Triumph Thruxton 400 Vs Royal Enfield Continental GT 650: Compared In Images

The recently launched Triumph Thruxton 400 is a neo-retro cafe racer in the sub-500cc segment. It is priced at Rs 2,74,137 (ex-showroom, Delhi). While the bike doesn’t have any other natural rivals, the next closest cafe racer in terms of pricing is the Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 that starts from Rs 3,25,897 (ex-showroom, Chennai). Here’s a detailed comparison of both the cafe racers in images:

Design

The Triumph Thruxton 400’s design is heavily inspired by the Triumph Speed Triple 1200 RR with a similar semi-fairing, circular headlamp and short front fender. The fuel tank of the bike has a slimmer design (compared to the Speed 400), and it gets a body coloured seat cowl. It also gets rear-set footpegs and clip-on handlebars for a more committed riding position. The bike is offered in four colour schemes: Lava Red Gloss and Aluminum Silver, Pearl Metallic White and Storm Grey, Metallic Racing Yellow with Aluminum Silver, and Phantom Black with Aluminum Silver. The bike also gets bar-end mirrors as standard which are offered as an accessory on the Continental GT 650.

The Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 too has the same cafe racer design, but it lacks the semi-fairing. The GT 650 too, gets a circular headlamp, sculpted fuel tank, a long single-piece seat, clip-on handlebars and rear-set footpegs for the cafe racer character. Royal Enfield also offers a rider-only seat with a pillion cowl as an optional accessory. The RE Continental GT 650 is available in five colour schemes: Slipstream Blue, Apex Grey, Rocker Red, British Racing Green and Mr. Clean.

Engine

The Thruxton 400 is powered by a 398.15cc, liquid-cooled, single-cylinder engine borrowed from the Triumph Speed 400, but now tuned for slightly more performance. It produces 42PS at 9,000rpm and 37.5Nm at 7,500rpm. It comes paired to a 6-speed gearbox with a slip-and-assist clutch.

The Continental GT 650 on the other hand, is powered by a 648cc, air-cooled parallel-twin engine that produces 48PS at 7,250rpm and 52Nm at 5,150rpm. It is also paired to a 6-speed gearbox, and also comes with a slipper clutch. Looks-wise, the Continental GT’s engine is tastefully retro thanks to its parallel-twin configuration, along with the massive twin upswept exhausts.

Underpinnings

The Triumph Thruxton 400 gets a 43mm inverted fork and a preload-adjustable gas-charged monoshock. The bike rolls on 17-inch alloy wheels with a 110-section front and a 150-section rear with tubeless tyres. There’s a 300mm front and a 230mm rear disc brake setup with dual-channel ABS as standard. It weighs 181kg (kerb), has a 13-litre fuel tank and a seat height of 805mm.

The Continental GT 650 gets a telescopic fork and gas-charged twin rear shock absorbers with preload-adjustability. As far as the design is concerned, the telescopic fork and twin rear shock setup stays true to the cafe racers from the 60s and the 70s. The bike gets 18-inch (spoke/ alloy, depending on the variant) wheels wrapped in a 100-section front and a 130-section rear tyres. The Slipstream Blue and Apex Grey colour variants get alloy wheels with tubeless tyres, while the other colour options come with a tubed spoked wheel setup.

While we love the spoke wheels for its authenticity, the alloy wheel variants are more practical as they are capable of handling punctures better than tubed tyres on spoke wheels. For braking, it gets a 320mm front and a 240mm rear disc brakes with dual-channel ABS. The bike weighs 214kg (kerb), has a 12.5-litre fuel tank and a seat height of 820mm.

Features

The Triumph Thruxton 400 gets a semi-digital instrument console with an analogue speedometer and a digital inset which shows the readouts of tachometer, trip meters, fuel gauge and other necessary information. The motorcycle comes with an all-LED lighting setup, ride-by-wire throttle, slipper clutch, and a traction control system. It also has an USB type-C charging port.

The Continental GT 650 has an even smaller feature list. It comes with a twin-pod semi-digital instrument console with an analogue speedometer and a tachometer. The readings of tripmeters, fuel gauge and odometer are shown in a digital inset, while in the other pod, the bike gets all of its telltale lights. While it may not be as info-packed, the twin pod layout with the analogue needles look the part of a retro cafe racer. The Continental GT 650 too comes with an USB charging port mounted near its left handlebar switch cube, adjustable levers, and an LED headlight. 

Parting Thoughts

While the Triumph Thruxton 400 looks more retro, it is every bit modern in terms of performance, and offers great value for money. On the other hand, the Continental GT 650 may have a relatively simpler engine but the sheer displacement and twin-cylinder layout will ensure a unique, refined riding experience. It may be more expensive than the Thruxton, but it is still the most affordable ticket to having a big bike-like experience. You’ll just have to be wary of the hefty weight, especially when moving around in a parking lot.