Royal Enfield Interceptor 650: Same Engine, Different Personalities

The 648cc parallel-twin engine is set to power a variety of motorcycles other than the currently existing ones. We delve deeper

When the Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 and the Continental GT 650 were launched, it heralded a brave new direction for Royal Enfield in the world of premium biking. They became the most affordable 650cc motorcycles in the country, and also the most powerful ones in the brand’s portfolio. It also opened up new avenues for the brand, particularly in developed markets where there’s a big demand for beginner-friendly yet highway-worthy motorcycles. We delve deeper into how the engine powers different motorcycles both at present and in the future:

Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 & Continental GT 650

Royal Enfield commenced its journey into the 650cc segment with the Interceptor 650 and the Continental GT 650. The former is a retro roadster with easy-to-reach braced handlebars, slightly larger fuel tank, mid-set footpegs with bench seat whereas the latter is a cafe racer with (slightly) raised clip-on handlebars, cafe racer style seat, sleeker, smaller fuel tank and rear-set footpegs. 

Even though the two motorcycles belong to different genres, they are built on the same underpinnings and share the same 47.6PS, 52Nm parallel-twin, counterbalanced engine. This makes them a delight to ride on the highways and on the twisties alike.

Royal Enfield Roadster 650

A cruiser based on the 650cc platform is the next natural step for Royal Enfield and the Chennai-based bikemaker is already working on one, which could be called the Royal Enfield Roadster 650. This 650cc cruiser uses a tweaked chassis of the Interceptor 650 and features a more premium inverted front fork setup. The design is also more in tune with a typical cruiser, replete with laidback ergonomics. The bike also comes with alloy wheels. Expect Royal Enfield to launch this cruiser by the end of this year or early next year, presumably at around Rs 2.90 lakh - Rs 3 lakh (ex-showroom). You can read all about the motorcycle here.

Royal Enfield Shotgun 650

Representative Image

The Royal Enfield Shotgun 650 could be a sportier spin-off of the Roadster 650 cruiser. In May this year, trademark filings of the Shotgun name leaked online, leading to speculations about the bike either being a minimalistic bobber or a Classic 350-styled motorcycle. Having said that, our bets are on the bobber, and you can read a more in-depth analysis here. 

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Royal Enfield Scram 650

Representative Image

Trademark filings of another moniker, the Royal Enfield Scram surfaced online in the same month as the Shotgun. The name suggests the upcoming motorcycle could be a scrambler based on the Interceptor 650, designed to tackle light trails. Another (albeit weaker) possibility is that it could be a scrambler based on the Meteor 350 platform. Our analysis will help you understand better. All said and done, both the Royal Enfield Scram 650 and the Shotgun 650 are quite some time away from launch.