Royal Enfield has been caught testing the Thunderbird/Super Meteor 650 cruiser, SG650 concept based production bobber and a retro-themed 650 cc model
Royal Enfield has been working on a number of new motorcycles for the Indian as well as international markets. The brand has gained tremendous attention abroad in recent years and the latest launches have been well received in many developed markets. Carrying forward the momentum, Royal Enfield will launch the Hunter 350 sometime in early August.
It will likely be followed by the launch of a new 650 cc motorcycle towards the end of this calendar year. The Chennai-based manufacturer has been developing a cruiser based on the existing Interceptor and Continental GT 650’s platform and the near-production prototype has already been caught testing on public roads. It could be dubbed the Thunderbird X 650 or Super Meteor 650.
Taking advantage of the same dual cradle chassis, Royal Enfield will multiply its 650 cc range as a retro-themed roadster also appears to be under development. Only a few days ago, we showed you images of the road-going Shotgun 650 concept and expect the launch to happen sometime next year. It must be noted that RE is testing the next-gen Bullet and an all-new Himalayan 450 as well.
The trio of upcoming Royal Enfield 650 cc motorcycles will be powered by the familiar 648 cc parallel twin-cylinder engine that currently produces 47 PS maximum power and 52 Nm of peak torque. The powertrain will be linked with a six-speed transmission with slipper and assist clutch as standard and they will also be equipped with a dual-channel ABS system.
One of the main highlights of the upcoming flagship motorcycles is the presence of upside-down front forks while a semi-digital instrument cluster with a dedicated pod for Tripper Navigation is also a high possibility. The company will bring in a liquid-cooled engine equipped Himalayan 450 in the early parts of next year reportedly.
The adventure tourer will be based on a new platform and have a new bodywork altogether and expect it to compete directly against KTM 390 Adventure with the power figure in the upwards of 40 bhp and it will be more premium than the existing Himalayan and Scram 411.