2024 Royal Enfield INT 650

[Hugh Janus]

The 2024 Royal Enfield INT 650. (Royal Enfield/)

Ups

• A faithfully interpreted retro without frills.
• The most affordable twin-cylinder modern retro on the market.
• Solid handling and engaging engine appeal to novice and experienced riders alike.
• New for 2024, the blacked-out models come with cast wheels that accommodate tubeless tires.

Downs

• At 478 pounds (claimed), it’s not super light.

Verdict

The INT 650 is the modern incarnation of Royal Enfield’s long-lost Interceptor. The air-and-oil-cooled parallel twin has a 270-degree crank and a secondary counterbalancer, decent brakes, and a solid chassis. For an affordable price, riders can romanticize a simpler time without having to experience the downsides of the real thing.

Overview

“The Enfield trademark, whether it is applied to firearms or the motorcycles with which most of us are familiar, has always been associated with machinery that scores well in the test of time. Whatever else has been said about Enfield products, they have gained a reputation for being made to last; or, as the boys in the back of the shop used to say about the Enfield motorcycle, ‘It’s not much for speed, but it sure is hell for strong.’ However, over the past few years the situation has been changing and now, with the introduction of Enfield’s 3/4-liter Interceptor, the trademark is being carried by a machine that is just as fast as it is strong—and that really says a lot.”

You’d be forgiven for thinking that commendation was in regard to the 2024 Royal Enfield INT 650. After all, Royal Enfield’s parallel twin scores well in the test of time, represents a change in the company’s trajectory, and is just as fast as it is strong—at least when compared to single-cylinder Enfields. Yet when the above excerpt appeared in the pages of Cycle World, it was not upon the modern twin’s reintroduction to the market in 2019, but way back in September of 1962. History has a funny way of repeating itself, though not without adding the odd twist here and there.

By the time Royal Enfield brought back its middleweight parallel twin, the Interceptor name had been long adopted—and trademarked—by Honda for its V-4-powered VF and VFR series motorcycles. Accordingly, the bike that once was a Royal Enfield Interceptor was reborn the INT 650 in the US. It’s marketed as “Interceptor 650″ in the rest of the world.

In reviving the motorcycle formerly known as the Interceptor, Royal Enfield took considerable risk. Outside its home market, Royal Enfield’s small-displacement singles sort of flew under the radar despite possessing a measure of renown in enthusiast circles. The 648cc twin platform, on the other hand, raised expectations, entering the brand into a competitive category it hadn’t occupied since the original Interceptor’s decline and the transference of ownership across continents.

Classic good looks and approachable performance are characteristics that put the INT 650 in good company. But Royal Enfield didn’t build a retro clone; it built a Royal Enfield. With an air-and-oil-cooled engine, “Made Like a Gun” sturdiness, and an air of simplicity, the INT 650 puts its own spin on universal appeal. With an affordable price tag, it’s practically in a league of its own.

With a best-in-the-business three-year, unlimited-mileage warranty, owners can be confident that, as we said in 1962, it’s “just as fast as it is strong—and that really says a lot.”

Updates for 2024

For 2024, the INT 650 gets its first update, receiving aluminum switch gear housings, LED lighting, adjustable clutch and front brake levers, Ceat tires, and seats with revised foam-mesh padding. New blacked-out models give customers more styling choices and, more importantly, use cast wheels that accommodate tubeless tires.

Pricing and Variants

The 2024 INT 650 starts at $6,149 for Canyon Red and Cali Green color schemes, which feature single-color tanks and chrome finishing. For $200 extra, the Black Pearl and Sunset Strip color options feature multicolor tanks. For $6,849, Black Ray and Barcelona Blue get multicolor tanks and blacked-out finishes on the engine and exhaust. They also come with cast wheels and tubeless tires.

The Continental GT ($6,349–$7,149) shares the same frame, suspension, engine, and braking components, but is recast with cafe racer styling and more tucked-in ergonomics.

Competition

While the motorcycle world is rife with classically styled twins, none are so affordable as the INT 650. If it were 1962, one would be inclined to compare the Enfield to a Triumph, but in 2024, even Triumph’s most affordable modern classic twin, the Speed Twin 900, is in a whole other ballgame on practically every level. Only Triumph’s Speed 400 (from $4,995) and Scrambler 400 X (from $5,595)—also built in India—are priced in the same region, but they’re powered by single-cylinder engines.

Looking to Japan, the Honda SCL500 (starting at $6,799) has a 471cc parallel twin and scrambler-inspired styling. Compared to the Royal Enfield it’s a far less accurate interpretation of the classic genre—no surprise, considering it’s based around the Rebel 500 platform. It also has a smaller-capacity engine.

The same can be said of the Kawasaki Eliminator ($6,649). The price may be right, but its modern cruiser styling and 451cc engine veer from the INT 650′s straightforward retro vibe and period-correct displacement. Kawasaki’s W800 definitely has the right look and feel. Its 773cc air-cooled engine even has a bevel-driven camshaft, for extra mechanical style points. But at $10,399, the W800 is $4,250 more expensive than the base INT 650.

The Enfield’s retro style, 648cc parallel-twin engine, and low price tag consolidate its place in the market—and in the hearts of owners.

For 2024, the blacked-out models feature cast-aluminum wheels that accommodate tubeless tires. (Royal Enfield/)

Powertrain: Engine, Transmission, and Performance

The INT 650 has a 648cc air-and-oil-cooled engine that produces a claimed 46.8 hp at 7,250 rpm and 38.6 lb.-ft. of torque at 5,150 rpm. Those modest numbers don’t truly depict what the INT is like to ride in the real world. There’s plenty of low-end and midrange power to propel the bike through busy traffic or down a twisting canyon road, and it’ll cruise at 80 mph on the highway without being overly taxed. It revs surprisingly quickly too. With a broad spread of torque, riders can change gears wherever in the rpm range they want to without sacrificing too much shove. The engine’s 270-degree crank layout and secondary counterbalancer keep vibrations at a minimum, ensuring the 1960s parallel-twin experience isn’t so authentic as to be miserable by modern standards.

An intuitive clutch, solid gearbox action, and smooth throttle response thanks to sorted fuel injection show just how much care Royal Enfield engineers invested in its flagship twin. While there are plenty of more powerful bikes of similar engine size out there, outright power wasn’t Royal Enfield’s top priority.

Two-toned paint, spoked wheels, and cooling fins: a classic combo. (Royal Enfield/)

Chassis and Handling

The INT 650 uses a steel double-downtube cradle frame developed with renowned British frame specialists Harris Performance (purchased by Royal Enfield in 2015). Weighing a claimed 478 pounds, the INT 650 is no lightweight, but it carries itself well. Steering geometry figures are a very sporty 24-degree rake and 106mm (4.2 inches) of trail, resulting in responsive yet neutral handling. Its 18-inch wheels look right without adversely affecting handling.

Nonadjustable 41mm conventional fork and twin coilover/reservoir-equipped shocks handle suspension duties, and while settings are on the softer side, the INT 650 stays composed even when ridden at a pace that 99 percent of riders will likely never approach. The INT has a bit less ground clearance than the Continental GT due to lower peg placement, but the peg feelers touch down to warn you that the limit is approaching. The centerstand is blissfully tucked away so as not to touch down during at-the-limit cornering.

Does the 1970s-inspired paint work with the ’60s design? (Royal Enfield/)

Brakes

The INT 650 runs a single 320mm disc up front with a two-piston floating ByBre caliper, and a single 240mm disc and single-piston floating ByBre caliper in the rear. Bosch ABS comes standard. The braking setup has enough power and feel to keep experienced riders content. At the same time, initial engagement is friendly for less experienced riders.

Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG

Royal Enfield claims the INT 650 achieves 55.8 mpg.

The new seat has revised foam-mesh padding. (Royal Enfield/)

Ergonomics: Comfort and Utility

The updated INT 650 seat is more plush than the seat on the first version. The bench-style seat and upright ergos hearken back to the do-it-all motorcycles of the ‘60s and ‘70s. There’s plenty of space to get situated in the saddle and there’s decent legroom to boot.

Traditional chromed engine is more true to the spirit of the original. (Royal Enfield/)

Electronics

The INT 650 has ABS, but is devoid of any other type of rider aid. An LED headlight is a nice addition to the 2024 model update. Despite its analog looks, the INT 650 has electronic fuel injection for modern convenience (and to meet emissions standards).

Warranty and Maintenance Coverage

The INT 650 has a three-year, unlimited-mileage warranty. By contrast, most manufacturers offer a two-year warranty for streetbikes.

Quality

The INT 650′s 478-pound weight alludes to the sturdiness of its construction. While components don’t have the quality finish of higher-priced motorcycles, given the price, the INT feels nicely put together.

2024 Royal Enfield INT 650 Specs

MSRP:	$6,149–$6,849
Engine:	SOHC, air/oil-cooled parallel twin; 4 valves/cyl.
Displacement:	648cc
Bore x Stroke:	78.0 x 67.8mm
Compression Ratio:	9.5:1
Transmission/Final Drive:	6-speed/chain
Claimed Horsepower:	46.8 hp at 7,250 rpm
Claimed Torque:	38.6 lb.-ft. of torque at 5,150 rpm
Fuel System:	Electronic fuel injection
Clutch:	Wet, multiplate slipper; cable actuation
Engine Management/Ignition:	Electronic ignition
Frame:	Tubular mild-steel double cradle
Front Suspension:	41mm conventional damping rod fork; 4.3 in. travel
Rear Suspension:	Twin coilover shocks, preload adjustable; 3.5 in. travel
Front Brake:	2-piston floating caliper, 320mm disc w/ ABS
Rear Brake:	1-piston floating caliper, 240mm disc w/ ABS
Wheels, Front/Rear:	7-spoke cast alloy or spoked aluminum; 18 x 2.5 in. / 18 x 3.5 in.
Tires, Front/Rear:	100/90-18 / 130/70R-18
Rake/Trail:	24.0°/4.2 in.
Wheelbase:	55.0 in.
Ground Clearance:	6.9 in.
Seat Height:	31.7 in.
Fuel Capacity:	3.6 gal.
Claimed Wet Weight:	478 lb.
Contact:	royalenfield.com

Source

[boboneleg]

Nice paint jobs .

[Buckster]

Indian P.O.S.

[boboneleg]

3 hours ago, Buckster said:

Indian P.O.S.

Hello Pete 

[YamaHead]

4 hours ago, boboneleg said:

Hello Pete 

I was gonna say....sounds like Pete's speaking to us from beyond the grave