Latest in 650 Twins

About 650 Twins

When Royal Enfield unveiled the Interceptor 650 and Continental GT 650 in the late 2010s, the industry did a double take. Here were two handsome, air-and-oil-cooled parallel twins, developed partly at the company's technical center in England, priced so low in markets like the United States that rivals looked wildly expensive by comparison. Reviewers loved the friendly torque, the easy handling and the sixties-flavored styling, and the pair quickly became the brand's calling card outside India.

The twin has since become the backbone of a whole family. The Super Meteor 650 stretched it into a proper cruiser, the Shotgun 650 gave it a bobber stance and custom-friendly bodywork, and later models brought the engine to scrambler, Classic and Bullet forms. Owners praise the character, the reliability and the value; critics mention the weight, the basic suspension on cheaper versions and performance that is pleasant rather than thrilling. The Meteor 350, a single-cylinder cruiser, gives riders a gentler, cheaper way into the same relaxed style.

The 650s compete with the Triumph Bonneville family, Kawasaki's retro twins, the Honda Rebel and Harley's smaller models, usually at a sharply lower price. They have made Royal Enfield a real presence in Europe, North America and Australia, and a favorite of custom builders who treat the twin as a blank canvas. Coverage follows new variants and colors, price changes, recalls, long-term reviews and rumors of bigger engines that could take the formula further up the market.