Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 review
The prices of all variants of the Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 BS6 have been increased for the first time. The motorcycle is now dearer by around Rs 1,800. There are no cosmetic or mechanical changes to the bike apart from the additional catalytic converters and updated ECU maps required to meet the stricter emission norms.
Design
The Continental GT, in proper Cafe Racer fashion, gets clip-on handlebars that are slightly taller than before, single seat with a race cowl, and blacked-out spoke wheels. The fuel tank on the Continental GT 650 is smaller (12.5litre) than its predecessor, the Continental GT 535, which had a 13.7litre tank. Going by the retro theme, the bike gets a twin-pod analogue speedometer which houses a small digital display with readouts such as the odometer and two trip meters. Simplicity carries over to the headlight, tail light and turn indicators as well where it uses conventional bulbs instead of LEDs. The bike is offered in an assortment of five colours: metallic black, metallic blue, chrome, black and grey and metallic white.
Performance
The Continental GT 650 draws power from a 648cc, air and oil-cooled, parallel-twin motor that makes peak power of 47.6PS at 7100rpm and 52Nm of torque at 5200rpm. A 6-speed transmission assisted by a slip-and-assist clutch transfers power to the rear wheel via chain drive. The chassis is an all-new dual-cradle frame that has been developed by Harris Performance. Suspension duties are handled by 41mm telescopic forks at the front and twin gas-charged shock absorbers at the rear with preload adjustability. The bike is anchored by a single 320mm disc mated to a ByBre four-piston calliper up front and a single 240mm disc brake at the rear. Dual-channel ABS comes right off the shelf.
