Royal Enfield Classic 650 retains the unmistakable silhouette of the Classic line of motorcycles while adding parallel-twin power
We have already ridden the Royal Enfield Classic 650, here’s our review. The prices have not been announced, but we expect it to be quite close to that of the Shotgun 650.
The Royal Enfield Classic series of motorcycles could be single-handedly credited for the marque’s resurgence, having broken cover back in November 2009 in 350- and 500-cc form. Through the years and updates, the Classic managed to retain its identity, and the Classic 350 has been the best-selling Royal Enfield in the Indian market for a long time. Since the demise of the Classic 500 in March 2020, however, there has been a gap in the Classic line-up for a more potent model, something the bikemaker is remedying with the Royal Enfield Classic 650, which borrows the chassis and engine from the Shotgun 650 while retaining the unmistakable silhouette of the Classic series of motorcycles from Chennai.
The Royal Enfield Classic 650 has the 652-cc, air/oil-cooled, parallel-twin found in the other 650-cc models of Royal Enfield, and the power and torque outputs match that of the Shotgun, the Classic 650 pumping out 47 hp @ 7250 rpm and 52.3 Nm @ 5650 rpm. The kerb weight is also in the ballpark of the Shotgun, with the Classic 650 tipping the scales at 243 kg. While that’s almost 50 kg heavier than the Classic 350, it also packs more than double the horsepower. The chassis has the engine acting as a stressed member, like the Shotgun 650 and the Super Meteor 650. Royal Enfield understand the importance of wheel size, which is evident in the fact that not a single 650 bike shares the wheel sizes with another except the INT and the CGT; the Classic 650 gets a 19-inch front/18-inch rear setup, just like the Classic 350.
The Classic 650 also has the exact same console as the 350, and that’s mostly the theme of the bike. Despite being based on a completely different platform, the Classic 650 looks nearly identical to the 350, which is a quite remarkable feat of engineering.
