The Royal Enfield Classic 350 is the Indian brand’s biggest-selling motorcycle, with a cult-like status in its home country and millions sold over the last decade. So it’s a no-brainer to take their popular parallel-twin engine and make a beefier version for those who crave more horsepower. Enter the Classic 650. We were recently invited to the Aussie launch of this beautiful bike, and – as the name suggests – this machine is a timeless classic. It’s the sixth model in the ever-growing 650 Twins family, and this one is like the more mature, handsome and heavy-set big brother.

Seeing the bike in the metal for the first time and doing a quick walkaround, there’s no denying the design team at RE have done an amazing job creating a modern classic that stays true to the brand’s heritage; the bike looks like it could have been pulled out from a 1950s time capsule. There are only three colourways here in Australia and the Black Chrome immediately grabbed my attention. The Vallam Red and Teal Green are also beautiful, but for me, the Black Chrome puts the ‘class’ in classic.

The other thing that jumps out is the attention to detail on this bike. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: the quality of the motorcycles Enfield are producing is exceptional for the price point, and I feel like they just keep outdoing themselves. This time the switch gears have caught my eye. They are solid chrome, not plastic as has been used in the past, and they suit the Classic 650 perfectly. They would look right at home on the original bikes rolling out of the old Redditch factory in England.

The Classic 650 is built less like a gun and more like a tank. The thing is more solid than my grandad’s handshake. There’s a lot of metal and chrome, meaning the front and rear fenders look the part but are large and add to the overall weight. The peashooter exhausts are huge as well, and probably weigh 10 kg each (don’t quote me on that). Because of all this metal the bike does weigh 243 kg – a bit of a fatty. That’s 29 kg heavier than the Bear 650, and you can feel it when riding. But, let’s be honest, it’s not designed to drop a knee down in twisties at speed, it’s more for cruising around and enjoying the experience.

So how does it ride? Well, it carries its weight pretty nicely. It almost feels like straddling a very confident and fast rhino. Just like all the parallel twins in the Enfield line-up, it goes pretty hard and has smooth power distribution through every gear. The Classic 650 produces 46.4 hp at 7,250 RPM and 52.3 newton-metres of torque. It’s more than enough power to ride on freeways, and at high speeds there were hardly any vibrations. It does feel less agile than the Bear 650 and the acceleration is a little less snappy due to the extra weight. The Classic 650 shares the Shotgun 650 chassis and brake setup, and it rides very similarly.

The seat is one of the most comfortable I’ve ridden; I’m told it’s the same saddle as the Shotgun, but I don’t remember it being this comfortable. It might have been nice to have a cross-stitched pattern on it – although maybe not at this price point. There’s also a bolt-on pillion seat that comes with the bike. It adds to the charm of the vintage styling with it sitting over the rear fender, and it makes the rear fender look less bulky.

The front suspension is Showa telescopic forks with 43mm diameter tubes and 120mm of travel. The rear utilises Showa twin shock absorbers with 90mm of travel and adjustable preload just like the Shotgun 650. The bike’s riding position is upright, and the bars are nice and wide which suits its style. The mid-set foot pegs also help place your body in an upright position, although the ground clearance is quite low and the pegs can scrape in tight country road corners.

When it comes to the dash, Enfield have kept it classic and minimalist. It has one large analogue speedo set in a metal shroud, and also has their digital Tripper device neatly integrated as well. This Tripper device connects to the Royal Enfield app on your phone and uses Google Maps. I didn’t use it this time but have had mixed experiences with it in the past. In any case, I’m glad they’ve integrated the Tripper device this time, instead of having a huge round device sitting to one side.

Overall, the Classic 650 is exactly what it says on the tin – a classic styled bike with some lovely modern touches and reliable parallel-twin performance. The motorcycle not only looks the part but feels the part. If I was to buy one I’d probably be putting it on a little diet, replacing the stock peashooters with some lighter, smaller and louder units. I’d also chop up the fenders, maybe making them half their current size.

Still, there probably isn’t a bike on the market that has more bang for your buck. In Australia, the Classic 650 Black Chrome retails at $11,890 ride-away, in the UK it goes for £6899 and in the United States the price is around $8,300. Given how popular the Classic 350 has been around the globe, we’re sure the Classic 650 will become one of Royal Enfield’s biggest-selling bikes – and we hear the pre-orders of the bike have already exceeded expectations. If you’re in the market for a classic cruiser with loads of vintage vibes, then you have to put this beauty on the list.

[ Photography by Tom Fossati ]