The more we ride this motorcycle, the more we love it
It happens so often with this motorcycle, it’s become predictable. I’m in a parking lot with the Royal Enfield Classic 650, when this elder gent pulls up beside me in a late 80s Cadillac Eldorado. No apologies, no introductions, no initial acknowledgments of my presence, he just pulls up, stares agape at the bike, and declares, “That has to be about the prettiest motorcycle I’ve seen in years. What is it?” I give my reply, and when he learns it’s not an antique but in fact is a 2026 model, his look of astonishment and admiration only grows. He then regales me with tales of old motorbikes from his bygone years of riding, everything from Hondas to Harleys, Triumph Thunderbirds to Kawasaki KZs. Over and over he chimes, “I can’t get over how pretty that bike is. Just beautiful.” Phil arrives for a day ride we had planned, so my new old friend says goodbye and bids us safe riding.
As I stated, this happens nearly every time I ride this motorcycle.
We’ve had this 2026 Royal Enfield Classic 650 for a couple of months now and I must say, the more I ride it, the more I absolutely enjoy it. More on that in a moment. I must admit, the response this motorcycle gets when parked is one of my favorite aspects of it. The bike is a definite conversation starter, and I enjoy good conversation.
So I thought we’d highlight five features of this motorbike that we thoroughly enjoy so far. Here they are in no particular order.
Cool little ice cream shop in Social Circle, Ga. They even featured a 12-year old Elvis impersonator. I kid you not. And he was pretty good.
Timeless Style
Like the aforementioned older gent opined, the Royal Enfield Classic 650 really is a beautiful motorcycle. In all three colorways, even this cream and “Vallam Red”, the bike perfectly recalls the Enfields and Brit bikes of old, from the 1930s and post-war era. Its lines, design, attention to detail, and overall aesthetic is just captivating. We love the throwback details such as the “tiger eyes” pilot lights on either side of the headlight, the old school-looking polished engine casings, and those “peashooter” pipes, among other features. Royal Enfield has truly captured the spirit and soul of an earlier time in motorcycling with the Classic 650, and it easily gets mistaken for a machine from that earlier time.
Three awesome colorways- Black Chrome, Vallam Red, and Classic Teal. Photo by Royal Enfield.
Solid Construction
The Royal Enfield Classic 650 is built, well, “like a gun since 1901” as the brand’s old slogan used to go. The bike is fairly heavy, as in 536 lbs curb weight with very few plastic parts, and feels substantial from the saddle. I like that. Steel chassis, metal fenders, tank, side covers and headlight nacelle, this bike is solidly built, like the motorbikes of old that it harkens back to. Designed in England, built in India, 125 years of engineering tough, durable motorcycles for the harshest of conditions has led RE to not only build this beautiful machine, but built it to withstand and overcome.
Such a comfortable, laid-back ride, all day.
Affordability & Value
With an American MSRP of $7499, you get a lot of motorcycle for the money. Showa suspension, RE/Brembo brakes, dual channel ABS, rolling with a solid, torquey 648 cc EFI parallel twin making 47 hp, with a rapidly growing dealer network in North America for sales, parts and service, there’s a lot to love here, brand and bike.
POV from the “cockpit”.
Comfortable Ergos
With an upright riding position, the Classic 650 is supremely comfortable for long days in the saddle. The rider triangle is very neutral, with the footpegs underneath like sitting in a chair, and the handlebar reach leaves a comfortable bend at the elbows, so I feel neither cramped nor splayed wide at the grips. Once we installed the accessory RE wider footpegs, the ride got even more comfortable and relaxed. The seat height is still a bit tall for me at 31.5”, leaving me unable to flatfoot at stops, but just barely so. It’s a very relaxed happy medium between the riding position of a cruiser and a standard. All day comfortable.
Riding a piece of motorcycle history.
Legendary Heritage
As stated above, Royal Enfield’s long-time official slogan was, “Built Like A Gun Since 1901”. They are the longest continually-in-production motorcycle brand in the world, having never ceased building motorbikes since 1901. The name “Harley-Davidson“ is iconic here in the states, yet in much of the rest of the world, the name “Royal Enfield” has become that icon. From its roots in England, to Chennai, India, now back to HQs in both countries, Royal Enfield has come full circle. To ride one is to ride history, and this Classic 650 just evokes that heritage 100%.
Kitted out with official OEM rider/passenger Signature seats, larger padded floorboards, pannier rails and roll-top waterproof Classic panniers. We liked the stock mirrors better than the ones they sent us for it. See below for our install vids of each.
The more I ride this bike, the more I love it. And the more I love it, the more I want one. A day in the saddle of this Classic 650 just calms and comforts me. I’m returning to the core reasons I ride again, every time I throw a leg over. Some bikes beg to be ridden hard, and revved high. The Classic 650 slows the pace, asks the rider to enjoy the ride, and live in the moment. Time stands still when riding this motorbike, and I breathe deeply, my heart rate slows, and the cares of the day just melt away as I throttle through time and space. Isn’t that what motorcycling is meant to be?
Rob
For more on the Royal Enfield Classic 650, check out its “specs & deets” here:
*Here are links to our OEM accessory install videos-
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