A nod to the stripped-down cafe racers that zipped around London in the 1960s, the 2021 Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 is a new bike with throwback style and a warmly rumbling heart — an air-cooled, 648cc parallel twin engine.
If I may be shallow for a moment, one thing that really stands out about this bike: its looks. The compact curves, bubbly gas tank and shiny chrome are simultaneously gorgeous and delightfully retro. They combine to recall a simpler time, when we didn’t need fancy electronics, touchscreens and GPS to saddle up and hit the open road. You know a bike has nailed that vibe when multiple people ask how old your bike is — and are gobsmacked when you tell them it's new.
This Continental isn’t all-show-no-go, though. While a 648cc engine may seem small for a brand like Harley-Davidson or Indian, it’s actually Royal Enfield’s larger classically styled bike. Headquartered in Chennai, on the Bay of Bengal in eastern India, the brand is best known for the iconic Bullet — a single-cylinder bike available with 350 or 500 ccs. (Chasing the Bullet, a charming, evocative 22-minute documentary about the brand, is free to watch on YouTube, but I digress.)
Royal Enfield’s engineers put a lot of time and thought into crafting the perfect little-big engine — one with flexible power delivery, packing plenty of pop both out of the gate and at higher speeds. The twin purrs so beautifully, I found myself giddily grinning the moment I first heard it.
Royal Enfield
I’d be remiss not to mention one other distinguishing feature: brand-new, this bike starts just under $6,000. No matter your predilections, that’s one hell of a value play.
How does it ride?
Despite the old-school styling, the Continental is designed to be ridden aggressively. It’s still a café racer, after all. That became abundantly clear as soon as I swung a leg over the 31-inch-high bump stop seat; the racing-style clip-on handlebars and slightly set back foot pegs immediately put you in a leaned-forward position, and the back of the gas tank is scooped out, letting you tuck your knees in to become even more aerodynamic.
Thankfully, the bike has the goods to live up to the promise of this geometry. Yes, the engine is just over a third the size of the one in the first bike I reviewed for Gear Patrol, the 2019 Indian Chieftain Limited. But at 435 pounds, it’s also just over half the weight.
Translation: the power-to-weight ratio is refreshingly snappy. Within minutes of rolling out of a Brooklyn garage, I was swooning over the way it sprang to life every time I twisted the throttle. Very torque-y, if that can be a word.
Royal Enfield
The light weight, small size, smooth Brembo ABS disc brakes and tight, responsive steering also make this bike incredibly nimble. Even with those stalk-y, stock-y mirrors, I found it easy to dart and dodge through congestion. That’s enormously satisfying when you’ve got somewhere to be — and/or a passenger you’re kinda-sorta-maybe trying to impress with your riding prowess.
It’s less sexy to talk about, but the bike’s proportions lead to some impressive gas mileage — up to 70 mpg, which means its 3.3-gallon tank can take you far beyond the city lights. That said, you might not want to venture that far afield: without a windshield or gas gauge, the Continental is clearly much more at home on urban streets than sprawling highways.
On another note, a couple of small beefs. First, the suspension (4.5 inches of travel in front, 3.5 inches in back) is decent, but not overly forgiving. It can definitely beat you up a bit on excessively bumpy or potholed roads.
Second, I’m not exactly a big dude, and yet the shifter peg felt weirdly small and flimsy. Like many classically styled bikes, this one only tells you when you’re in neutral, not any of the other gears. I tend to like that quirk, but in this case, I struggled to get a feel for which of the six speeds I was in, due to the way this little peg jumped around whenever I pressed it down or flicked it up. A good shifter should be a mix of solid and flexible; this one leans a bit too far toward the latter.
Royal Enfield
Anything else stand out?
One thing I will always love about café racers is their nice, long seats. In my experience, it’s super-comfortable for passengers — quite preferable to the goofy, frog-like position a sport bike often puts that person in.
And it’s handy for transporting cargo, too. While testing this bike, I had to transport a couple of large duffel bags to a coat drive across town. Throwing one over my shoulders and Rok-strapping the other to the back half of the seat made this seemingly arduous task into a sweet little joyride. Just another reminder that vintage-looking bikes can be pretty damn practical, too.
What's it cost?
The Black Magic and Ventura Blue gas tank models start at $5,999, while the Dr. Mayhem and Ice Queen editions start slightly higher — $6,249. All models come with a three-year unlimited mile warranty and roadside assistance.
This is one of our picks for the best reading chairs you can buy thanks to its exceptional mid-century design and comfort. It's a chair you can sink into.
The Nike Blazer is a sneaker icon. Pare it back and make it a low top and it has instantly become the best shoe you can wear this spring and summer. It will go with anything and is durable for daily wear.
These Bose headphones are some of Gear Patrol's favorite noise-cancelling headphones of the past year, owing to excellent design and top-notch sound quality. Don't like this color? The black and white colorways are both on sale for $330.
Otterbox's Venture cooler features integrated injection-molding and high-grade cooling technologies, anti-slip rubber feet and interior separators for wet and dry goods. Don't sleep on this, cookouts are coming.
A set of Adirondack chairs is a timeless pairing for any backyard, patio or balcony. These are made from faux wood, giving them exceptional durability and weather-resistance.
If you want a mask with more protection and versatility than a simple cloth mask, check out this one from Outdoor Research. It has adjustable straps to keep your fit dialed and comes with three replaceable filters that block out 95 percent of particles.
These runners from New Balance look great and crush on light trails. Made from New Balance's Fresh Foam, they are supremely comfortable and durable enough to take a beating.
This is an outrageous deal on an excellent Bluetooth speaker. It features eight hours of battery life, has integrated Siri and Google Now and looks good in any room, to boot.
Here you go, the perfect boot for spring. Todd Snyder always brings it when it comes to collaborations and this is no exception; this silhouette comes straight from the Sebago archives.
These water- and sweat-proof earbuds are our pick for the best workout earbuds. They have 6-hour battery life and are MIL-STD 810G certified, which means they have passed repeated shock, vibrations, drop, and crush tests as well as extended exposure to tropical humidity, hurricane-force water and desert sandstorm conditions.
Patagonia's Black Hole Duffel is one of the best packs around, so whenever it is on sale, we jump at the chance to snag one, even if it is purple. The 40L iteration is a versatile size ready for a weekend getaway or an extended trip.
For three years running, we’ve awarded the top slot to Mountain Hardwear’s Super/DS StretchDown jacket, and right now, at arguably the best time to buy a jacket, it’s on sale for 40 percent off. If you don't like the orange, there are other colors on sale at a lesser discount, as well.
Aether makes some of the best technical wear in the biz. This waterproof jacket is packed with features, including a removable hood, numerous pockets, fully-taped seams and a powder skirt.
Flint and Tinder's bestselling jacket almost never goes on sale — usually only once a year, if you're lucky. Immensely warm and tough-as-nails, this is a heritage piece that you'll have forever. Now is the time to pick up this weather-resistant jacket for the cheapest price you'll ever see it.
Filson has been making some of the best gear to come out of the Pacific Northwest, and probably the whole country, for years. This tote is tough-as-hell and water-resistant — perfect for weekend trips to the farmers' market.
This is a perfect layer for spring. Just about everything NYC-based Todd Snyder makes is quality and damn good looking, but this definitely takes it up a notch. If you want to use it as a liner underneath a topcoat, it is an excellent choice, but it also pairs exceptionally well with a sweater or t-shirt.
Originally a tennis shoe in the 80s, the Killshot 2 has become one of Nike's most coveted kicks. After years of only being available through J.Crew, they are now available in multiple colorways directly from Nike. They sell out almost every time they go on sale, so act fast to get yourself a pair.
Spring is coming and we're thinking hard about our next trips out into the wilderness. When it comes to backpacking gear, a good sleeping pad is one of the more important pieces you can have in your pack, so it is best to opt for quality. This insulated pad keeps you warm and cozy when the ground gets cold.
Apple's premium AirPods have been hovering around $200 for a while now, which is a great deal. Competition is now fierce in this headphone category, but the quick pairing and native integration with Apple devices still makes the AirPods Pro tough to beat.
The Eco-Drive from Citizen is powered by light, so you never need a battery. This diver is highlighted by a date display at 4 o'clock, a luminous dial, and a dual-tone bezel.
When looking back on life and thinking hard about every travel mug and thermos you've seen, odds are high that most of them are made by Stanley. This classic brand has made some of the best insulated mugs for years, so picking one up is a no-brainer.
Staub's enameled cast iron is versatile, distributes heat evenly, and works with any heat source, including induction. This is one of our favorite pieces of cookware.
Huckberry and Timex threw it back to the 70s and 80s with this collaboration. Starting with a blank slate, the brands led with the iconic cola colorway, added a military-inspired dial and finished it off with a woven stainless steel bracelet and aluminum timing bezel.
This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io