Royal Enfield Interceptor, Continental GT 650: Company MD hints at India launch date

• Interceptor 650 and Continental GT 650 are the new flagship bikes of Royal Enfield
• The bikes are expected to be priced between Rs 3 lakh and Rs 3.5 lakh
• Both bikes are powered by a 648cc parallel-twin cylinder engine that develops 47 bhp

Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 and Continental GT 650 are two of the most anticipated bikes in the Indian market this year. The Chennai-based niche bike maker unveiled the new flagship bikes at the 2017 EICMA show in Milan, while the India debut happened at Rider Mania 2017.

Despite the excitement surrounding the unveiling, there was no clarity on when the new bikes will hit the market. The MD and CEO of Eicher Motors (parent company of Royal Enfield) Siddhartha Lal cleared the air by revealing the time frame for the Interceptor 650 and Continental GT 650 launch.

"They will come out soon in the next few months. We are also waiting for them to come out we (sic) are sorting out ramping up issues. It's only a matter of few months. The Interceptor 650 is a new product but the Continental GT 650 will replace the current Continental GT that we sell in India," MoneyControl quoted Lal as saying.

The Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 and the Continental GT 650 are the company's debut in higher displacement biking segment. Both bikes are powered by an all-new four-stroke, single overhead cam, and an air-cooled 648cc parallel-twin cylinder engine.

The engine is developed jointly by Royal Enfield's UK Technology Centre and Chennai teams. The mill develops 47 bhp of power and 52 Nm of torque mated with a five-speed transmission. It is said to be the first twin cylinder motor and the most advanced engine by Royal Enfield in the last 25 years.

Though both bikes feature the same engine and cycle parts, the design of each bike targets two sets of audience.

The Interceptor 650 has a classic British design. It is clear that the designers have retained the look of the 2017 Interceptor when compared to its predecessor sold in the 1970s. 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 - these are the features that celebrate the essence of the original Interceptor.

The Continental GT 650 carries the cafe racer character forward while improving the biking experience with new engineering and design. The Continental GT 650 sports disc brakes in the front and ABS at the rear. The upswept exhaust and rear-set footrests give the motorcycle the true cafe racer traits. A single seat, the sculpted tank, and clip-on bars complete the look.

Though Royal Enfield has remained tight-lipped about the pricing so far, the Interceptor 650 and the Continental GT 650 are expected to be priced between Rs 3 lakh to Rs 3.5 lakh. If that's the case, the twin models will be the most expensive of the Royal Enfield bikes so far.