Royal Enfield has just announced the European prices for the 650 twins. The price for the Interceptor 650 starts from 6200 Euros (Rs 5.16 lakh) in Spain, Italy and Portugal. The price for the Continental GT 650, on the other hand, starts from 6400 Euros (Rs 5.33 lakh) in the same countries. Prices for the rest of the countries in Europe are higher and start at 6400 Euros (Rs 5.33 lakh) for the Interceptor and 6600 Euros (Rs 5.49 lakh) for the Continental GT.
Royal Enfield also announced that the bikes will be available from early 2019 and come with a three-year warranty. The RE Interceptor 650 is a retro-styled street motorcycle and is straightforward in its layout. It features a one-piece quilted seat that’s pretty much completely flat and should be comfortable for both, rider and pillion. A conventional handlebar and mildly rear-set foot pegs make for an upright riding stance. This changes on the Continental GT 650, which features clip-on handlebars and a solo seat with a dual-seat option, similar to what we have seen before on the Continental GT 535.
Both new bikes are powered by a 648cc, air-cooled, SOHC, fuel-injected parallel-twin motor which produces 47hp at 7,250rpm and 52Nm of torque at 5,250rpm. The engine is paired to a 6-speed gearbox with a slip-assist clutch. The kerb weights for the Continental GT 650 and Interceptor 650 are 198kg and 202kg (without fuel). The fuel tank on the Interceptor is also slightly larger, at 13.7 litres, compared to the 12.5-litre tank on the Conti GT. The seat height and ground clearance on both motorcycles is identical, at 804mm and 174mm.
While these 650 twins are priced above the Rs 5 lakh mark in Europe, we expect the Indian price to start below the Rs 3 lakh mark.
Ved Janve
Vishal Venugopal
Dinshaw Magol
