power and 52 Nm of peak torque. The engine is paired to a 6-speed gearbox.
The Duke 390, on the other hand, is powered by a 373 cc, single cylinder liquid cooled motor which produces about 43.5 PS of peak power and 37 Nm of torque. The engine too is paired to a 6-speed gearbox. To be quite honest if we compare both the motorcycles in terms of styling and customer preference, then the KTM Duke 390 will appeal to a younger generation who loves to ride fancy motorcycles.
The Continental GT 650 is the more stylish motorcycle amongst the 650 duo and will also attract the young crowd to some extent and those who want to get there on a powerful RE motorcycle with fancy looks. The Interceptor 650, on the other hand, is for a much more matured and experienced rider who just loves pure motorcycle fun in a simple machine which has been built to be ridden.