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• Retro twins in the driving report
• The hard facts about the new engine:
• GT as a cafe racer and INT as a roadster
• Out and about with the Enfield Twins
• Continental looks sportier

Royal Enfield

30th photos

Royal Enfield

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At EICMA 2017, Royal Enfield presented the two new models Interceptor INT 650 and Continental GT 650. Now we were allowed to try out the two retro bikes.

Royal Enfield

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In any case, the two new Enfields are a real eye-catcher.

Royal Enfield

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In terms of driving, the Continental looks a bit sportier.

Royal Enfield

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The prices for Germany are not yet known.

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In the US, the Interceptor 650 starts at $ 5,799. The Contiental GT 650 shown in the picture is available from $ 5,999.

Royal Enfield

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Except for the tanks, the handlebars and the position of the footrest, the two motorcycles are identical.

Royal Enfield

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Enfield praises the Interceptor as a roadster, but the high, wide handlebars with screwed-on center strut convey an almost scrambler feeling.

Royal Enfield

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The new twin quickly turns out to be a steady turner, delivering more than 80 percent of its maximum torque of 52 Nm up to 2500 rpm.

Royal Enfield

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The engine clearly has its feel-good area in the middle, whereby it does not shine with exuberant temperament, but as a loosely controllable, gentle and sociable engine makes life easy for both beginners and old hands.

Royal Enfield

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The Continental GT 650 offers a sportier seating position, with which you can stab a little closer and crisper around the corners.

Royal Enfield

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And since the Continental scribbles across the floor with its notches clearly later than the Interceptor, it can be a bit more oblique with her.

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Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 in white at EICMA 2017.

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Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 in black and red at EICMA 2017.

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Royal Enfield Interceptor INT 650 in white at EICMA 2017.

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Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 for 2018.

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Royal Enfield Interceptor INT 650 for 2018.

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Royal Enfield’s new two-cylinder with 650 cc.

Royal Enfield

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Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 for 2018.

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Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 for 2018.

Royal Enfield

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Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 for 2018.

Royal Enfield

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Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 for 2018.

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Royal Enfield Interceptor INT 650 for 2018.

Royal Enfield

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Royal Enfield Interceptor INT 650 for 2018.

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Royal Enfield Interceptor INT 650 for 2018.

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Royal Enfield’s new two-cylinder with 650 cc.

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Royal Enfield’s new two-cylinder 650 cc.

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Royal Enfield’s new two-cylinder with 650 cc.

Royal Enfield

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Technical data Royal Enfield Interceptor INT 650.

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Technical data Royal Enfield Continental GT 650.

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Royal Enfield Interceptor and Continental (2018)

Retro twins in the driving report

In this country, the Indian two-wheeler giant has so far enjoyed exotic status, but that could change in the future: the Royald Enfield Continental GT 650 and Royal Enfield Interceptor INT 650 are rolling in with a newly designed, air-cooled 650 cubic in-line twin cylinder. 47 PS A2-compatible, beautiful, affordable. We were both able to drive

EICMA 2017 marks an important chapter in the company’s history for the traditional manufacturer with English roots, both with regard to the huge and steadily growing domestic market (in which 70,000 units of the 350 and 500 series are currently being built every month!), Such as also for the global expansion plans. With the new 650 models, solvent buyers are offered unprecedentedly large, fast, prestigious machines; heave here R.oyal Enfield Continental GT 650 and Royal Enfield Interceptor INT 650 their manufacturer out of the niche existence as an exporter of charming but underperforming single-cylinder bikes and into the middle of the segment of mid-range retro bikes.

The machines were designed in the new research center in Bruntingthorpe, England, under the leadership of Simon Warburton, the former head of development at Triumph – so hopes for pure driving behavior are certainly in order.

The hard facts about the new engine:

–    Inline two-cylinder, 648 cc
–    Air / oil cooling
–    270 degree crank pin offset
–    Four-valve technology, single overhead camshaft
–    Bore stroke ratio: 78mm x 67.8mm
–    Compression: 9.5 to 1
–    Six-speed gearbox, slipper clutch
–    CDI ignition, Bosch injection
–    47 hp at 7,250 rpm, 52 Nm at 5,250 rpm

GT as a cafe racer and INT as a roadster

This motor is used in two retro machines whose lines could not be more timelessly classic. We don’t like to judge styling, but in this case it should be noted: Royal Enfield has obviously found the design easy. This shouldn’t come as a surprise, given that Chennai has been building the same motorcycle with the Bullet 500 for several decades. Technically, the two newcomers share the same basis: double-loop tubular steel frame, 18-inch wheels with 100/90 tires at the front and 130/70 tires at the rear (Pirelli Phantom Sportcomp tires), 1,398 millimeters wheelbase, 198 to 202 kilograms dry weight, 320 millimeters single disc brakes at the front , 240 disc rear, ABS is standard equipment. The brake components come from the Brembo subsidiary Bybre, which also supplies KTM, among others. The 41 telescopic fork works with a spring travel of 110 mm, the rear stereo struts have a spring travel of 88 mm.

The Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 with a seat height of 793 mm is recommended for lovers of the cafe-racer look, while the Royal Enfield Interceptor INT 650 (seat height: 804 mm) is a classic roadster with higher handlebars and a continuous seat. We do not have any official information on the sales price at the moment, given the production in India and the enormous numbers to be expected in the local market, a highly competitive market price seems very likely. Market launch will be around June 2018.

Out and about with the Enfield Twins

Royal Enfield

Motorcycles cannot be more pure at the moment.

Royal Enfield let us fly around half the globe so that we could turn the ignition key of the new Continental GT 650 and its sister model Interceptor 650 for the first time. And that was really good.

But he one after the other. Let’s start with the Interceptor. Enfield itself advertises it as a roadster, but the high, wide handlebars with screwed-on center strut convey an almost scrambler feeling. In any case, it is convenient because not only is the steering tube conveniently located, but also because the notches are placed quite low and the knees find their place on the tank by themselves. Sonor and evenly bubbling, the 270 degree crank pin offset of the crankshaft trimmed to character, air-oil-cooled twin goes into action. It quickly turns out to be a steady turner, delivering more than 80 percent of its maximum torque of 52 Nm up to 2,500 rpm. And since not the last gram has been saved on the crankshaft, the twin pushes in all gears from 2,000 rpm without choking, if necessary turns out quite flaky at the top until the limiter stops it at just over 7,000 rpm. The clutch separates precisely, clearly – but only with a little bit of force – the gears slip through the transmission during gear changes. Not common in this class, but taken with pleasure: The standard anti-hopping clutch allows sporty downshifts without slipping and effectively cuts load peaks.

The motor clearly has its feel-good area in the middle, whereby it does not shine with exuberant temperament, but as a loosely controllable, gentle and sociable motor that makes life easy for both beginners and old hands. The chassis also contributes to this. Although the fork should respond a little more finely, which is probably due to the few kilometers of the test motorcycles, overall the front and rear do their job well, and the narrow 18-inch wheels guide them safely. At most there are small negative points for the straight-line stability. At a brisk pace, the Interceptor tends to swing slightly when stimulated.

Continental looks sportier

Royal Enfield

The Continental is a bit sportier.

The Continental GT 650 masters this better. Due to the stub handlebars and the pegs attached further above and at the rear, there is simply more weight on the front with a driver. This also ensures that the feedback from the front tire is noticeably clearer, so that you can dig a little closer and more crisp with it around the corners. And since the Continental scribbles across the floor with its notches clearly later than the Interceptor, it can also be a bit more oblique.

Otherwise, the same applies to the GT as to the Roadster – apart from the tanks, the handlebars and the footrest position, the two motorcycles are like twins.

Both of them hit the zeitgeist as retro driving machines without really wanting to, after all, all Enfield motorcycles look very classic. Apart from an ABS, there are no driver assistance systems; round clocks use fine pointers to provide information about the speed and rev counter. Motorcycles cannot be more pure at the moment. The air-oil-cooled twin has already been developed as a new development for the upcoming Euro 5 emissions standard, and is technically up-to-date. The question still remains of what the Enfield twin driving fun should cost. The official prices for Germany are not yet known, in the USA the Interceptor 650 is available from $ 5,799, the Contiental GT 650 from $ 5,999. Let’s hope that the prices will be similar here too.

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