New Royal Enfield models for NA

[Richard230]

Royal Enfield plans to import their new 400cc Himalayan single and 650cc Interceptor and Continental GT 650 into the North American market. Now all they need are more dealers and a much better service and parts supply system for the U.S.
http://blog.motorcycle.com/2017/11/2...north-america/

[Mokkybear]

I wouldn’t put any RE model as a BMW competitor, but some good design and engineering work has gone into the 650 twins and for a retro bike experience they look like fun.

Rather than the Himalayan, I’d buy a good used 650 V Strom - better all round, and you can’t kill them.

[nad7961]

I wouldn’t put any RE model as a BMW competitor, but some good design and engineering work has gone into the 650 ...

My local BMW dealer looks to agree with you, they are due to start selling Royal Enfield's again next year.

I'm looking forward to try one out as well.

Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk

[Richard230]

Royal Enfields are great second (or third) bikes to have in your garage for tooling around back roads on week days, just relaxing, not trying to get anywhere quickly and enjoying the ride.

They also make great entries into vintage car shows. You get lots of old folks stopping by and telling you stories about how they used to own a Royal Enfield (or was it a BSA or maybe a Norton?) back in the day. And if an Indian gentleman sees one they really start shedding a tear thinking about when they (or their dad) owned one in the old country before they moved to your land to make a new home and decent money. Oddly, they never seem to end up buying a new Royal Enfield after moving. Apparently they can't get over the prices that they are sold for outside of India.

[Richard230]

Here comes the Himalayan: http://www.motorcycle.com/manufactur...n-preview.html

It would make a good starter motor for an R12GS.

[Richard230]

Here is an interesting article regarding a tour of the UK Royal Enfield Technology Center: http://www.motorcycle.com/features/R...nter-Tour.html Who knew that such low-tech motorcycles were designed in such a nice facility?

[Daboo]

I like the looks of the Himalayan. Something light and appropriate for going down fire roads in the area. Chris

[Richard230]

Here is a review by Motorcycle.com of the 2018 Himalayan. Sounds like a decent utility bike for a reasonable price:
http://www.motorcycle.com/manufactur...de-review.html

[Roadpizza]

We will see how affordable it is with the Trump Tax added.....

[Richard230]

Meanwhile even Royal Enfield wants on the electric bandwagon: https://rideapart.com/articles/royal...-electric-bike

[Roadpizza]

As long as they don't use old Lucas electrics, they may be able to do something with it.

The wiring and fusing on the Enfield I had was ununbeleivebly shoddy and microscopic in gauge of wire in the harness.

[Richard230]

The new Royal Enfield 650cc air-cooled vertical twin is currently being ridden by the press. They were 10 of them up at Alice's Restaurant a few days ago. Here is a short video by an Indian journalist discussing his take on the new twin - without actually seeing it move. He does mention that its quality is not quite up to BMW standards, though:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HX67...ature=youtu.be

[Richard230]

Today I rode my Zero electric motorcycle from my home in Pacifica to Big Basin State Park and returned via the coast highway, a trip of 150 miles. (I decided to go on this ride upon turning on my radio this morning.) I arrived home with the battery pack showing 0%. Recharge time is estimated to be 11 hours.

While riding into Big Basin SP, three groups of riders passed me coming out of the park. It looked and sounded like they were all riding new Triumph Thruxtons with the same color white tank, which I thought was kind of odd. After arriving at the Park I was approached by a British rider who asked me about my Zero and then mentioned that he was with a group of journalists who were riding the new Royal Enfield 650 Continental GT and asked me if I wanted to see the bike. Naturally I said yes! One of them had a chrome tank, the rest had white tanks with a red stripe. The bikes really look and sound great, although the mufflers are kind of large and stick out quite a bit.

I sat on one and it felt pretty solid. The clutch pull is about average and the seating position with the low bars is not bad. Much better than the Thruxton, as an example. I could see myself buying one, especially at the advertised price in the U.S. The internet says the U.S. prices for the GT will be $6,749 and for the Interceptor, $5,799.

I watched as the riders took off up the highway that I came down, heading for lunch at Alice's Restaurant. As I was leaving the Park, two more groups of GT riders passed by. I would guess that I saw about 40 GT riders today. It appears that RENA is really trying to make a statement with the new 650 models. Now all they need are more dealers in the U.S. We should be seeing a lot of 650 reviews all over the World soon.

[Richard230]

Here is the first long review of the new Royal Enfield 650cc models that resulted from the introduction of the new models that I described above. (Big Basin SP is located about 25 miles by road from Santa Cruz, CA.) I recognized the roads that they are traveling on shown during the first 8 minutes of the video as I ride these roads quite frequently. I saw Highway 1, 236 out of Big Basin, Highway 35 and Highway 84, but not in any particular order. The reviewer goes into BS talking mode around minute 8. He has not a bad word to say about the new bike, of course - since he was shipped from Australia to Santa Cruz, fed, put up in a hotel and gave a new motorcycle to ride for a couple of days, all on Royal Enfield's dime, of course.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8vFaZrO3YeM&feature=youtu.be