Royal Enfield Interceptor 650, Continental GT 650 India launch delayed?

• Interceptor 650 and Continental GT 650 are the new flagship bikes of Royal Enfield
• Powered by 648cc parallel-twin cylinder engine that develops 47bhp
• New Royal Enfield twins are expected to be priced around Rs 3 lakh to Rs 3.5 lakh

Chennai-based Indian niche motorcycle maker Royal Enfield had revealed its new flagship bikes - Interceptor 650 and Continental GT 650 - at the 2017 EICMA show in Milan. The new Twin models were slated to enter the European market in April followed by India.

However, Royal Enfield is yet to launch Interceptor 650 and Continental GT 650 in Europe and hence, the India launch is not expected soon as rumored before. A report in Autocar claims Royal Enfield may launch the new flagship bikes in the third quarter of 2018. In that case, the launch can be expected only by October. Royal Enfield has officially not divulged any details of the launch yet.

Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 and Continental GT 650 are expected to be priced around Rs 3 lakh to Rs 3.5 lakh. Both the motorcycles were recently spotted at Royal Enfield's European and Australian websites with new color options. This indicates that Royal Enfield may introduce new color options when it launches the Twin models. If not, the new liveries for Interceptor 650 and Continental GT 650 might be hinting at the many customization options that the company is planning to offer.

Interceptor 650 adorns classic British motorcycle design highlighted with the round headlamps, teardrop-shaped fuel tank, wide handlebar, sculpted single and long seat, twin shock absorbers, 18-inch spoke wheels and twin upswept exhausts. Interceptor 650 is also a tribute to the original Interceptor that was on sale in the 1970s.

Continental GT 650, on the other hand, is a cafe racer, which is quite a popular bike segment in global markets. It looks identical to the 535cc engine equipped Continental GT which Royal Enfield has now stopped to make way for the new version.

Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 and Continental GT 650 are powered by an all-new four-stroke, single overhead cam, air-cooled 648cc parallel-twin cylinder engine that develops 47bhp of power and 52Nm of torque mated to a five-speed transmission. The mill is said to be the most advanced engine of Royal Enfield and first twin cylinder motor after about 25 years in the company's history.

Source: Autocar