Buying A Royal Enfield Interceptor? Here’s What Else Rs 3 Lakh Can Get You

With the Interceptor launched at under 3 lakh on-road, let’s find out what other bikes you can buy for that money.

The Interceptor 650, one of the most eagerly awaited bikes in India, was recently launched by Royal Enfield at a price tag of Rs 2.5 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). This makes it the cheapest twin-cylinder motorcycle that you can currently buy in the country. The Interceptor and its sibling the Continental GT are both powered by an all-new 648cc air- and oil-cooled twin-cylinder engine that produces 47.6PS of power and 53Nm of torque. Offering an excellent balance of performance, practicality and price, the Interceptor 650 has garnered a lot of interest from enthusiasts and non-enthusiasts alike. But are there other motorcycles that match the Interceptor’s specs, performance and most importantly, price? Read on to know more. 

KTM Duke 390 & RC 390

The 390 twins from KTM are hailed for the fantastic value-for-money they offer, and rightly so. Powering the motorcycles is a 373cc single-cylinder engine that produces 44PS and 37Nm of torque. However, while the Interceptor and the KTM twins offer almost similar levels of performance, where they differ is in the way the performance is delivered. The Interceptor offers smooth and linear performance while the KTMs are far more frantic and involving. Both the Interceptor and the KTM twins feature a 6-speed gearbox and offer dual-channel ABS as standard. As for pricing, the 390 Duke is priced at Rs 2.42 lakh while the RC390 is priced at Rs 2.39 lakh (both, ex-showroom Delhi)

TVS Apache RR310

One of the most hyped launches of 2017, the Apache RR310 is a fully-faired performance motorcycle from TVS. The flagship offering from the Hosur-based motorcycle maker is powered by a 312cc liquid-cooled engine that puts out 34PS and 27Nm. The RR310 is the result of a collaboration between TVS and BMW and offers stellar performance and specs. The icing on the cake? It’s priced at Rs 2.23 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi), which makes it quite an affordable performance machine.     

Kawasaki Ninja 300

The baby Ninja recently saw a huge price cut thanks to increased localisation, and up until the Interceptor 650 arrived, it was the cheapest twin-cylinder motorcycle you could buy in India. A fully-faired motorcycle, the Kawasaki sports a twin-cylinder, liquid-cooled engine that churns out 39PS and 27Nm. Kawasaki’s decision to localise the production of the Ninja 300’s body panels, wheels and tyres means that the motorcycle could now be yours for Rs 2.98 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi).      

BMW G 310 R

If, just like for the Ninja 300, you’re willing to stretch the Rs 3 lakh budget by a few grand, the BMW G 310 R is worth certainly considering. From the same stables as the TVS Apache RR310, the G 310 R features the same 312cc liquid-cooled engine as on the TVS. Here it produces 34PS and 27Nm. Available in a naked street-bike form, the G 310 R is a well-engineered product that also happens to carry the coveted BMW badge. You can bring this baby-BMW home for a price of Rs 2.99 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi).