Royal Enfield Shotgun 650

The Royal Enfield Shotgun 650 is arguably the most radical bike Royal Enfield has ever made. It has no real world practicality and is made in order to look good and travel around with a certain aura. So then does it have enough aura and more importantly, is the aura good enough to justify the bike’s lack of real world practicality? I lived with the Shotgun for a couple of days and here is if you should even think of buying this beautiful bike: 

Royal Enfield Shotgun 650 design

The Shotgun 650 is a gorgeous bike and there are no two ways to it. I was mighty impressed the first time I saw it and the bike looks like such a nice mix of being radical and modern looking yet having an old school touch to it. And the best part was just how many eyeballs the bike grabbed. Be it a ride around town or just a small ride to the nearest tapri, the Shotgun made everyone look twice and even thrice. Within a few minutes of parking it, there was a crowd around it and honestly that much attention made me feel like a celebrity.  

Royal Enfield Shotgun 650 Wheels

The Shotgun has simple yet charming alloy wheels which suit the bike well. There’s an 18-inch wheel at the front with a 100/90 tyre on it. At the rear, there’s a 17-inch wheel with a 150/70 radial tyre on it.

Royal Enfield Shotgun 650 colours

The Shotgun 650 is available in 4 colours: Sheet Metal Grey, Drill Green, Plasma Blue, and Stencil White. The grey and green variants don’t do justice to the bike’s looks, for they look a bit dull. I rode the Plasma Blue and it is absolutely beautiful. The blue feels attention grabbing without being too bright like an orange or bright yellow paint scheme. It looks elegant. The Stencil White colourway looks just as good. I think white paint schemes on bikes look so good (case in point the Aprilia RS 457) and here the contrast between the white on the tank and the black on the lower body looks very nice! 

Royal Enfield Shotgun 650 build quality

The Super Meteor 650 was the most well finished Royal Enfield bike and the Shotgun 650 feels pretty much on par with the Super Meteor 650. The materials used feel high quality and the finish levels are excellent. Even on closer inspection, I couldn’t find any of those ugly welding spots that we often see even on much more premium bikes. What I like a lot are the adjustable clutch and brake levers that have been carried forward from the Super Meteor 650. They look premium and are very usable for riders with different hand sizes. 

Royal Enfield Shotgun 650 Safety Features

Apart from disc brakes at both ends and a dual-channel ABS system, the Royal Enfield Shotgun 650 has no safety features to talk about. And while I understand the engine is quite easy to ride, I would’ve liked at least a basic traction control system. On Pune’s horrible roads, it isn’t uncommon to come out of a turn and have a bit of sand, water or even oil lying on the road. And that’s when I really wanted some extra safety because if the rear tyre starts slipping out, especially on a 240kg bike, it can be quite unnerving. 

Royal Enfield Shotgun 650 Convenience Features

‘Convenience features’ on a bobber? Who are we kidding! The Shotgun 650 has one seat, an engine, a handlebar and two tyres and that’s enough. And staying true to the Shotgun’s old school charm, Royal Enfield has given it the analogue console from the Super Meteor with a little digital inset below. Tripper navigation obviously comes as standard. Honestly I quite like the console for it’s easy to read on the go too. My issue is with the switchgear. They’re the same rotary switches that we’ve seen on many Royal Enfield bikes and while they feel very premium, they’re just not very convenient to use.

The most annoying of the lot is the dipper light. Conventionally, it’s placed behind the left switchgear, so that you can operate it by just tapping on it. But having to turn the switches in a circular manner to give the dipper light is just unusable and every time I wanted to use it in an emergency situation, the situations had already passed by the time I could barely figure out where the switches were.

Royal Enfield Shotgun 650 Rider Comfort

The Shotgun 650 has typical bobber-like ergonomics. So your feet aren’t as forward-set as on the Super Meteor 650, but they aren’t right under you too, like say on a KTM 390 Duke. It’s somewhere in the middle. And while they’re fine, they still suffer from things all bobbers do.

Firstly, for a 6 footer like me, there’s not a whole lot of room. An hour or two of riding and I wanted to get down and stretch my legs. And then there’s the fact that because my legs were ahead of my torso, I couldn’t stand up a bit when I encountered bad roads. And that meant that my spine had to take the beating each time I went through potholes and speed breakers, which on our roads is a lot.

Royal Enfield Shotgun 650 Engine Details

The Shotgun 650’s engine is the same one from the likes of the Interceptor 650, Continental GT 650 and the Super Meteor 650. Mind you, this is the older engine, not the retuned one that we’ve seen in the Bear 650. That said, it’s still a lovely, charming engine. I’ve ridden all the bikes with this engine and yet every time I ride it, it never bores me, I’m always impressed. The best part is how flexible it is. Be it commuting in the city or cruising at high speeds on the highway, the engine is equally happy to do both

Royal Enfield Shotgun 650 City Performance

As I said, the engine is beautiful to use just about everywhere. It has a lot of torque from the word go and that makes overtaking delightfully easy. The moment I saw a gap, all I needed to do was breathe on the throttle and I had already made the overtake. If you can just get used to the Shotgun’s weight and overall size, it’s a lovely bike to use in the city, barring its ride quality of course. 

The best part is how easy to ride the engine feels even for non enthusiasts. My older friend, who’s not as much of a motorcycle enthusiast, also rode the Shotgun 650 and I was so happy seeing how easy it was for even him to ride the big bike. You could put the bike in one or even two gears higher and it’ll still pull away cleanly without any judders. 

Royal Enfield Shotgun 650 Highway Performance

80kmph? 100kmph? 120kmph? Just decide what speed you want to cruise at, slot the Shotgun 650 in the top gear and sit back and relax. The engine can cruise at speeds of more than 120kmph (if the speed limit allows it) all day long without feeling stressed at all. And accompanying that is the beautiful rumble of that twin cylinder engine. I rode the Shotgun on the highway for almost quite a while and it felt effortless. The only thing holding you back from long highway stints is the seat. Because there’s not a lot of room on the bike given it’s a bobber, long highway rides aren’t exactly very comfortable. 

Royal Enfield Shotgun 650 Mileage

I got around 24kmpl in the time that I spent with the Shotgun 650, which is a pretty respectable number given its weight and that it’s a big twin cylinder engine. But then as I said, the engine feels relaxed and very easy to ride. So  even if you’re a spirited rider, you could ride the bike hard and still get a mileage of over 20kmpl. 

Royal Enfield Shotgun 650 Underpinnings

The Shotgun 650 has an inverted fork at the front and twin shocks at the rear. The front suspension has just 120mm of travel, while the rear has an even lower 90mm. And while that sounds concerning, the Shotgun’s stiff suspension ensures that the bike doesn’t scrape its belly. I went over some really tall speed breakers, worried about scraping its belly, but coming out on the other side unscathed. And yes, while I am on the lighter side, even the heavier people in the office didn’t really manage to scrape its belly. 

Royal Enfield Shotgun 650 City Handling

The Shotgun 650 is a long, low and heavy bike so I didn’t expect it to handle very well but it proved me wrong. It changes directions surprisingly well and has quite a nimble but stable feel to it. The handlebar is fairly wide so just pushing a bit on them gets the bike to change directions and makes it very responsive. In fact, it was so good that in literally minutes of riding it, I found myself putting the Shotgun 650 through gaps I never thought I’d ever put a 240kg bike in.  

Royal Enfield Shotgun 650 Highway Handling

The Shotgun’s highway handling is very impressive too. I could change lanes at speeds of more than 60-70kmph with ease. And the highway is where I realised the benefits of the Shotgun’s massive wheelbase, for it makes the bike feel rock solid.  

Royal Enfield Shotgun 650 Braking

The Shotgun 650 is a behemoth and I was hoping it had the braking power to get its 240kg self stopped in time. And honestly I quite liked the brakes! The initial bite is nice and sharp so I didn’t need to squeeze them hard to get the bike stopped in most cases. 

Ride Comfort (2/5)
Royal Enfield Shotgun 650 Ride Quality

The Shotgun 650’s ride quality was slightly surprising because it actually wasn’t as bad as the Super Meteor 650. The Shotgun 650 does feel a bit more pliant and I was bounced around a bit less. That said, it’s still not a comfortable bike by any means and most speed breakers and potholes still made me squeal inside my helmet. It’s still a bobber so if comfort is your priority, you really should avoid the Shotgun. 

Should you buy the Royal Enfield Shotgun 650?

The answer here will be yes only and only if you specifically want a bobber or even just a good looking bike. The Shotgun 650 also makes sense when you already have a primary commuter and want something else just for the vibe. But if you are truly looking for a good looking 2nd or 3rd bike for your garage, the Shotgun 650 will attract attention to no end and makes for a fantastic bobber. 

Royal Enfield Shotgun 650 Variants

The Royal Enfield Shotgun 650 is on sale in 3 variants. The Sheet Metal Grey variant costs Rs 3,67,202, while the Drill Green and Plasma Blue cost Rs 3,78,140. Finally, the top variant Stencil White costs Rs 3,81,064 (all prices ex-showroom Chennai). The difference in the variants is purely the colours on offer and there’s no other mechanical change. 

Royal Enfield Shotgun 650 vs Jawa 42 Bobber 

The Jawa 42 Bobber and Shotgun 650 are two very good looking but uncomfortable bobbers and their similarities end there. There’s not only a big price gap but the Bobber’s engine also feels very different from the Shotgun’s. While the former loves being ridden hard, the latter is all about effortless riding. Most people might prefer the Shotgun’s relaxed nature.

Royal Enfield Shotgun 650 vs Royal Enfield Goan Classic 350

If you’re confused between the Shotgun 650 and the Goan Classic 350, a test ride should sort out the confusion. The Goan Classic 350 costs substantially less, is lighter and has a bit more practicality in the form of better ride quality. Most of you who just want a good looking bobber might prefer the Goan over the Shotgun.