There are a lot of people out there today who are obsessed with the past. What’s old is new again, and the motorcycle industry is no exception. There’s no shortage of new motorcycles meant to emulate what some might call the golden era of motorcycling. But no company seems to do this as well as Royal Enfield. The iconic moto manufacturer is launching what looks to be one of the coolest retro bikes with the new Classic 650. It’s big, it’s just powerful enough, and it nails the retro look so well because Royal Enfield itself is still very old-school.
Royal Enfield has been ridiculously hot in recent years. The India-based brand ended its 2025 fiscal year moving 1,009,900 motorcycles globally. Yes, 85 percent of those motorcycles were sold in India, but the brand is making great headway into its original home in England and here in America, too.
Every single one of those motorcycles was a middleweight, too. Big RE doesn’t sell any heavy cruisers, fast sportbikes, or anything of the sort. It trades entirely on retro vibes and its iconic slogan: “Made Like A Gun”. I have found that Enfield’s marketing isn’t that much puffery, either. Where many retro designs are plasticky and feel like modern bikes with vintage dress, Royal Enfield still likes making motorcycles out of girthy, real metal. My Classic 350 feels like it was born in the 1960s, even though it has modern brakes and fuel injection. Yep, I put my money where my mouth is and bought a modern RE. It’s easily one of my favorite motorcycles.
As it turns out, young people will buy new motorcycles if you make the bikes both affordable and attractive, which is something that America’s motorcycle companies are currently struggling with. Somehow, Royal Enfield hasn’t lost its magic touch in launching a slew of new models. The new Classic 650 doesn’t really break any new ground. Instead, it takes what I think is Royal Enfield’s best-looking bike, the Classic 350, and injects those looks into a bigger, more capable platform.
A lot of motorcycle brands lean on the past, but Royal Enfield has historically done it better than most. That’s because, for better or worse, Royal Enfield was resistant to change for decades. The company was making a non-unit constructed iron block carbureted 350cc single cylinder engine until 2010, when most other brands had long moved on to more advanced techniques. Its replacement got fuel injection and unit construction.
One of the biggest advancements to Royal Enfield came in 2018 with its 650 twin platform. This engine is simple by modern standards. It has four valves per cylinder, a single camshaft, and is air-cooled. Yet, with 47 horses in the stable and 38 lb-ft of twist, a Royal Enfield 650 can actually hit the ton, or 100 mph for you non-riders out here. The 650s are especially important for Royal Enfield because they make up 25 percent of the company’s exports. That makes sense. If you want to take a Royal Enfield onto an American interstate and don’t want to run the engine at its limit the whole time, a 650 will be your pick.
The Classic 650
The Classic 650 hit the show circuit in 2024, then hit the road in international markets in March 2025. Now, it’s finally in America, and you can pre-order one right now.
At its heart, the Classic 650 is similar to Royal Enfield’s other 650s. It has the same 47 HP and rocks a steel tubular spine frame. Royal Enfield hasn’t been afraid to stretch this platform out. The Classic 650 is mechanically similar to the Continental GT 650, INT650, Guerilla 650, Bear 650, Super Meteor 650, and Shotgun 650. In this case, the Classic 650 will slot between the Super Meteor 650 and the Shotgun 650. Royal Enfield’s 650s are fun, just fast enough, and handle well despite looking like they rolled out of a time machine.
What makes the Classic 650 different from all of the other 650s is that its style is like the Classic 350, but scaled up. This is a motorcycle with minimal plastic. Basically, everything is metal from the fenders to the switch cubes on the handlebars. In my experience, all of this metal makes Royal Enfields feel more expensive than they actually are. These bikes feel substantial, like you’re handling something that was milled from a large block of metal.
The consequence of this is that the Classic 650 weighs 535 pounds wet, up to 63 pounds heavier than RE’s other 650s. But you aren’t really buying a Royal Enfield if you’re looking for a featherweight. You aren’t buying one of these for tech, either. You get an analog speedometer, and your only bits of tech are ABS, a monochrome LCD odometer, LED lights, a USB port, and a tiny, retro-style pod for turn-by-turn directions. If you’re looking for riding modes, radars, big screens, stereos, heaters, or other tech, you’re looking at the wrong bike. A Royal Enfield is a bike where what you see is what you get. You even start it with a physical key, just like the old times.
Other notable features in the Classic 650 include a 31.5-inch seat height, a six-speed transmission, a Showa inverted fork, Showa twin rear shocks, and ByBre brakes. A single 320mm disc handles stopping up front, and a 300mm plate brings up the rear. Nothing here will knock your socks off. Just about every competitor makes more power and weighs less.
However, in my experience, a Royal Enfield offers a ride that the competition can’t. Riding an RE makes you feel like you’ve time-warped to a time you’ve never lived in. The bike reminds you why you got your motorcycle endorsement in the first place. The fact that you don’t pay a fortune for that privilege is the sweetener.
How It Rides
As for how the Classic 650 rides, here’s what our friends over at RideApart say:
One thing I will say is that it’s a pretty substantial machine, with a claimed curb weight of around 535 pounds. Lifting it off the side stand might surprise you a little bit, as a matter of fact. And while it’s true that it uses the same tried-and-true 650cc parallel twin engine that’s found in five (!) other Enfields in the current lineup, there are curb weight differences to be found in the lineup.
[…]
Once you’re moving, that 650cc p-twin engine is pleasantly smooth in operation as it burbles down whatever roads you happen to encounter. On our ride in north Florida, in and around the historic city of St. Augustine, we didn’t really put the Classic 650 through any serious twisties. Instead, gentle curves and straight lines were the order of the day, but that left more than ample time for the sightseeing a bike like this is built to encourage.
The upside-down Showa front fork and rear shocks were more than up to the task of soaking up any lumps and bumps in the road, though to be fair, most of the roads we were on were quite smooth and well-maintained. Brakes, which are made by ByBre but bear Royal Enfield badging, do a fine job of stopping you as and when expected. The six-speed gearbox shifts up and down very smoothly, and I found zero false neutrals throughout our day of riding; something I definitely can’t say for every bike I ride.
The Classic 650 is up for pre-orders right now for a price of $7,499. For that price, you get your choice of three colorways: teal, black and chrome, or red and white. Personally, teal would be my pick. The price places the Classic 650 as one of the more expensive RE 650s. However, it’s still cheaper than other retro rides like the Kawasaki W800 and the Triumph Speed Twin 900. Of course, the RE has a smaller and slower engine than either of those, too.
The pre-order period ends on March 31. After that, examples should start appearing in Royal Enfield dealers. If you’re interested in reading a review, I highly recommend hopping over to Janaki’s review at RideApart. I’m hoping to get in contact with Royal Enfield’s media folks, so I stop missing these press rides.
Something I continue to find refreshing about the motorcycle world is that a lot of brands still care about affordability. Building the latest and greatest is cool and all, but who cares if you can’t afford it? So, bravo to Royal Enfield for staying the course, even in these trying times. The fact that, at least per reviews, it sounds like the Classic 650 is a good bike is only icing on the cake.
Top graphic image: Royal Enfield
I have a friend who makes your point. She is in her mid-20s, works two jobs and is in school to become an RN. Any day that it’s not pouring down rain, she commutes on a Classic 350. And loves it.
They are handsome bikes. The 350 would be a little small and underpowered for 6’1″ me. The 650 would be better. That teal is awesome.
Peaky f’ing Blinders product placement?
That’s a pretty bike.
That teal is gorgeous and I definitely want one.
Weird, my first couple of bikes were Yamaha XS vertical twins. they were Japanese copies of the Triumphs of the 60’s and 70’s with a bit better electrics. the 650 was pretty cool, 50HP, an electric starter, but also a kick starter should the battery get too low. The Kawasaki W650 was the more recent attempt for one of the original Japanese companies to try to bring back a 650 standard. Certainly the biggest reason to buy one of these is the Fuel injection, assuming it is pretty reliable by now. though I was going to suggest a Triumph Bonneville T100. Until of course I just checked the base price. I can say that this was the more surprising bit of sticker shock I have seen in a while.
I was very interested in the Himalayan when it first arrived and went straight to the showroom to see one. An up close look was enough to turn me off; poor fit and finish, terrible welds, much heavier than I expected. The nail in the coffin was the jacked-up out the door price for a slow bike with lots of known problems. I’ve heard the newer REs are much improved but it’s really hard to get past that first impression.
BTW, where did the word “colorway” come from? It feels like this is a recent thing that only seems to be applied to motorcycles?
Noooo! Why did you show me this?
I have my endorsement, but never really rode, especially now, cause I’m a slightly overweight middle aged man who’s not trying to look like he’s having a midlife crisis.
But it looks so good. And only $7500??
Would
I like the looks, it reminds me of the Jawa 350/354.
That was also resurrected by Mahindra a couple of years ago.
Classic 350 is the only motorcycle I’ve seriously lusted over. It’s just the opposite of everything I hate about most bikes. When I saw it I loved it
you might like the newer Triumph 400’s then I suppose.
Those photos from RE are a bit much with the dedicated cosplayer vibe though. That last couple in the industrial revolution era factory look like the clothes they’re wearing cost almost as much (if not more) than the bike itself.
Especially given that the bike itself likely costs 40% less in India.
I’ve got ten bikes in the garage, vintage iron from all over the world, and two REs. I can say that they have been pretty bulletproof. That 650 twin is just a great engine, it starts up easy and has plenty of power. I work on the road and regularly use it for a 300 mile commute. The transmission shifts buttery smooth and the whole thing is really easy to maintain. I’ve also got a Himalayan 411 that gets regularly abused off-road, getting covered in muck and mud (a perfect environment for encouraging rust). After cleaning it up it still looks great and the finishes are holding up well. Royal Enfield has nailed it. Great products, reasonably priced, with some real soul.
I’d like to point out that Moto Guzzi does retro right too.
Just so I get to say we bought a V7 yesterday.
This is not really even retro. they just never really changed…. ever.
Love what Royal Enfield is doing. Keeping classic bikes around just modernizing in thoughtful ways. That blue is beautiful. I’m always a sucker for the polished and black ones though.
Proof positive that there’s nothing wrong with being good looking. Even the engine is good looking. It’s a shame that I’ve aged out.
Love that bike in the teal. I don’t need it. I don’t need it. I don’t need it.
Dang. These are pretty. I may have to re-negotiate the terms with my wife (I can have a garage full of machine tools if I don’t buy a motorbike). What’s up with the colours pictured but not listed? The powder blue and the especially fetching “root beer and cream”. Are they current colours?
In a time when what people are calling “affordable” is usually about $10 to $15K more than I expect, I’m happy to see that this bike really IS affordable. It looks great and appears to be a great value.
It’s pretty, but is it pretty in 10-years pretty?
Plastic doesn’t rust.
Rust shouldn’t be a problem so long as you take care of it. The 1970s Japanese motorcycles I’ve owned were mostly metal, too, and had no corrosion worth being worried about. 🙂 My 20-year-old all-metal Genuine Stella still looks fantastic even after I stored it outside for something like three years straight.
I’ve had late ’00s motorcycles where all the fasteners had rust on them within the first three years.
I’ve a colleague with a RE, I’ll see how it looks as it ages. I hope it holds up well.
the 500 Bullet was new in 1993, I imagine you could look at a few used ones from say 2000 and get a pretty good idea. I think where you store and how you care for a bike means more for long term wear and tear. plastics don’t rust, they crack and get brittle over time if not cared for as well.
Probably, yeah. These are built to be used as daily transportation in India, and Indian roads are not kind to vehicles as a general rule. Toughness, reliability, and longevity are not optional for these. It’s more of a coincidence than anything else that these make an appealing retro toy outside of their home market, but they’re still made to take a beating.
650CC’s in India is truly a large motorcycle. but overall the basic design language is to be simple. their are bike repair shops on a lot of corners. things need to be simple to fix even bodge back together in India.
Does everything being made of metal mean more corrosion is likely? What metal are the non-structural bits made of? Aluminum or steel?
I mean, the most important structural parts of most motorcycles are usually made out of steel. Some bikes are more metal than others, for sure. My 20-year-old Genuine Stella, which was made out of the thinnest metal LML could find in India, isn’t rusty at all! My Classic 350 also shows no corrosion.
From what I understand, Royal Enfields are the Toyota Corollas of India. They’re cheap because they’ve been built in huge volumes the same way for decades, and it just so happens that building bikes that way also appeals to people looking for a retro bike, so there’s a market for them outside of India too. But, these bikes aren’t built like mere toys – they’re made to be dailied brutally, overloaded, on bad roads, and just keep going. So, yeah, they’ll probably last a pretty long time in our relatively gentle environment.
I would say the just under 100CC Hero Splendor is maybe the local market Corolla, while the SP125 Honda is the actual corolla when it come to reliability. the price difference is probably the deciding factor here though. the 350 and 500 Enfields are like double the money. I would imagine they are more of a wealthy toy than the other more common commuters.
There’s a lot more to it than just “aluminum or steel?” Different steels have different corrosion resistances, for example. There’s also the question of “did they use multiple metals.”
For example, if you put aluminum and steel into contact with one another, they can corrode much faster than if you used just one of those two. In fact, you can try this at home! If you have aluminum foil and a steel mixing bowl, put some tomatoes in aluminum foil, and then put some tomatoes in the steel bowl/cup, and cover with aluminum foil so that the foil touches the tomatoes. You’ll find that the steel + aluminum corrodes a HECK of a lot faster. It’s sometimes called a “Lasagna Cell”
If two materials have sufficiently different Galvani potentials and are in contact (such as when wet), electrons will flow from the lower-potential metal to the higher-potential metal, accelerating corrosion. So the manufacturer could make their car/motorcycle more vulnerable to corrosion depending on which materials they select
Have you ridden any of Kawasaki’s “retro” bikes, Mercedes?
They always seemed a bit too expensive to me, but I guess that exposed metal and chrome is more expensive to build than covering everything in plastic. The W800 still seems to expensive, but the Z650RS is a good amount of bike for the money. It’s definately a different aesthetic, but I dig the sort of 90s naked sportbike look.
That is the right choice. That looks great! The red isn’t bad, either. They definitely know how to make an affordable bike that doesn’t look cheap.
Your blue 350 is beautiful. And who wants to get on the freeway anyway? It just lunatics going 90 and giant effing semi’s. 2 lane country highways in late spring/summer and early fall here in WI would be perfect
Peter Egan would agree and endorse.
Headline got me thinking whether Royal Enfield even makes an unaffordable motorcycle?