Royal Enfield Bullet 650 vs Classic 650: Which classic RE big boy will you pick

Royal Enfield has just pulled the wraps off one of its most anticipated motorcycles in recent memory, the Bullet 650, revealed yesterday at EICMA 2025 in Milan. With this, the iconic Bullet name finally steps into the brand’s 650 cc twin-cylinder family, joining its stablemates like the Interceptor, Continental GT, Super Meteor, Shotgun 650 and the recently unveiled Classic 650.

If the Classic 650, launched a year back at EICMA 2024, was aimed at recapturing the old-school spirit of post-war motorcycles, then this new Bullet 650 is simply heritage made real; it carries a nameplate that has characterized the Royal Enfield brand for more than ninety years. Both have the same underpinnings, but inherit a different feeling.

Royal Enfield Bullet 650 vs Classic 650: Design

The Classic 650 inherits the soft lines, teardrop tank, and chrome-accented touches of its smaller sibling, the Classic 350. The bike sits low, looks graceful, and feels timeless. The palette of colours, Vallam Red, Bruntingthorpe Blue, Teal Green and Black Chrome, helps it look rich and mature. The proportions are near perfect for a modern retro motorcycle, with subtle updates like LED lighting and improved finish quality hinting at how far Royal Enfield’s craftsmanship has evolved.

The Bullet 650, in contrast, is more upright, muscular and self-assured. It takes its shape from the smaller Bullet 350, with larger dimensions and the refinement of the 650 cc platform. Signature features such as a chrome-ringed headlamp with twin pilot lamps, hand-painted tank pinstripes, and metal tank badging are all present, as is the iconic Bullet lettering.

It looks and feels like what a Bullet should be, commanding, substantial, and proudly analog in spirit even in its most advanced form.

Royal Enfield Bullet 650 vs Classic 650: Features

Royal Enfield has struck a careful balance between heritage and practicality with both models.

The Classic 650 features a semi-digital instrument cluster with Tripper navigation, dual-channel ABS, LED headlamp and taillamp units, and the same Showa suspension setup seen on its 650 siblings. Chrome switchgear, fine paintwork and neatly integrated detailing elevate the sense of quality.

The Bullet 650 gets a similar hardware base, semi-digital dials with a large analogue speedometer, LED lighting, and a robust build. But it stays truer to the retro brief, with minimal electronic intrusion and the kind of upright ergonomics that feel instantly familiar to long-time Bullet riders.

The seats, too, differ slightly in character, the Classic 650’s softly contoured saddle feels more cruiser-friendly, while the Bullet 650’s flatter seat emphasises everyday usability and rider-pillion comfort in a more traditional way.

Both motorcycles ride on 18-inch spoked wheels, employ the same twin-shock rear suspension setup, and feature premium Showa telescopic forks up front, tuned for relaxed, confident highway manners rather than sporty cornering intent.

Royal Enfield Bullet 650 vs Classic 650: Specs

Beneath the nostalgic design lies the same refined 648 cc, air-/oil-cooled, parallel-twin engine that powers every Royal Enfield 650 so far. It produces 47 hp at 7,250 rpm and 52.3 Nm at 5,650 rpm, paired with a 6-speed gearbox and a slip-and-assist clutch.

The Classic 650 tips the scales at roughly 243 kg, with a seat height of about 800 mm and 154 mm of ground clearance. The Bullet 650 is expected to sit in the same ballpark, given it uses the same chassis, suspension geometry and fuel tank size of 14.8 litres.

Braking is handled by discs at both ends with dual-channel ABS, while the suspension duties are carried out by Showa telescopic forks at the front and twin gas-charged shocks at the rear.

In essence, the riding experience should feel instantly familiar to anyone who has spent time on an Interceptor or a Super Meteor, smooth, tractable, and confidence-inspiring, but here wrapped in timeless design.

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