Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 rivaling Kawasaki Z650 RS spotted in India

Kawasaki has recently announced a smaller iteration of its popular Z900 RS retro classic model, the Z650 RS. The motorcycle has now been spotted doing testing rounds on the Indian roads, indicating its immediate launch. The Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 rival is likely to go on sale in the Indian market later in 2021. When launched, it will also set sight on other retro-classic models including the Triumph Bonneville range.

Being based on the currently offered Z650 naked street bike, it will draw power from the 649 cc, twin-cylinder, liquid-cooled motor that delivers 67.3bhp of maximum power and 64Nm of peak torque. For the record, this is the same output as the same Z650 and the Ninja 650 sports tourer motorcycles. The engine comes mated to a 6-speed unit.

The Z650 RS also shares a majority of its hardware components (apart from the engine) with the Z650/Ninja 650 bikes. The suspension duties on the bike are handled by 41mm telescopic forks at the front, backed up by a horizontal link rear mono-shock. There are twin discs at the front and a single rotor that sits at the rear wheel for braking duties and of course the safety net of dual-channel ABS is also available on the motorcycle.

On the outside, the bike gets a retro design with a round front headlight, a curvy fuel tank, split-spoke wheels, and a flat saddle. Some of its key features include full-LED lighting and a semi-digital instrument cluster. In the international markets, the bike has been made available in three colour schemes – Metallic Spark Black, Candy Emerald Green, and Metallic Moondust Grey/Ebony.