Royal Enfield 650 Twins Get Minor Updates

The updates enhance safety and visibility

• The headlight now gets a clear lens.
• Reflectors have been added to the front fork legs.
• Prices have remained unchanged despite the additions.

“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” goes the old saying. Well, the 650cc twins have so far been a remarkable success story for Royal Enfield. So when we got the news that the models were set to receive some updates, we were a little confused. To our relief, the updates to the Interceptor 650 and Continental GT 650 are very minor, and shouldn’t have any major effect on the motorcycles.

A clear lens headlight has been added to both models in place of the fresnel lens seen earlier. This should help increase the brightness slightly, improving forward visibility at night. While the headlight will allow riders to see their surroundings more clearly, the other update allows observers to see the motorcycle more clearly. Reflectors have been added to the front fork legs in order to increase visibility of the bikes at night, especially from the side. 

Dealers have begun receiving bikes with these new updates and have confirmed the changes to us. We have reached out to Royal Enfield for an official statement, but are still waiting to hear back from the manufacturer.

The international-spec variants have been fitted with these reflectors since the bikes were introduced in order to comply with European and UK legislation. Despite the additions, the prices of both models have remained unchanged, with the Interceptor 650 priced at Rs 2.51 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi) while the Continental GT 650 sells for Rs 2.66 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi).

Seen above is the old headlight lens. Both bikes are powered by a 648cc air-oil cooled SOHC parallel-twin motor churning out 47PS and 52Nm. The Continental GT is styled like a cafe racer with lower clip-on handlebars while the Interceptor has a more upright riding position that is suited for touring.  

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