Royal Enfield at EICMA 2017: It's a 650cc motorcycle, not 750cc

Royal Enfield unveiled its new 650cc engine on Monday, November 6, just a day ahead of the possible unveiling of its new motorcycle at the EICMA Motor Show in Milan. The arrival of the air-cooled parallel-twin engine indicates that the new models could get the engine.

The new motorcycle, probably a Café Racer, has for long been rumoured to be a 750 cc parallel-twin engine powered model. But the latest whispers on auto corridors suggest that it could be the new four-stroke, single overhead cam, air-cooled, 648cc parallel-twin cylinder engine that will power the new model. If so, the new bike of Royal Enfield will develop a power of 47bhp and 52Nm torque.

Other details of the new Royal Enfield motorcycle are scanty at this point in time. However, the wait could get over soon given that the model is expected to break the cover on November 7. Last week, CEO Siddhartha Lal had shared a video of the upcoming models, revealing the exhaust sound. Not just that, the video, which showed two motorcycles, had indicated the arrival of two variants.

The model was teased again on November 6, showing the disc brakes and dual exhaust.

The spy images so far validate the thinking. One could be café racer model and the second one a modern classic, both with the new engine under the hood. Reports add that the RE new café racer may be named 'Interceptor' and is expected to have same Continental GT cloth. Interceptor is inspired from the name of the bike which Royal Enfield produced in the 1960s and 70s when it was a fully British entity. Little else is known about the other model.

The launch of the new RE motorcycles is not expected anytime soon as the latest we hear is that it could make it to the production only in 2018.

Image: ACI