India has a long and storied history with motorcycles, it can be pre-dated to the world war era and since then the numbers have only increased, to the point where the country is home to the most number of two-wheelers in the world. When you hear the word bikes in India, the first image that may pop into your head is that of the infamous bullet, made by Royal Enfield.
The company has been around for a long time, producing, perhaps what is the most iconic bike in the country. The last few decades are a completely different story, however, as this marked the growth of a generation hooked onto TV screens and looking at superbikes from around the world. This meant that the younger generation seemed far more inclined to get bikes from foreign manufacturers such as KTM, Honda and Suzuki.
The company have decided to reinvigorate their efforts in the country, with the introduction of two powerful new motorcycles, the Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 and the GT650. These come at the heels of a decade low in sales for the company. The bikes will be the most powerful and the most advanced they have ever built. The interceptor is more of the street racer bike, whereas the GT is a cafe racer and is not for the everyday commuter. Both the bikes may be drastically different when it comes to the design and ergonomics, but both the bikes pack the same behemoth of an engine.
The engine, which is a 647 cc, four-stroke parallel twin engine is the most advanced ever built by Royal Enfield. This means they also produce an insane 47 brake horsepower all the while producing 52 nm of torque. The result is a bike that can cross speeds of 160kmph, which is plenty for Indian roads and highways. The technological features do not stop there, the bike features air and oil cooling, a six-speed gearbox, slipper clutch, twin disk brakes and dual-channel ABS comes as standard. There is also the inclusion of telescopic front forks and gas charged rear shock absorbers.
Another superb feature which will make this bike a compelling option is the pricing, which is set to be around the 3-4 Lakh margin. Such steps taken from Royal Enfield India shows real initiative and there will be more improvements in the future. The bikes each have different target demographics, with the interceptor appealing to the more masculine street biker crowd and the GT appealing to those who like to race and take their bikes on long cruises.
For those of you still clung to the nostalgia factor, these motorcycles are well worth the wait, and for those looking for something really different and very powerful, the bikes are something worth your consideration. The bikes are set to launch in September globally, but the bikes will hit India during the holiday season. You can start inquiring about test drives and availability so that you could be first in line to take them out for a spin.
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