Royal Enfield Interceptor 650

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There are no plans to discontinue the Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 anytime soon so you can wait as long as you'd like before purchasing it. In fact, toward the end of the calendar year, both the Continental GT and Interceptor are likely to be updated in a comprehensive way. Expect more features, better braking and suspension hardware and some new colours and cosmetic touches as well.

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The Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 currently on sale supports petrol with up to 20 percent ethanol. E20 is the current baseline fuel available across India and while draft notifications proposing petrol with higher ethanol blends have been proposed and certified, this is still quite a ways away from becoming the available petrol blend in the near future. Therefore, you shouldn't worry too much right now and go ahead with your new purchase happily!

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Around that price point, you have two very different options. The first is the Royal Enfield Interceptor 650, which will have similar attributes to your Dominar in being a laidback, road-biased machine. The highlight here is the twin-cylinder engine, and this is one of the biggest reasons to get one. The Interceptor is a proven product, and since you are coming from a Dominar, you should be able to handle its weight and size without too much of a problem.Another option you could look at is the KTM 390 Adventure S, the top model with the adjustable suspension and tubeless spoke wheels. This bike will have a comparable engine character to your Dominar, but brings in added capability in terms of long-distance riding and venturing off-road.These are two very different machines, and picking between the two will not be straightforward. Take a thorough test ride of both to make an informed decision.

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Sadly, the Yamaha R3 has been discontinued in India and the company hasn't confirmed if or when the updated model will be coming to our shores. Therefore, the Royal Enfield 650s are your best bet if you want a twin-cylinder experience. Specifically, the Interceptor is a tried and tested product which should be characterful and reasonably comfortable for road usage. Bear in mind that the Interceptor is a heavy bike with its wide engine splaying the Rider's feet out, so if you're on the shorter side of the spectrum, you might struggle to flat foot it. You could also look at the Aprilia Tuono 457 if you want something sporty but still usable on the road. Aprilia's 457cc engine hasn't had the best reputation for reliability though and we'd recommend you tread lightly and make no modifications inside the warranty period on this bike. A test ride will help you figure out which bike is for you.

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Since you've mentioned that a lot of your usage is inside the city with only occasional highway work, we'd recommend sticking with the 350cc Triumph Scrambler 400 X. The reason being, Scrambler is a lighter machine with better handling and suspension comfort, which will make it easier to ride on a daily basis inside the city. Then there is also the fact that the Dominar - as objectively sorted a bike as it is - cannot match the kerb appeal of the Scrambler, and the Triumph is sure to be a special machine to walk toward in the morning. In case you want to move away from a single-cylinder machine, the Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 remains a tried and tested option, and will be lovely on the highway. Do bear in mind that while it can surely wade through the drudgery of city traffic, it will be the machine that demands more effort from the rider to do so. After GST 2.0, the Interceptor has also become a fair deal pricier, so it might not fit in your budget. A test ride of both, as well as determining your budget, should be your next move.

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We'd recommend you stick with the Royal Enfield Shotgun 650 over the Super Meteor 650 for your mixed-use case spanning both city and highway runs. The Shotgun's riding position is more neutral and will be comfortable over longer durations - especially considering the stiff rear suspension will keep sending bumps from the road to your spine.Since you're not comfortable reaching the handlebars in stock trim, experiment with a set of small handlebar risers to see if it alleviates your issue.You should also look at the Interceptor 650 while you're at it, because it delivers a similar riding experience to the Shotgun and has pliant suspension for Indian roads. Take a test ride of these two before making your decision.

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From a logical point of view, the Royal Enfield Classic 350 makes sense for your use case, which is primarily in the city. The Classic is a lighter machine and will be easier to manage in the city. In your case, it will also be a largely familiar machine since you're coming from an older Classic 350, and there won't be too much of a learning curve. Plus, in comparison to the Interceptor 650, you'll also get better fuel economy from the Classic.On the flip side, the Interceptor will be a far better machine for highway riding, and its twin-cylinder engine gives it a different character. If you're looking for a change of pace from your Classic, the Interceptor could be the perfect step up because, despite its added power and weight, it is still an approachable machine. The one thing you need to be mindful of on the Interceptor inside the city is its wide exhaust pipes, which will stick out in traffic.A test ride will reveal whether you should go for the Interceptor or the Classic.

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Since you haven't specified a budget, it's hard to give you an exact recommendation, but we'll give you a wide variety of options to choose from, catering to different price points. Under the Rs 2 lakh mark, something like a Royal Enfield Classic / Bullet 350, any of the Honda CB350 models, TVS Ronin, as well as the Honda CB300F will be available. These bikes can handle long highway rides, provided you're comfortable with maintaining speeds below 100kph.If you can stretch to Rs 3 lakh, then options like the Royal Enfield Interceptor 650, TVS Apache RTR / RR 310 and previous-gen KTM 390 Duke and Adventure models are available. These bikes give you the ability to cruise around 100-120kph owing to their more powerful engines. However, the single-cylinder TVS and KTM models won't be able to match the smoothness of the twin-cylinder Royal Enfield. Do bear in mind that since you want a vehicle with low maintainance, it would be advisable to go for a machine with a documented service history and one that has its cycle parts (brakes, tyres, fluids) in good condition, so you don't need to incur additional expenses.

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The Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 is a proven commodity in our market, and it is a fairly capable city machine, so long as you get used to its weight. Since it uses a big 648cc, twin-cylinder engine, its fuel economy isn't its strongest suit, although that's par for the course for an engine of this size. The Interceptor is the most affordable RE 650 model, and since it is a simple machine, servicing and maintaining it shouldn't be too expensive. Since the BMW F 450 GS is yet to launch and we also haven't ridden it, we can't comment on what the bike will be like to ride or to live with. We recommend you wait until media and owners' reviews are out before making a decision.Do bear in mind that BMW's dealer and service network is far smaller than Royal Enfield's expansive dealer network across the country.

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If you want a 650cc bike that can be used daily, the models at the forefront are the Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 and BSA Gold Star 650. Both have torquey engines - albeit ones that sound and behave very differently - with upright ergonomics making them a good fit for daily usage. Do bear in mind that both bikes are much heavier than your current Honda CB350 H'ness and will demand some caution before you get used to their size and heft.If you want something a little more unique, then the Kawasaki Z650 or Z650RS makes for genuinely usable big bikes. While their prices are more than double those of the Royal Enfield and BSA, they really are hassle-free, punchy, well-built machines that will serve you well for a long time.One thing to note with the Kawasaki 650s is that they have low ground clearance, which could be a factor that influences your purchase if your city doesn't have good roads.