Royal Enfield Interceptor 650: New retro roadster decoded - from engine of mile muncher to its great lineage

After almost a year of speculations and a number of spy shots setting the stage right for a grand debut, Eicher Motors owned Royal Enfield has finally unveiled its newest and flagship motorcycle models, the Interceptor 650 and Continental GT 650 at the ongoing EICMA show in Milan.

As expected, the Continental GT 750 comes with a bigger engine in the body of already popular Continental GT with 535cc engine sold in India and abroad. In that sense, the Interceptor 650 is the all-new model from the house of Royal Enfield at the show. The Interceptor 650, in many ways, is a significant chapter in Royal Enfield's history after Eicher Motor's acquisition from its deathbed in the 1990s.

Why the name Interceptor?

The name Interceptor is not new and it has a historical connection. It is inspired by the name of the bike which Royal Enfield produced in the 1960s and 70s when it was a fully British entity. The previous Interceptor models were sold only in the US and Canada.

Royal Enfield has chosen this name is because the last time a parallel twin was fitted to a Royal Enfield was on the 1970 Interceptor. The new Interceptor gets an all-new parallel twin engine and hence, the name is just apt.

All new heart

The Interceptor is powered by a four-stroke, single overhead cam, air-cooled, 648cc parallel-twin cylinder engine developed by Royal Enfield's UK Technology Centre and Chennai teams. Royal Enfield claims the new mill has been precisely engineered to be able to accelerate and deliver higher power and torque at lower RPMs. The new engine has an output capability of 47bhp and 52Nm torque.

Classic design

Interceptor has a timeless classic design and it is clear that the designers have kept the looks of 2017 Interceptor as close as possible to its predecessor. It is a mile-munching highway cruiser and hence, the motorcycle has a relaxed and upright riding position. The rear set foot pegs, teardrop-shaped fuel tank, wide handlebar, sculpted single and long seat, twin shock absorbers, 18-inch spoke wheels as well as twin upswept exhausts, all celebrating the essence of original Interceptor.

Cycle parts

Dimension and weight

Launch date and price

Royal Enfield aims to launch the Interceptor 650 by April 2018. Europe will be the initial markets while India launch is expected in the second half of next year. Though there are no official words, we expect the Interceptor 650 will be priced around Rs 3 to Rs 3.5 lakh in India.