Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 Blacked Out

Autocar India

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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.

Autocar India

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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.

Autocar India

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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.

Autocar India

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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.

Autocar India

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Since you mentioned you want a bike that can reach triple-digit speeds without feeling too strained, the Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 is a good option to consider. It is a proven, reliable package that is decently comfortable, easy to maintain, and has pleasing retro looks. Do bear in mind that at 218kg, it is much heavier than your current Speed 400. If you can stretch for it, another option to consider is the Honda NX500. With its liquid-cooled, twin-cylinder engine, the NX will be a calm but capable companion on the highway. For a similiar riding experience, you can even consider the Kawasaki Versys 650, which will be the most powerful bike among our recommendations. Do bear in mind that its price will nudge or surpass the Rs 10 lakh mark on-road, depending on where you reside.If you prefer the look and riding experience of a sportbike, the Kawasaki Ninja 500 is a great option - although it is very pricey - that will also handle triple-digit speeds with relative ease. A test ride should help you decide which bike is best for you.

Autocar India

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The two Royal Enfield 650s you are looking at are limited in terms of comfort in one way or another. The Continental GT 650 - with its committed rider's triangle - will be comfortable only for short blasts before you start to become uncomfortable. Meanwhile, with its rather stiff rear suspension, the Bear 650 will toss you around over anything other than perfect tarmac roads. Between the two, we'd still recommend choosing the Continental because at least you have the peace of mind of tubeless tyres if you fit the accessory alloy wheels to it, which isn't possible on the Bear. If you are open to considering the Interceptor, that makes for a fun Sunday bike, too, with far fewer compromises than both of its aforementioned siblings. A test ride of all three will help you make up your mind.

Autocar India

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Between the two bikes you're considering, we'd recommend you steer clear of the Moto Morini because of its minuscule dealer network and because this bike has yet to prove its reliability in our market. Coming to the Royal Enfield Bear 650 is a great bike in many ways, but its stiff rear suspension can be a dealbreaker over bad roads. Instead, we recommend you look at the Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 for highway usage. If you're open to the idea of a pre-loved machine, a good condition, used Kawasaki Versys 650 should be available around the Rs 5 lakh mark, which is a similar amount of money as the bikes you're considering anyway.

Autocar India

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Between the Honda H'ness CB350 and the Triumph Scrambler 400 X, we would steer you toward the Triumph bike purely because it offers you significantly higher performance for not that much more money. The Scrambler is also a smooth, comfortable do-it-all motorcycle which has good passenger accommodations as well. The H'ness is also comfortable for two-up riding and is a good city bike, but it will not be able to match the Triumph's performance advantage. We would advise you not to go for the Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650 because it is a rather heavy bike at 240kg, which will not be the best fit on traffic-riddled city roads. Moreover, its stiff rear suspension will be the bigger reason to look elsewhere. If you want a RE 650, we would recommend taking a look at the Royal Enfield Interceptor, as that has more pliant suspension and is also much lighter.

Autocar India

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Since you haven't specified what your budget or your preferred style of motorcycle is, we'll give you a list of diverse options. In the ADV space, you can look at the TVS Apache RTX 300, Royal Enfield Himalayan 450, and any of the 250 / KTM 390 Adventure models, depending on the sort of power you want and your budget. In the neo-retro space, you can look at the Royal Enfield Classic / Bullet 350 models and the Honda CB350 trio at the lower end of the scale, and the Interceptor 650 if you want something bigger.If you want a sporty naked motorcycle, the Royal Enfield Guerrilla 450 and the Husqvarna Svartpilen 401 will fit the bill. Do take exhaustive test rides of all machines you shortlist before putting your money down.

Autocar India

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We would advise you to look at other options than the Royal Enfield Bear 650 because we found the rear suspension to be very stiff in our time with it. This means that on less-than-perfect city roads, your back will bear the brunt of the bumps, which won't be ideal given your long daily commute.Instead, we would recommend you look at the Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 because it has much better suspension comfort and will have exciting performance while also fitting in your price range. If your heart is set on a 650cc bike, then the Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 is the best bet for city use with its supple suspension, neutral ergonomics and creamy smooth engine. Take a test ride and decide before you buy.