Royal Enfield was quite right in calling the Interceptor 650 and the Continental GT 650 twins. They share a majority of components, including the frame, wheels, tyres, brakes and electricals. In fact, if you change the fuel tank, seat, handlebar and footpegs, you could effectively swap between the Interceptor and Continental, which is pretty neat. But for those of you who haven’t experienced it, a variation in ergonomics can make a world of a difference to the way a motorcycle rides and feels.
The original 535 was more of a true café racer in the way it stretched you out towards the lower-set bars. The 650 has taken a few steps to address that. For starters, the clip-ons are now higher and the tank is also a little bit shorter.
I think the Continental is a great-looking motorcycle, even more so than the Interceptor. There’s the same old-school look with the glazed headlamp and rectangular indicators, but the tank, ’bars and seat make quite a difference. Those big chrome exhausts make the rear very appealing, too.
What really enhances the look on our test bikes is the optional short seat with a hump at the back. The Continental GT will be sold as a dual-seat motorcycle as standard, but even the long seat has a mild bump built in, which is reasonably supportive under acceleration. If you want the practicality of the long seat but the styling of a café racer, you can have the optional rear cowl, which also looks quite good.
Twin heart
Royal Enfield has upturned the table with this engine and there are a number of features never seen before, headlined by a four-valve/cylinder configuration with a single overhead camshaft.
It is an engine that felt no worse for wear after I spent two days hammering it up and down the gears and coming tantalisingly close to that promised top speed mark a fair few times.
What’s more, the motor is equally happy being ridden at a calm and docile pace. You could cruise effortlessly at 100kph at a smooth 4,000-odd rpm or take it up to an almost equally calm and refined 120kph that comes at just under 5,000rpm.
Power delivery is thoroughly linear and the throttle response is smooth and friendly at all points. Royal Enfield also claims an efficiency of 25.5kpl from the motor in accordance with the World Motorcycle Test Cycle, which is reasonable.
Twin fun
The Continental GT, like the Interceptor, is a quick motorcycle, but it’s not a frenetic performer. A big part of that is down to the engine’s power delivery, but also playing a substantial role is just how heavy these bikes are. At 198kg for the Continental and 202kg for the Interceptor, both without fuel, they are about as heavy as a Triumph Street Twin and even the Tiger 800.
The only difference between the former two is that preload on the suspension has been bumped up a little compared to the Interceptor.
Predictably, the Continental GT feels quite different, and that’s because the seating position is a lot sportier. It’s not as uncomfortable as the old bike, but it’s still very much a sport-bike riding position. As with most bikes that have mounted clip-ons, you feel a bit more of the engine through the ’bars than with a rubber-mounted handlebar. The optional seat we were on also immediately comes across as quite firm, much more so than the Interceptor’s. What I don’t like is that my legs don’t come in contact with the sides of the fuel tank, but the bottom rim instead.
As a result of the riding position, you find yourself immediately pushing the bike harder in the corners and finding a set of winding roads becomes a very rewarding experience. The Continental still feels friendly and stable, but it is more hunkered down and it gets you into attack mode quite easily. This is great fun, but it also goads you into pushing the bike harder than you would tend to with the Interceptor. And when you do that, you eventually come to the point where the suspension puts its hands up and the bike starts to wallow. But I noticed that this tends to happen when you encounter some small bumps at really high-speed corners taken at between 100 and 120kph.
The Continental GT 650 is a fabulous-looking motorcycle and that will attract half the customers. It’s also great fun for a quick blast on a good road. But for everything else, the Interceptor shines brighter. It can be as quick as the Conti when you want it, but it’s also much more of a pleasure to ride slowly and over longer periods.
The Continental GT will go on sale in India alongside the Interceptor 650 by the end of the year. We expect these bikes to be priced at around the ₹3 lakh mark in India (or possibly even lower).
