Royal Enfield is likely to focus more on its 650 cc platform this year
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Royal Enfield is likely to focus more on its 650 cc platform this year
After the launch of the Himalayan 450 late last year and the Shotgun 650 shortly after that in early-2024, it has been quite a lull period that we haven’t heard of a new Royal Enfield launch. With the ever-so large planned product portfolio, it seems that we should’ve been prepping up for a launch pretty soon. So, here are the 4 bikes that we think the iconic retro bike maker would be rolling out in the next eight months.
This has to be the biggest launch from the brand for 2024 as it will represent a new chapter in the Classic’s legacy. After the discontinuation of the Classic 500 and the introduction of the Interceptor 650, the brand’s fans did finally get the proper large Royal Enfield that many were seeking. However, the Interceptor just isn’t going to bring that charm that a Classic would.
Hence, after nearly six years of the 650 cc engine platform coming into existence, Royal Enfield would find it stable and potent enough to build a Classic 650. And the bike has been spotted on test umpteen times. However, much like the Himalayan 450 launch was delayed until Moto Verse 2023, we think the same is likely to happen for the Classic 650 as that would be the big ticket draw at Moto Verse 2024.
An offshoot of the Interceptor, the Interceptor Bear 650 is likely to be the name given to the 650 cc urban scrambler motorcycle that Royal Enfield is building. It is going to build on the foundations of the Interceptor and tweak it suitably. Hence, a USD fork, twin shocks, dual-purpose tyres, a two-into-one lighter exhaust and different round side panels are expected to be thrown on to the Bear. We hope that the revised suspension does help matters and it could also make its way on to the Interceptor as the current tune is quite imbalanced, especially the front. We think the Bear could make it to the market by August, just as the monsoons are getting over, making it a great time to go light scrambling.
This is likely to be the final piece in the J-series platform as a bobber is expected to arrive using the Classic 350 as its base. Whether Royal Enfield decides to keep the bobbers under the Shotgun umbrella and call it a Shotgun 350 or pay homage to its second home after the Himalayas, i.e. Goa, and give it the Goan Classic 350 moniker remains to be seen. What we do know about the 350 cc bobber is that it will get mini ape hangers, Shotgun 650-esque removable rear seat, and shorter fenders to give it that bobber feel. A test mule was spotted with whitewall tyres also, suggesting that that could be offered on the top trim. Hopefully, this happens to be one of the next launches from the brand in the next couple of months.
Not only was the Sherpa 450 going to be put into the Himalayan but according to Royal Enfield’s plans, the engine platform had a naked motorcycle in the works as well. Likely to be called the Hunter 450, the naked would be a more approachable and street-friendly bike that would use a simpler hardware setup when compared to the Himalayan. It has been in the works for a while and the test mules for the same look nearly production-ready. This bike would be a neat contender to take the fight to new-age rivals like the Triumph Speed 400, Harley-Davidson X440 and the Hero Mavrick 440. Expect this bike also to arrive shortly.
While these four are the new bikes that we think are likely to arrive, Royal Enfield would also be updating its existing models with small tweaks and new colourways, especially the Classic 350, which hasn’t seen any form of refreshing since its launch in 2021.
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