More stories

  • in

    Royal Enfield 650cc Cruiser, Meteor 650 – Spied In Production Guise

    Royal Enfield is working hard to put its upcoming 650 cruiser line-up through final rounds of testingUpcoming Royal Enfield 650cc cruiser and Meteor 650Upcoming Royal Enfield 650cc test mules have run the gauntlet of testing in every condition for quite a number of years. Royal Enfield will be launching these not only in the domestic market but also overseas and obviously wants them to succeed from the word go.If grapevine is to be believed, the long-awaited Royal Enfield 650 cruiser line-up is all set to make its debut in mid-July this year. As that time approaches, the bikes were caught testing totally undisguised in near production-ready format by Madras Tribe channel.Royal Enfield 650cc Cruiser, Super MeteorThough it is not yet clear how many new 650cc motorcycles are planned for launch, it is safe to predict that there would be at least two models. As can be seen in the spy video below, one motorcycle has a cruiser stance, while the other is more like Meteor.Upcoming RE cruiser 650 is expected to be longer and lower with the rider sitting in a relaxed feet forward position, while Super Meteor 650 will have a conventional stance with the rider sitting in a more upright position.[embedded content][embedded content]Cruiser 650 will come equipped with LED headlight, upside down forks, alloy wheels shod with tubeless tyres and forward-set footpegs placed near the front of the engine covers and right next to exhaust downpipe in typical cruiser fashion. Both bikes will have single disc brakes at both ends with dual-channel ABS. Instrument cluster will be a semi-digital twin-podded affair with a tripper navigation system also on offer.Super Meteor 650 will likely have a halogen headlight, wire-spoke wheels, a conventional telescopic front fork and mid-set footpegs. What would remain common is layout and design of the frame, shape of the fuel-tank, side panels, exhaust system though on the Cruiser 650 it will be finished in chrome while on the Super Meteor 650, it will be finished in matt black.Common engine, gearboxRoyal Enfield will be using the same engine and gearbox from the Interceptor and 650 twins. State of tuning might be altered on the bikes but the 648cc parallel twin engine will have the same output of 47 hp and 52 Nm of torque, like on the 650 twins, mated to a 6-speed transmission with revised gear ratios for more relaxed cruising and higher speeds on highways. Instead of brushed aluminium finish, on the upcoming bikes the engine will be finished in black.The Cruiser 650 could get a 130-section rear tyre mounted on a smaller wheel than the front in typical cruiser configuration, while the Super Meteor 650 will also have different-sized wheels and tyres. Speculation is rife of there being a third model in the cruiser line-up which is being called Classic 650 but at the moment Royal Enfield is holding cards close to their chest and all information will only be disclosed near the launch date. More

  • in

    Royal Enfield 650 Modified Into 865cc Cafe Racer For Rs 4.5 Lakh

    The entire mod job, inclusive of the big bore, has cost around Rs 4.50 lakh, making it more expensive than the stock Royal Enfield 650Royal Enfield Ice Queen 865cc by Ricochet MotorcyclesRelationship between Royal Enfield motorcycles and the aftermarket industry goes decades back. Needless to say, the Chennai-based bikemaker is the most loved brand in the aftermarket industry. Over the years, we have come to witness some very unique and aesthetically pleasing mod jobs.Some works are focussed on enhancing the looks while some are centred around their performance. The latest example caters to the latter. In a video posted on YouTube channel BikeWithGirl, the vlogger presents a custom-made bike that has been built on Royal Enfield 650 Twin.Royal Enfield 650 Modified Into 865ccThis modification has been done by Debashish and his team of Pune-based workshop Ricochet Motorcycles. Design of the custom-built bike has been updated for the better as it commands a more prominent road presence. It gets a custom-stitched single-piece saddle with a ribbed pattern and a cowl at rear. Also, it gets custom-built side body panels with the branding of Ricochet Motorcycles.Weight of the bike has been significantly reduced with the help of custom materials used for the clip-on handlebar, carbon fibre mudguard at front, and key lock structure. Further, the front fender has been chopped short while the rear unit has been removed to restrict additional weight. Red highlights on fuel tank and brake callipers against the black background create a nice contrasting appeal.Royal Enfield Ice Queen 865cc by Ricochet MotorcyclesPowertrain UpdatesHowever, the big deal is underneath the metal as mentioned earlier since plenty of mechanical tweaks have been made to the motorcycle. For starters, the engine has been bored out for a greater displacement. This has been achieved by using an extended sleeve for the piston to move, thus, increasing the volume of the cylinders.Along with bored-out cylinders, alterations have been made to the gearing as well with a larger sprocket with extra teeth used. It also receives an upgraded drag chain to sustain high power driving. The change in sprocket and drivetrain has resulted in a 25% increase in initial acceleration.Updated DynamicsExact performance figures from the bored-out engine haven’t been revealed, but the bike will be taken to a dyno test centre where it will be evaluated. To complement the additional performance, braking has been made stronger with twin discs at front powered by a 4-piston twin calliper. The rear disc brake setup remains stock.[embedded content][embedded content]The bike now rides on lighter aluminium rims shod with performance tyres. Another major component where weight has been reduced is a custom handmade twin exhaust pipe and mufflers. Moreover, riding characteristics have also been tweaked thanks to the stock suspension setup replaced by an aftermarket unit sourced from Benelli. Further, springs have been designed in-house to match the suspension. More

  • in

    Royal Enfield Meteor 350 New Colour Launch – Green, Blue, Red

    New matte green shade will interest folks who prefer the classy look over the usual glossy paint schemesRoyal Enfield Meteor 350 New Colour – Matt GreenExpanding the colour choices available for Meteor 350, Royal Enfield has introduced a new matte green. Meteor 350 is already offered in a multitude of colour options. It has red, blue, yellow, brown and black. In addition to the green shade, a new blue colour option has also been launched with Fireball, while Supernova Meteor gets a new Red shade.Royal Enfield Meteor 350 New ColourColour options for Meteor 350 are based on the variant. The base Fireball variant offers colour choices of red and yellow. Both of these are in glossy finish. Green is a primary colour and its matte finish will enable it to target an entirely new group of users.Meteor 350 new matte green colour option utilizes a blacked-out theme, similar to Fireball red and yellow. The green paint can be seen on the fuel tank. Most other components have been blacked out such as handlebar, engine, side panels, rear view mirrors, alloy wheels and exhaust. Wheel edges have matte green strips, but it’s not so conspicuous due to its light shade. These are more pronounced on Fireball Red and Yellow colour variants.Other colour options for Meteor 350 include Stellar Red, Blue and Black. Top-spec variants are Supernova Blue and Supernova Brown. New Supernova Red has also been launched today.Royal Enfield Meteor 350 New Colour – BlueImprove upon rival offeringsColour options may not be the sole criteria for choosing a specific bike, but it does play an important role in customer purchase decisions. Royal Enfield is already ahead in terms of colour choices available for most of its bikes. Adding more colour options is a good way to ensure competencies are further improved.If we compare to Meteor 350 rivals, Honda H’ness CB350 has a total of 8 colour options. CB350 DLX variant has Precious Red Metallic, Matte Marshal Green Metallic and Pearl Night Star Black. DLX Pro has dual tone shades of Matte Steel Black Metallic with Matte Massive Grey Metallic, Athletic Blue Metallic with Virtuous White and Pearl Night Star Black with Spear Silver Metallic. There are two anniversary editions as well, Matte Marshal Green Metallic and Pearl Igneous Black.Yezdi Roadster has colour options of Smoke Grey, Sin Silver, Hunter Green, Gallant Grey and Steel Blue. Jawa 42 has the least colour choices in the group with red, white and black.New Royal Enfield Meteor 350 Supernova RedPricing for Meteor’s new green and blue colour is same as that of Fireball Red and Fireball Yellow. The Meteor 350 Fireball is available at Rs. 205,844/-, Stellar models at Rs. 211,924/- and Supernova at Rs. 222,061/- (ex-sh Chennai). B. Govindarajan, Executive Director, Royal Enfield, said “Over the last two years, the Meteor 350 has set new benchmarks in the entry-level cruiser segment in India, and has been making rapid in-roads into the global markets as well, while picking up awards and accolades along the way. The addition of new exciting colourways on the Meteor 350 make it a more compelling choice for our customers across the world.” More

  • in

    350cc Motorcycle Sales Mar 2022 – Classic, Bullet, Meteor, Electra, CB350

    All except Royal Enfield Classic 350 have negative YoY growth in March 2022; MoM numbers stay buoyantNew Royal Enfield Meteor 350 GreenIn March 2022, the 350cc motorcycle segment registered sales of 55,432 units. YoY growth is negative at -9.42%, as compared to 61,199 units sold in the corresponding period last year. MoM numbers are positive at 11.34%, as compared to 49,788 units sold in February 2022. Only Meteor 350 has negative MoM growth.350cc Motorcycle Sales Mar 2022 – Classic 350 leadsClassic 350 continues to be the bestselling 350cc motorcycle in the country. New-gen version of the bike was launched last year in September at a starting price of Rs 1.84 lakh (ex-showroom). Sales are 32,694 units in March 2022. YoY growth is 3.16%, as compared to 31,694 units sold in the corresponding period last year. Classic 350 market share is at 58.98% in March. MoM growth is positive at 8.68%, as compared to 30,082 units sold in February 2022.At number two in the list is Bullet 350 with sales of 8,283 units in March. YoY growth is negative at -14.55%, as compared to 9,693 units in March last year. Market share is at 14.94%. Bullet MoM growth is positive at 28.78%, as compared to 6,432 units sold in February 2022. Royal Enfield is currently testing next-gen Bullet that will have the new J platform and new 350cc engine. It is expected to be launched later this year or early 2023.Meteor 350 has dropped to third spot, registering the biggest percentage reduction in sales. A total of 6,589 units were sold in the month of March. YoY growth is down by -37.82%, as compared to 10,596 units sold in March last year. Market share is at 11.89%. Meteor MoM growth is also negative at -2.37%, as compared to 6,749 units sold in February.350cc Motorcycle Sales March 2022At number four is Electra 350 with sales of 4,460 units in March. YoY growth is negative at -9.24%, as compared to 4,914 units sold in March last year. Market share is at 8.05%. Electra MoM growth is 30.18%, as compared to 3,426 units sold in February. Percentage-wise, this is the highest MoM growth in the group.Honda H’ness CB350 is fifth with sales dropping by -20.83%. A total of 3,406 units were sold in March, as compared to 4,302 units in March last year. Market share is at 6.14%. CB350 MoM growth is 9.91%, as compared to 3,099 units sold in February.350cc motorcycle exports March 2022In exports, 350cc motorcycles have registered positive gains in both YoY and MoM terms. A total of 4,077 units were exported in March 2022. YoY growth is 136.76%, as compared to 1,722 units exported in March last year. MoM growth is 2.05%, as compared to 3,995 units exported in February.350cc Motorcycle Exports March 2022Here too, Classic 350 leads the pack with exports of 2,581 units in March. YoY growth is 280.12%, as compared to 679 units exported in March last year. Share in exports is at 63.31%. MoM growth is at 77.27%, as compared to 1,456 units exported in February.Next is Meteor 350 with exports of 1,046 units. YoY growth is 17.53%, as compared to 890 units exported in March last year. Share in exports is at 25.66%. MoM growth is negative at -21.88%, as compared to 1,339 units exported in February.At number three is CB350 with exports of 450 units in March. Exports have tripled as compared to 150 units exported in March last year. Contribution to exports is at 11.04%. CB350 MoM growth is negative at -62.50%, as compared to 1,200 units exported in February. Motorcycles with zero exports in March 2022 are Electra and Bullet 350. More

  • in

    Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 Spied Again – New Details Revealed

    Ever since the Royal Enfield Himalayan was launched back in 2016, it has become the de facto adventure bike for touring aficionadosNew Royal Enfield Himalayan 450Though the initial lot of the motorcycles was beset with myriad of issues, which have been resolved over the years. It even got a minor update last year, and now the bike is almost sorted. What it still lacks is top-end grunt needed to make brisk progress on highways. To address this shortcoming, a new Himalayan with a more potent engine is in the works.The new bike, rumoured to be called Himalayan 450 , will have a 450 cc liquid-cooled engine compared to the present one’s 411 cc air and oil-cooled. This new motor is expected to churn out more power and torque, around 40 bhp and 45 Nm, compared to the present Himalayan’s 24 bhp and 32 Nm.Not only will these figures endow the Himalayan 450, with higher highway speeds thanks also to a new 6-speed transmission. The enhanced torque will help the bike tackle tough mountain passes high up in the Himalayas more easily.New Himalayan 450 to be feature-richUpcoming Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 has now been spied again. Latest spy shots are credit to Akshai (the_nakedwolf). Hat tip to automotive enthusiast Bhart Vyas for sharing the update. Apart from a more powerful engine, the Himalayan 450 will also get the latest features sported by other bikes in this segment like ride-by-wire throttle and riding modes like road, off-road and rain.New Royal Enfield Himalayan 450There will be no need to manually switch off ABS at the rear like it is on the Himalayan 411 while going off road. Select the off-road mode and the rear ABS switches off automatically. Another touring-friendly feature on the Himalayan 450 will be the large 20 litre fuel tank, which is 5 litres more than that on the existing Himalayan.The instrument cluster will be vertical, similar to the one seen on the Yezdi Adventure and it would be modern with a full digital TFT cluster displaying comprehensive information though it is yet not clear whether it will be a colour display. On the looks front, the Himalayan 450 will be bigger than the present in every aspect one and come fitted with bigger upside-down forks at the front, which would make for better handling characteristics.The bike is expected to have a 21-inch wheel at the front and a 17 incher at the back but the tyres will be designed to perform equally well on tarmac as well as the rough unlike the Himalayan 411 on which the tyres are more road biased. The Himalayan 450 will have a strengthened frame which would enhance its load carrying capacity and this will allow carriage of more luggage and other stuff like fuel packs etc.New Royal Enfield Himalayan 450For increasing comfort while riding in cold, the bike will come with heated grips as an option along with variety of handguards, handlebars etc which are part of a pretty long list of options to be made available by Royal Enfield.Himalayan 450 RaidRoyal Enfield is also simultaneously working on a more potent version of the Himalayan 450 called the Himalayan 450 Raid. This bike as the name suggests will be earmarked for serious off-road events like the Dakar Rally. Himalayan 450 Raid will have enhanced power output, ruggedized suspension, tubed spoke wheels among other features which would it at home in the gruelling Dakar Rally. However, the launch of this version is some time away, expected in 2025-26.New Royal Enfield Himalayan 450The present Himalayan 411 could have reached the end of its evolution cycle and may be retired when the Himalayan 450 is launched. Though price of the Himalayan 450 will be known near its launch, it can be expected to be priced about Rs 30-50k more than Himalayan 411. In this range, it will be a serious contender for the likes of KTM 390 Adventure and BMW G 310 GS. More

  • in

    Royal Enfield Shotgun 650cc Bobber Spied – New LED Headlight

    Royal Enfield has plans to introduce multiple new 650cc motorcycles including Shotgun, Super Meteor 650 and a cruiser bikeUpcoming Royal Enfield 650cc Bobber SG650With 650 twins registering strong sales in domestic as well as international markets, Royal Enfield will be aiming to further strengthen its presence in this space. Towards that end, at least three new 650cc motorcycles will be launched. One of these is Shotgun 650 that was unveiled as SG650 concept at 2021 EICMA. New 650cc bikes will also help Royal Enfield to manage threats from rivals such as the upcoming BSA Gold Star 650.Shotgun 650 has been spotted on road tests in India as well as abroad. The test mules have been seen with varying features till now, making it difficult to get a proper feel of its design. The latest test mule spotted overseas is different in that it appears to be in production-ready form.Royal Enfield 650cc LED HeadlightIt has the full uniform and is without any camouflage, indicating that the bike is almost ready to enter production. The test mule can be seen with a top box and connected wires, which reveals the possibility of range testing. Shotgun 650 is likely to be launched in early 2023. Royal Enfield could also introduce the Super Meteor 650 at the same time.While production-ready Shotgun 650 looks familiar to SG650 Concept, it has toned-down features and appears more practical. The bike continues using Royal Enfield’s signature retro features such as round headlamp and rear view mirrors, teardrop shaped fuel tank and wide rear mudguard. While the headlight will be LED, blinkers will have halogen bulbs.Upcoming Royal Enfield 650cc Bobber SG650Side profile comprises largely the engine and utility boxes. The test mule can be seen with inconspicuous looking exhaust. It is possible that this may be different as compared to that of the production variant. At the rear, Shotgun 650 has the signature round tail lamp.In terms of user comfort, the bike offers an upright riding stance. Pulled back handlebar and centrally placed footpegs will ensure optimal comfort on long journeys. Low-set, scooped out single piece saddle can be expected to boost comfort levels as well as ensure adequate balance and control.Shotgun 650 engine and specsPowering Shotgun 650 will be the same 648cc parallel-twin air cooled motor that does duty on Interceptor and Continental GT. It churns out 47 hp of max power and 52 Nm of peak torque. It is coupled with a 6-speed constant mesh gearbox. It is possible that power and torque output may be tweaked slightly in line with the bike’s profile.Shotgun 650 has USD forks at front and dual rear shock absorbers. It has disc brakes at both ends, integrated with dual-channel ABS as standard. Speedometer appears the same as currently used with other Royal Enfield bikes. There’s a larger primary display on the left that shows standard info such as speedometer, fuel level and odometer. On the right, the smaller display is likely to be the tripper navigation system.Source More

  • in

    Royal Enfield Prices April 2022 – Classic, Bullet, Meteor, 650 Twins, Himalayan

    Royal Enfield is currently developing multiple new models based on the existing 350cc and 650cc platforms as well as a new 450cc platformRoyal Enfield 350cc Custom By EimorIn this new fiscal, Royal Enfield has become the latest auto brand to increase prices of its models. The Chennai-based manufacturer has increased prices of all its models in the country.This includes its 350cc range comprising Bullet, Classic and Meteor, its 411cc range comprising Himalayan and Scram and the 650cc Twins- Interceptor and Continental GT. Below are the new prices of all Royal Enfield motorcycles on sale in India.Royal Enfield Prices April 2022 – Classic, Bullet, MeteorThe entry-level Bullet 350 now starts at Rs 1.48 for the 350cc Kick start variant. The standard variant is priced at Rs 1.56 lakh whereas the electric start variant is offered at Rs 1.63 lakh. All variants have received a price hike of up to Rs 3,000.Coming to Royal Enfield’s best-selling model- Classic 350, the retro-style roadster has received a uniform price hike of Rs 3,000 across the entire range. Prices of Classic 350 now start at Rs 1.90 lakh for the Redditch trim and go up to Rs 2.21 lakh for the Chrome series. In between, it is also available in Halcyon, Signals and Dark variants with different colour options on offer.Royal Enfield Prices April 2022 – Meteor, ClassicThe brand’s sole cruiser offering- Meteor 350 has received a price hike of Rs 4,000-5000 depending on the variant. The base Fireball variant is now priced at Rs 2.05 lakh, Stellar variant is priced at Rs 2.11 lakh and top-end Supernova variant is offered at a price of Rs 2.22 lakh.Scram 411, Himalayan Price HikeNext in line is Scram 411 which is based on Himalayan. The scrambler bike, which was recently launched in March this year, has received a price hike in the range of Rs 2,000 to Rs 3,000. After the latest price update, Scram 411 is now priced between Rs 2.05 lakh and Rs 2.11 lakh. It is available in a single trim with multiple colour options.Scram’s donor model- Himalayan is now offered at a starting price of 2.19 lakh and goes up to Rs 2.26 lakh. The adventure tourer has witnessed a price hike which ranges between Rs 4,000 and Rs 5,000. Like Scram, Himalayan is offered in a single trim with multiple colour options to choose from.Royal Enfield Himalayan and Scram Prices April 2022Interceptor, Continental GT Price HikeThe brand’s flagship 650 Twins have also gone dearer. While Interceptor has received a price hike of Rs 3,000-4,000, Continental GT has received an increment of Rs 3,000-5,000. The former is now priced between Rs 2.88 lakh and Rs 3.14 lakh, whereas the latter is priced in the range of Rs 3.02 lakh and Rs 3.26 lakh. All prices mentioned are ex-showroom.Royal Enfield 650cc Prices April 2022Royal Enfield will also be launching multiple new products based on the 350cc and 650cc platforms in the coming few months. These include Hunter 350, the new-gen Bullet 350, Super Meteor 650 and Shotgun 650. The company is also developing a new-gen Himalayan with a more powerful 450cc heart. More

  • in

    Royal Enfield Sultan 650cc Modified INT 650 – Concept To Production

    Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 has been modified into a hand-built cafe racer called Sultan by Neev MotorcyclesRoyal Enfield Sultan 650ccRobustness of Royal Enfield’s architecture needs no mention. It is the same reason why numerous motorcycles from the Chennai-based brand undergo aftermarket customisation. In the past, we have covered innumerable examples of a Royal Enfield bike going under the knife to transform its looks.The latest example is a RE Interceptor 650 which has been transformed into a classy-looking cafe racer. Christened ‘Sultan 650’, this project has been designed and conceptualised by Delhi-based Neev Motorcycles. As evident from the images, this custom-built motorcycle features major changes over the stock model.Royal Enfield Sultan 650cc – Concept To ProductionIt was back in May last year, that Neev Motorcycles had shared images of the Sultan. At that time, it was just a project visualized via images. The Sultan project is now a reality.The first thing to notice is the custom-built grey shade that complements mechanical components and internals of the bike beautifully. In addition, the engine gearbox casing has been provided with a nice glossy black finish. Further, blacked-out wheel covers have been added to the stock wheels with ‘Sultan’ scribbled on the front unit. Fenders at both ends have been chopped short.Royal Enfield Sultan 650ccThis Interceptor 650 gets a custom fuel tank with braces and a fuel-filler lid with chrome and gloss black treatment. Side panels are custom-built as well that feature sporty air vents, although it is hard to judge if they are functional or not. Moreover, the stock dual-pod analogue instrument console has been uniquely placed on the side of the fuel tank.Royal Enfield Sultan 650ccSince the bike’s frame has been chopped short as well, it gets a new cafe racer-style custom single-piece seat. Illumination is fully custom consisting of an LED headlamp encased within a black-out bezel, an LED tail lamp and aftermarket turn indicators here with mesh-style covers wrapped over them. A chunky aftermarket sump guard with a large bash plate has been added to protect the engine underbelly from abrasions.Mechanical UpdatesOther than the cosmetic updates, this custom-built Interceptor has undergone major functional upgrades as well. For starters, it gets a new aftermarket clip-on handlebar which is set lower. Also, footpegs appear to be positioned slightly further back which should offer a sporty and aggressive riding posture.Royal Enfield Sultan 650ccThe modified frame now sits on aftermarket upside-down forks in front and twin shock absorbers. Nitrox gas canisters at the rear shock absorbers are gold anodised which also adds to the bike’s visual appeal. Some crucial changes have been made to the power plant as well which now features a custom-built two-in-one exhaust system, with both pipes routed to the right side.The re-routed twin tailpipes culminate at an aftermarket twin-barrel exhaust muffler sourced from Akrapovic. The outlet ports in the muffler also receive a carbon fibre finish which accentuates the premium look. It hasn’t been revealed if this revised exhaust setup has resulted in some changes in power and torque outputs from the engine.Neev Motorcycles team behind Sultan 650ccAs per Neev Motorcycles, the majority of this bike has been hand-built. Meanwhile, the stock Interceptor is powered by a 648cc parallel-twin, oil-cooled engine that churns out 47 bhp and a peak torque of 52 Nm. Power is sent to the rear wheel via a chain drive and a six-speed gearbox with a slipper and assist clutch. More