The 650cc Dilemma: Which Royal Enfield Twin Is the Best For You?

In a market that’s obsessed with highly strained single-cylinder engines putting out close to 50 hp, Royal Enfield ignited the love for twin-cylinder engines. India has been hooked ever since 2017. 

It was always going to be difficult to compel an economy-oriented market to accept the idea of a premium motorcycle flaunting a gas-guzzling twin-cylinder engine but Royal Enfield had a few tricks up its sleeves. Instead of chasing high triple-digit top-speed figures, Royal Enfield chased character. Instead of making a motorcycle that shaves seconds every lap, Royal Enfield built one that carved smiles. Instead of shedding every possible gram of weight, Royal Enfield added more. 

The 650 twins spawned a category of motorcycles that never shattered records or won top accolades but it created a community of motorcyclists who crave the old-school wind-in-the-hair experience. Whether you ride the spirited Continental GT650 or the relaxed Super Meteor 650, Royal Enfield assures you of a divine riding experience. 

With the addition of the Interceptor Bear 650, the lineup is no longer simplified. Unless you know what you want, walking into a Royal Enfield showroom and choosing from the five models isn’t easy, especially when all you seek is the twin-cylinder engine experience. 

That’s where we step in. After going through the specifications and features sheet of these individual models, we try to find out which of these 650cc Royal Enfield twins is best suited for your riding needs. 

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The best Royal Enfield 650 twin for you

Let’s begin with the one that most gentlemen desire to have in their multi-motorcycle garage.

Royal Enfield Interceptor 650

Price: From INR 303,000

Category: Modern classic

The Interceptor 650 offers the 648cc twin-cylinder 4-stroke engine in the body of an accessible modern classic. With 47hp and 52Nm available within the grasp of your right hand, the Interceptor 650 demands its rider to rev the engine and experience the old-school 1960s style of motorcycling. The higher set handlebar and the neutrally positioned footpegs make the Interceptor relatively easy to drive in city traffic. There’s ample space for a pillion to be comfortable over short distances. The dual exhausts do add to the heft of 218 kg but the sweet exhaust note makes up for it. 

The base variants of the Interceptor 650 celebrate the retro British styling with chrome detailing and wire-spoke tube wheels. The higher-end variants, however, offer the convenience of tubeless alloy wheels.

Royal Enfield Continental GT 650

Price: From INR 319,000

Category: Retro cafe racer

The Continental GT650 is essentially the Interceptor 650 repackaged to give you the racer thrills of the 1960s. Inspired by the GT250 for Royal Enfield’s own stable, the GT650 gets rid of the high-set handlebar in favour of low-slung racing clip-on handlebars. The footpegs are pushed backwards slightly to add to the hunkered-down riding triangle. The fuel tank is more angular – an ode to the cafe racers of the past. The 648cc engine, however, delivers the same kind of performance as the Interceptor 650. The GT650 isn’t comfortable for urban commutes though and is only meant for those who love to visit the countryside on weekends. 

Although the base variants come with wire-spoke wheels as standard, the top models get the blacked-out alloy wheels treatment with tubeless tyres. 

Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650

Price: From INR 363,900

Category: Retro cruiser

The Super Meteor 650 is designed to do just one thing – cruising. If you are the kind of motorcyclist who loves to hit the highways over the weekend and prefers travelling long distances in utmost comfort and style, the Super Meteor 650 is the best iteration of Royal Enfield’s 650 twin. The front set footpegs coupled with the rear and high set handlebar, the low slung seat, the sweet rumbling 648cc parallel twin engine and a large 15.7-litre fuel tank make this a great way to cruise around the country. 

That said, the Super Meteor 650 is hefty with its large dimensions and the rear suspension is known to be set up stiff. Hence, unless the roads are as good as modern-day expressways, stay away from this one. 

Royal Enfield Shotgun 650

Price: From INR 359,430

Category: Retro cruiser

The Shotgun 650 is built for those seeking a balanced package for expressway cruising and urban driving. Although Royal Enfield presents the Shotgun 650 as a platform for building custom motorcycles, the stock setup offers one of the most relaxed ways to enjoy the 648cc parallel twin engine. The bobber styling coupled with the plethora of accessories make the Shotgun 650 an ideal weekend ride to explore urban backdrops and hit the highways occasionally. 

Royal Enfield Interceptor Bear 650

Price: NA

Category: Retro scrambler 

The Interceptor Bear 650 is the latest iteration of the Royal Enfield twin and the first one with a different state of tune. Instead of the usual 47 hp and 52Nm of torque, the Bear 650’s new two-into-one exhaust setup allows the torque to be tweaked to 56.5Nm. The additional torque should help riders on this motorcycle to navigate difficult terrains with ease. 

Looking beyond the engine, the Bear 650 offers a long-travel suspension with bespoke on/off-road tyres from MRF, which makes it ideal as a scrambler machine. The all-digital instrumentation borrowed from the Himalayan 450 makes it suitable for exploring trails via Google Maps streaming. 

The Bear 650’s price is yet to be revealed for the Indian market. 

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