Royal Enfield Classic 650 First Ride Review: The Desirable 650!

PHOTOGRAPHY: ARVIND SALHAN

The new Royal Enfield Classic 650 intends to replicate the success of Royal Enfield’s bestselling model, the Classic 350. After all, it is the Classic 350 which catapaulted Royal Enfield into the big league of successful motorcycle brands. Bigger, more powerful and more desirable, the Classic 650 will aspire to be as popular globally as the smaller 350 is. Five years after the Classic 500 was discontinued, does Royal Enfield have a winner with the new Classic 650? Read on, to find out.

Also Read: Royal Enfield Classic 650 Launched At Rs. 3.37 Lakh

Watch the RE Classic 650 Video Review:

Also Read: Royal Enfield Classic 650 Prices, Variants &  Specifications

Royal Enfield Classic 650: Prologue

The year was 2010, and I was just shy of turning thirty-five. It had only been a few months since the first Royal Enfield Classic 500 was launched. Having spent the better part of my late teens and 20s cutting my teeth on two-strokes – singles and twins, I decided it was time to take a chill pill as far as my motorcycling journey was concerned. A low-revving, torquey, four-stroke thumper seemed to make sense, and the Classic 500 served me well, over many highways, discovering new mountain hamlets and what not. 

Call it an early mid-life crisis, or the desire to explore new ground, over the past decade, I moved on to motorcycles with more sense of purpose. A few years later, a big, burly adventure tourer is what I chose to call my own, and eventually, in 2021, the Classic 500 was let go to a new owner. Different adventure motorcycles, performance nakeds, sport bikes, dual-sports, and every other type of motorcycle that my profession allows me to experience, and ride, kept me busy. From one test ride to another, work has been a blur, with hardly any time for a chill ride. 

So, when the media invite to experience the new Royal Enfield Classic 650 popped up in my inbox, there was no sense of excitement – of getting to know a new motorcycle. After all, the Classic 650 is based on the familiar 650 Twin platform which already has five other Royal Enfield 650 cc motorcycles. How different could it be from the Super Meteor 650 or the Shotgun 650? With those thoughts running through my mind, I packed my riding gear to travel south, a near three-hour flight to Coimbatore and then over two hours by road to the quaint hill station of Coonoor.

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Royal Enfield Classic 650: Design & Features

At first glance, there’s no mistaking the stance and silhouette of the new Classic 650. The single round headlamp with the “tiger eye” pilot lamps on the familiar headlight nacelle, and gleaming chrome on metal fenders and the engine cases leaves no doubt about its lineage. The design is iconic, and “classic,” inspired by the original Royal Enfield Bullets from the late 1940s, particularly the brand’s first twin-cylinder model, the 1948 Royal Enfield 500 Twin. The Classic 650’s instrument console will remind you of the current Classic 350, with the same analogue speedometer, with a small multi-information digital display, and the Tripper navigation pod, a standard feature across variants of the new Classic 650. 

The details add up to make an otherwise gorgeous motorcycle even more impressive. The aluminium switchgear covers, also finished in chrome, the handlebar clamp proudly bearing the Royal Enfield motif and the fuel tank lid, all underscore good fit and finish and quality levels. From the gleaming twin pea shooter exhausts, engine cases to the fenders and the fuel tank of the top variant, everything is shiny chrome with almost mirror-like finish on the new Classic 650. 

It is a good-looking motorcycle, with a design that I believe will grow on anyone, probably even those leaning more towards sportier or more purpose-built machines. And if it’s the British modern classic look one is looking for, the new Classic 650 certainly aces it, and how!

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Royal Enfield Classic 650: Price, Variants & Market Positioning

On this first ride in India, we are astride the top-spec Chrome variant, priced at Rs. 3.50 lakh (Ex-showroom), although there’s the signature Teal colour variant as well, priced at Rs. 3.41 lakh (Ex-showroom). At the base sit two more colour options, the Bruntingthorpe Blue and Vallam Red, both priced at Rs. 3.37 lakh (Ex-showroom). The names of the base variants pay homage to the brand’s UK Tech Centre, located next to the Bruntingthorpe Proving Ground, and its largest manufacturing facility, located at Vallam Vadagal, near Chennai, respectively. My personal favourite though is the Chrome, interspersed with gloss black and gleaming chrome, as the name suggests.

With the Classic 500 being discontinued in 2020, there were shoes to fill, newer markets to conquer, with the Classic 350 already soldering on as the brand’s highest-selling model for over a decade. Now, finally, the Classic 650, with the bigger, more refined, more performance-oriented, 648 cc parallel-twin joins the ranks of yet another Royal Enfield 650. But will it be able to create the magic of the Classic 350, particularly in overseas markets? Or will it be one of too many Royal Enfield 650s in the mix? 

Those were questions on my mind, when I thumbed the starter and fired up the 650 twin to hit the winding roads from Coonoor towards Ooty, before taking a diversion and back to base. It was about an hour and a half in the saddle, over some tight and twisty hill roads, over some spectacular scenery, the Nilgiris covered with tea plantations, and when not, with a dense cover of forest, with the occasional village poking out of the hillsides. 

Also Read: Royal Enfield Classic 650 Vs Super Meteor 650 Differences Explained

Royal Enfield Classic 650: Engine & Performance 

Performance from Royal Enfield’s 650 twin engine is familiar, not too urgent, and not too sedate either. With 46.4 bhp and 52.3 Nm, the power delivery is smooth, and the fuelling is linear when you open the throttle. It’s quite satisfying, so long as you enjoy the strong wave of torque, rather than chase acceleration figures like a sportbike. On the Classic 650, the 648 cc, parallel-twin engine feels more relaxed, with a satisfying pull from the engine at mid revs. The parallel-twin is vibe-free so long as you play on the torque, and some vibes show up only when you want to shift up at higher revs – something best enjoyed with sporter and more performance-oriented machines. The six-speed gearbox is slick and precise, although the clutch action could have been lighter. 

More importantly, it is the thickness of the clutch and brake levers which aren’t to my liking. Braking is handled by a 320 mm disc up front and a 300 mm disc at the rear, with twin-piston ByBre calipers which wear the Royal Enfield badge. The front brake lever requires some extra squeeze and even though there’s no dearth of stopping power, I suspect it’s the thickness of the lever which makes pulling in the clutch and brake levers more of an effort.  In fact, rear brake calibration feels more sensitive, and with both brakes engaged, there’s plenty of stopping power. But with just the front brake, you’re left wanting for more.

Royal Enfield Classic 650: Ride & Handling

The main frame is the same as the one on the Super Meteor 650 and the Shotgun 650. But unlike the other two, front suspension is a 43 mm Showa telescopic fork, more an aesthetic need to continue with the iconic steel brace design over the fork tubes than anything else. Rear shocks are the same ones as the Shotgun 650, and over the roads in and around Coonoor and Ooty, there was no reason for us to complain about stiffness in ride quality. In fact, it is the Classic 650 which feels more comfortable than both the Shotgun 650 and the Super Meteor 650 as far as overall ride quality and comfort are concerned. However, the suspension is still firm and how it fares over pothole-infested roads is something we will have to wait till we get our hands on the Classic 650 back home.

The limited 154 mm ground clearance may be of concern to many, but it manages to tackle the few speed breakers we encountered without scraping the underbelly. However, the restricted clearance means you will scrape pegs long before you even get to explore the limits of the bike’s dynamics. Faster cornering speeds than what we subjected the Classic 650 to will almost certainly result in shaving off the peg feeler bolts. The 243 kg kerb weight means it’s not the sharpest modern classic out there but hit a twisty road and you will not be deprived of fun and enjoyment!

Royal Enfield Classic 650: Ergonomics & Dimensions

The ergonomics and riding position are comfortable and very “Classic” with an upright stance and the wide handlebar falling within reach easily. It feels like a bigger motorcycle, and overall the fuel tank and handlebar feel wider than its smaller 350 cc sibling. The footpeg position is in the middle (unlike the forward set pegs of the Super Meteor 650), and the overall rider triangle feels natural, with a seat height of 800 mm. 

However, it is a burly, heavy motorcycle, the Classic 650, and being 2 kg heavier than the Super Meteor 650, it now is the heaviest model from Royal Enfield. On the move, the weight isn’t felt as much. It’s balanced and turns in easily, and won’t post much of a challenge to ride, even over tight and twisty roads like that of our test route. But with its long and heavy dimensions, you will feel its bulk and weight, particularly when pushing out of parking spaces.

Royal Enfield Classic 650: Verdict

The Royal Enfield Classic 650 has made a strong impression – perhaps more than what I had expected it to be. In fact, with six 650s in the stable, it is the Classic 650 which perhaps has the qualities to make more folks come into the RE 650 Twin family. Is it the perfect motorcycle? Maybe not. In 2025, it misses tubeless wheels, something Royal Enfield says is exploring options for and will be introduced eventually. But a timeline has not been given yet, so for now, it will continue to be offered with tube-type wheels. 

Nevertheless, the Royal Enfield Classic 650 will make you want to take one more look, and look forward to one more ride, long after you pull in and park the bike. In a way, the Classic 650 is a reminder that taking a chill pill sometimes can be a lot of fun, and quite enjoyable at the same time. After all, riding a motorcycle isn’t always about adrenaline-pumping excitement, and sometimes, just sometimes, enjoying the scenery at a chill pace accompanied by the symphony from a pair of exhausts is all that’s needed.

After all, motorcycling sometimes does feel almost like a mirror of what life is like. And this is when slowing down gives you a different perspective. A perspective of how satisfaction comes more from experiences rather than from materialistic achievements. To that end, the Royal Enfield Classic 650 will offer an experience and companionship that will be quite satisfactory. Whether you want to make an addition of a mid-size modern classic roadster to your garage, or you’re someone who wants a laid-back ride for occasional pleasures, or even as an upgrade, the Classic 650 is easy to recommend. 

Also Read: Royal Enfield Classic 650 Review - In Pictures

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