2023 RE Int 650 and Continental GT 650 gain updates such as blacked-out alloy wheels, new switchgear and colour schemes
Royal Enfield has revealed images of the updated Interceptor 650 and Continental GT 650 for the international markets and they are expected to launch soon in India. We showed you spy images of the updated 650 a while now and now the chances of it reaching the domestic market are ever so high. One of the key updates is apparently the inclusion of alloy wheels with tubeless tyres.
The vintage wire-spoked wheels at the front and rear running on tubed tyres have been ditched in favour of black-coloured multi-spoke alloy wheels. This has been a highly sought-after feature by customers considering the hassle involved in changing tubed tyres during a puncture. Besides, the inclusion of alloy wheels, Royal Enfield has added new equipment as well.
The Chennai-based manufacturer introduced LED headlamp illumination for the first time in the recently launched Super Meteor 650 and it has made its way to the lineup of the 2023 Interceptor 650 and Continental GT 650. In addition to this, the brand has brought in a USB charger for the convenience of charging your smartphones on the go and the switchgear elements have been shared with Hunter 350.
Royal Enfield has introduced two new paint schemes as well on each model: Black Ray and Barcelona Blue for the Int 650 while the cafe racer gets Slipstream Blue and Apex Grey. As for the design, you could readily see black finish to the exhaust system, body panels and the engine area. These updates will increase the prices of both motorcycles by a slight margin.
With no performance changes, the 2023 version of the Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 and Continental GT 650 use a 648 cc parallel twin-cylinder engine, which is good enough to develop a maximum power output of around 47 PS and 52 Nm of peak torque. The powertrain is linked with a six-speed transmission with a slipper and assist clutch as standard.
The company is currently working on a range of 650 cc offerings for the near future but this year, the Himalayan 450 is expected to be launched with a brand new liquid-cooled engine.