Royal Enfield 650cc cruiser spied; appears to be production ready

Royal Enfield has been spotted testing the 650cc cruiser yet again, but this time around, it appears to be production-ready. This means that the launch of the motorcycle isn’t too far away and it could even be introduced in the market in the coming months.

• Gets the tripper navigation pod 

• Sports the same 648cc parallel twin from the 650 twins

• USD fork and dual front disc brakes likely

Royal Enfield 650cc cruiser: details

The cruiser on test was spotted with a USD fork and twin disc brakes at the front, which are in stark contrast to the rather basic telescopic fork and single front disc found on the 650 twins. However, the rear suspension set-up featuring twin shock absorbers are the same as the 650 twins.

The rear fender and twin exhaust pipes also appear to be different than when it was spotted testing previously. This time, the rear fender appears to be much shorter, with the number plate bracket mounted much closer to the tail-lamp. The twin exhaust pipes sport a peashooter design and have a blacked-out finish, compared to last time, when they sported a design more akin to the Meteor 350 and had a chrome finish.

There are a few different possibilities as to what moniker this cruiser will carry when launched. Royal Enfield could take a page out of their own history book and call it the Super Meteor 650 – they produced a model with the same name back in the '50s and '60s. Alternatively, they could even call it the Shotgun 650, named after a concept they previewed at EICMA 2021.

The upcoming cruiser from RE is expected to sport the same air- and oil-cooled, 648cc parallel-twin derived from the existing Interceptor 650 and Continental GT 650. In the 650 twins, the engine makes 47hp at 7,150rpm and 52Nm at 5,250rpm, and comes mated to a 5-speed gearbox with a slip-and-assist clutch. Expect minor changes to the peak output figures, if any.

Royal Enfield 650cc cruiser: launch, price and rivals

While no details about this 650cc cruiser’s launch have surfaced, it could be launched in the coming months, given that it has been spotted in production-ready guise multiple times. The cruiser is expected to be priced above the 650 twins and is intended to be the flagship Royal Enfield when it starts arriving in dealerships.

There aren’t many rivals in the midsize cruiser segment, especially at the affordable end of the scale, and the closest rival to the RE 650cc cruiser will be the Benelli 502C. The latter is very close in terms of output, however, it will be significantly more expensive than the Enfield with a dealer presence that isn't as great as the Indian marque.

Would you go in for the 650cc cruiser from RE over the 650 twins? Let us know in the comments section below.