The BS-VI compliant Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 has made its spy photograph debut. A test mule of the future model was seen during test runs somewhere near Tamil Nadu.
Also Read: BS-VI 2020 Royal Enfield Thunderbird 500X- IAB Rendering
The 2020 Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 will be the same in terms of styling. However, the engine will have a few tweaks to comply with the BS-IV emission norms. The twin-exhausts on the test mule look crude, and we expect the production-ready model to pack the same clean and compact tip design as the old model.
The performance numbers are not likely to be very different from now. The BS-IV compliant 648 cc parallel-twin cylinder, air & oil-cooled, SOHC engine with fuel injection tech makes 47 BHP of peak power at 7,250 rpm and 52 Nm of max torque at 5,250 rpm. The motor comes linked to a six-speed gearbox with an assist/slipper clutch mechanism. Regular readers would know that the BS-VI models require on-board diagnostic (OBD) system and oxygen sensor among other hardware.
Apart from upgrading the engine to comply with the new norms, Royal Enfield will iron out any issues reported by current owners. The previous sighting of the 2020 Royal Enfield Classic motorcycle’s revised switchgear revealed rotary-style dials. We expect to see a similar setup on the rest of Royal Enfield’s portfolio.
The budget-conscious hardware will retain halogen headlight and conventional lighting setup, a twin-pod instrument console with a semi-digital configuration, conventional front forks, twin-sided gas-charged rear springs and disc brakes on both wheels. The braking setup will be governed by a dual-channel ABS.
Royal Enfield’s export sales have improved since late last year, and the success could be partly attributed to the 650 Twins. The company will most likely introduce the BS-VI compliant models by early 2020 to ensure the clearance of BS-VI stock well before the 31 March 2020 deadline.
Also Read: Royal Enfield year-on-year domestic sales tumble for nine consecutive months
Royal Enfield is testing the BS-VI iteration of the Thunderbird as well. The company has promised more variants of its existing products in the future. Recently, it introduced the 2019 Bullet 350 range that benefits from new colour options and a more competitive price tag. The 2019 Bullet 350 is available at INR 1.12 lakh* while the Bullet 350 ES (Electric Start) retails at INR 1.26 lakh*. The 2019 range benefits from six colour options (3 each) as against a single paint in the previous version.
*Ex-showroom Delhi
[Source: Rushlane.com]
