2023 Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 and Continental GT 650 review: What's changed

In 2018, Royal Enfield took the market by storm when it launched the Interceptor 650 and the Continental GT 650. Popularly known as 650 Twins, the motorcycles have been very successful not only in India but globally as well. Since the launch, the 650 Twins have not received any significant updates. After almost five years, Royal Enfield decided to provide a few updates to the Continental GT 650 and the Interceptor 650 that were important. We got to ride both motorcycles for a few days and here are our thoughts about it.

2023 Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 and Continental GT 650: Cosmetic updates

For 2023, Royal Enfield has introduced new blacked-out variants of both motorcycles. The Interceptor gets the Black Ray and Barcelona Blue whereas the Continental GT gets the Slipstream Blue and Apex Grey. The blacked-out versions come with blacked-out elements for the headers, exhaust and engine casing. There are also some new colour options, the Interceptor gets Black Pearl and Cali Green whereas the Continental GT gets Dux Deluxe.

2023 Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 and Continental GT 650: Finally !! Alloy wheels

The Continental GT uses Vredestein Centauro ST tyres that suit its characteristics. The alloy wheels are lighter than spoked wheels and come with the benefit of tubeless tyres.

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The Continental GT uses Vredestein Centauro ST tyres that suit its characteristics. The alloy wheels are lighter than spoked wheels and come with the benefit of tubeless tyres.

The blacked-out versions of the 650 Twins come with alloy wheels as standard. However, the rest of the variants still get spoked wheels. If you are an existing owner of the 650 Twins then you will have to wait for Royal Enfield to launch alloy wheels as an official accessory. However, a workaround that owners have found is to order the set of alloy wheels as a spare part from Royal Enfield and then retrofit it into the motorcycle.

2023 Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 and Continental GT 650: Engine is the highlight

The highlight of the 650 Twins is still the engine. It is a 647.95 cc, in-line parallel-twin engine that is air-oil cooled. It puts out 46.80 bhp at 7,250 rpm and a peak torque output of 52.3 Nm at 5,150 rpm. The engine is a gem of a unit that pulls hard. The power delivery is linear with a nice exhaust note and the engine is torquey so constant gear shifts are not required. Speaking of gear shifts, the gearbox is a 6-speed unit that comes with a slip-and-assist clutch. The clutch action is on the heavier side but the gearbox is smooth and slots in with positive feedback. Moreover, it is quite easy to rev-match also.

The engine casings, headers and exhausts are blacked-out on the new blacked-out variants.

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The engine casings, headers and exhausts are blacked-out on the new blacked-out variants.

The highlight of the engine is that it always has loads of torque in its reserve so just twist the throttle and the motorcycle starts pulling. Because of its nature, it is also capable of touring. The engine is doing only 4,000 rpm at 100 kmph and 5,000 rpm at 120 kmph in 6th gear. It can sustain these speeds all day long without any stress and still has ample power in reserve to make quick overtakes.

However, it seems like the engine heat and vibrations have increased slightly. The increased vibrations can be because the engines were new and the heat issue could be because of the black powder coating. Apart from this, there was a slight hesitation with the on-off throttle transition. I noticed this because I own an Interceptor 650 BS6 on which I have covered almost 10,000 km so there is a possibility that a new owner would not mind these.

2023 Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 and Continental GT 650: Feature additions

Royal Enfield has carried over some of the features from the Super Meteor 650 to the 650 Twins. The headlamp is now a LED unit but it is not very bright. Then there are adjustable levers which is a nice touch as it makes grabbing them easier than before. The grips are also new and so is the switch gear. It can become a bit difficult to use the pass switch as it is positioned quite high so there will be some adjustment period.

Royal Enfield has also added a USB port to charge mobile devices. It is conveniently placed below the clutch. It would have been nice if the manufacturer updated the screen with some more information. Then there is the fuel gauge which is still a bit erratic.

Despite being a LED, it is not as bright as we would have wanted.

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Despite being a LED, it is not as bright as we would have wanted.

The highlight of the engine is that it always has loads of torque in its reserve so just twist the throttle and the motorcycle starts pulling. Because of its nature, it is also capable of touring. The engine is doing only 4,000 rpm at 100 kmph and 5,000 rpm at 120 kmph in 6th gear. It can sustain these speeds all day long without any stress and still has ample power in reserve to make quick overtakes.

However, it seems like the engine heat and vibrations have increased slightly. The increased vibrations can be because the engines were new and the heat issue could be because of the black powder coating. Apart from this, there was a slight hesitation with the on-off throttle transition. I noticed this because I own an Interceptor 650 BS6 on which I have covered almost 10,000 km so there is a possibility that a new owner would not mind these.

2023 Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 and Continental GT 650: Feature additions

Royal Enfield has carried over some of the features from the Super Meteor 650 to the 650 Twins. The headlamp is now a LED unit but it is not very bright. Then there are adjustable levers which is a nice touch as it makes grabbing them easier than before. The grips are also new and so is the switch gear. It can become a bit difficult to use the pass switch as it is positioned quite high so there will be some adjustment period.

Royal Enfield has also added a USB port to charge mobile devices. It is conveniently placed below the clutch. It would have been nice if the manufacturer updated the screen with some more information. Then there is the fuel gauge which is still a bit erratic.

The Continental GT 650 is one of the best-looking motorcycles in the market.

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The Continental GT 650 is one of the best-looking motorcycles in the market.

Finally, there are the new tyres. The blacked-out versions get tubeless tyres, the Interceptor is running on Ceat Zoom Cruz whereas the GT is using Vredestein Centauro ST. The main talking point here is the new Vredestein that inspires great confidence in corners and has good grip levels. An existing Interceptor owner can swap to the Vredesteins by buying them at their local dealer.

2023 Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 and Continental GT 650: Comfort

The comfort level of the Interceptor 650 is not good solely because of the seat. It is narrow and too soft but the manufacturer is offering several accessory seats that one can buy. Then there are the footpegs that will hurt the rider's shins when moving the bike in a parking space. On the other hand, the GT has a committed riding posture because it is a cafe racer. So, bumper-to-bumper traffic becomes an issue and so do the long rides. An important thing to note is that you will feel the heat and even burn yourself if you are sitting too close to the fuel tank.

2023 Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 and Continental GT 650: Verdict

Despite the price hike, the 650 Twins are still great value for money especially if the person wants a twin-cylinder motorcycle. The engine is the main highlight of the package. The torque is so well spread that it can be used for city duties as well as out on the highways without changing the gears much. Moreover, it always has power in reserve. Yes, there are some shortcomings with the comfort levels but they can be fixed.