The Royal Enfield Continental GT, a typical text book style cafe racer, will be the first new product from the iconic motorcycle manufacturer to roll out from the newly set up factory at Oragadam near Chennai.
Speaking to the media during the inauguration of the Oragadam plant, Mr. Siddhartha Lal, MD and CEO of Eicher Motors Ltd., the parent company of Royal Enfield, stated that the Continental GT is slated for launch by the year end.
Drivespark.com reports that, Mr. Lal also went on to inform that the much awaited sports bike will be powered by a 525cc engine which will be manufactured at the new plant. RE currently has a 499cc single cylinder engine which powers the Bullet 500, Classic 500 and the Thunder Bird 500. The current engine produces a healthy 27.2 bhp and we can safely expect more power from the new 525cc mill.
The RE Continental GT was showcased at the Delhi Auto Expo last year where it earned lots of appreciations. The company has already started testing the bike. The only difference in the production version is that it has a useable pillion seat.
The low, flat clip-on handlebars, a long slender fuel tank and rear-set rider foot pegs mean that you get a perfect crouching riding posture, just what is required for a drag race!
In short, the newest thumper will be in town sooner than later and if you want one, better keep your eyes and ears wide open (or even better, stay tuned to Indian Autos Blog) to know when the bookings commence. As you know, the waiting period for the RE motorcycles is about 6-8 long months.
[Source: Drivespark.com]
