Probable First ever Classic 650 spy pics have emerged on the internet that clearly suggest that the big seller is set to receive a larger sibling…
Well, for some reason, India’s junta is crazy over the Classic 350! Not only is it the largest selling Royal Enfield model but it also outsells many popular, cheaper models in India.
With the bigger, twin cylinder 650 platform live and kicking (and accepted very well), it is natural to expect a Classic on that as well. And that is what precisely has been spotted testing, probably for the first time. Classic 650, as it should be called, is expected to share most of its underpinings with the Interceptor 650 – which is such a lovely motorcycle to ride.
The basic outer styling appears very similar to the existing Classic, which suggests that Royal Enfield has decided not to deviate from the current working formula. There is that rounded Classic fuel tank, conventional telescopic shock absorbers, spoke wheels, etc. The test mule features what appears to be a nice and comfortable riding posture.
The same 650cc, oil cooled, twin cylinder engine from the Interceptor will be carried over and it is likely to produce the same 47 bhp of power and 52 Nm of torque. It may have variations in tune to suit the Classic’s characteristics. It will be the first time that the Classic will get a 6-speed gearbox in its new avatar.
With that Royal Enfield will offer a direct upgrade option for its lakhs of current Classic 350 customers – and many of them are expected to switch over as well. And even if this figure reaches 30-50 percent of the current 350s base, the Chennai based maker may have the largest selling 650!
So How BIG is Royal Enfield…?
What will be very interesting to see is the placement of this model. Chances are that it may be sandwiched between the Interceptor and the Super Meteor – a model richer than the Int and slightly lesser than the larger cruiser.
With so many models in the pipeline – under tests – it is hard to exactly predict when is the Classic 650 coming. But I do not think it is a 2023 launch candidate and we should hear something on it probably next year.
