BSA Gold Star 650 Vs Royal Enfield Interceptor 650: Cylinder Wars

BSA has recently launched the BSA Gold Star, a 650cc bike in India, which rivals the Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 and Royal Enfield Interceptor 650. However, the main difference between the Royal Enfiled Twins and BSA Gold Star 650 is the number of cylinders; BSA Gold Star is a single-cylinder motorcycle, and Royal Enfied Twins are dual-cylinder bikes. 

Before diving deep into the difference between these two motorcycles, let’s understand the physics behind single- and dual-cylinder technology.

Single Cylinder Engine vs. Dual Cylinder Engine

Dual-cylinder engines come with one extra piston, as a result, these engines are better balanced and produce lesser vibrations. Single-cylinder engines are used in small cubic-capacity bikes, but it is not necessary, as seen on the BSA Gold Star.

But overall, single-cylinder engines are simple to build and generally produce better mileage, while dual-cylinder engines produce more power and torque. 

There are various configurations available with twin-cylinder engines, such as parallel twin, V-twin, L-twin, or flat-twin engines. Apart from engine layouts, firing orders are also important in dual-cylinder engines, which can vary from 90 degrees to 360 degrees. 

In terms of technology, a dual-cylinder engine is always more promising, expensive and quick than a single-cylinder engine. 

BSA Gold Star 650 vs Royal Enfield Interceptor 650

Power figures: BSA Gold Star 650 is powered by a 652cc single-cylinder engine which produces 45.6 bhp at 6500 rpm and 55 Nm torque at 5000 rpm. On the other hand, the Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 is powered by a twin-cylinder 648cc engine, which produces 47 bhp at 7,100 rpm and 52 Nm of torque at 5250 rpm. 

The Royal Enfield Interceptor uses a 6-speed gearbox to transfer power from engine to wheels but the BSA Gold Star features a 5-speed gearbox system. Both bikes have the first gear up and the remaining gear down.

Chassis and body

The Interceptor uses 18-inch spoke wheels supported by telescopic forks on front and gas-charged dual-spring suspension at the rear. For braking, it has a 320mm single disc on the front and a 240mm disc on the rear side.

The BSA Gold Star 650 is using 18-inch spoke wheels on the front and a smaller 17-inch spoke wheel on the rear. It has a conventional spring set up on the rear; the front disc is the same as the Interceptor 650, but the rear disc is 15 mm larger than the Interceptor. Meanwhile, this 650cc BSA bike has Brembo-sourced brake calipers. 

Features

The Interceptor 650 and Goldstar 650 both follow a retro design language. Both iterations follow a round-design touch. BSA looks bulkier than Interceptor 650, but both carry forward the same sitting posture. They also feature a dual-pod analogue console housing a tiny LCD. Other common offerings include a dual-channel ABS, a USB charger, and a slipper clutch. 

Ex-Showroom Price

The BSA GoldStar 650 starts from Rs 3 lakh and goes up to Rs 3.35 lakh, while the Intercepter 650 starts from Rs 3.03 and touches up to 3.31 lakh. All prices are ex-showroom.