Riding Royal Enfield’s Attractive & Affordable Bobber
Over the past two months, I’ve had the chance to ride and live with a Royal Enfield Shotgun 650 in its clean, classic “Stencil White” colorway. In that time, I put nearly 600 miles on the bike, riding to the gym, commuting to work, running errands, and even taking it on a day-long highway trip out of state. Through all of that, one question kept coming to mind: Can the Shotgun 650 hold its own against classics like the Harley-Davidson Sportster, Indian Scout Sixty, or Triumph’s Bonneville Bobber?
At $7,100 brand new with a 3-year factory warranty, it just might.
A great day on a great bike- the 2025 Royal Enfield Shotgun 650.
A Bobber With Classic Style and Modern DNA
The Shotgun 650 shares its 648cc parallel twin engine with the Royal Enfield Continental GT and Interceptor (INT650 as its known stateside). While not as powerful as the twin-powered engines in the Harley Sportster 1200, Indian Scout Sixty or Triumph Bobber, the motor is smooth, sounds good, and is ideal for city cruising and weekend rides.
Styling-wise, the Shotgun nails the neo-retro bobber aesthetic. It draws inspiration from post-WWII customs with a low-slung stance, chopped rear fender, and chunky tires. You get a modern motorcycle with unmistakable throwback attitude.
This bike is also a perfect entry point into the custom bobber scene. From the factory, Royal Enfield offers a wide variety of accessory options and smart design choices. If I owned it, I could see myself adding on the factory passenger seat or a luggage rack to increase day-to-day practicality alongside a tune & exhaust to wake it up a bit. All said and done, it’s a great platform for personalization at a price point that leaves room for mods.
The 650 twin mill is solid and built tough. I love the blacked out look.
Who Is This Bike Really For?
I see the Shotgun 650 appealing to riders in their 20s-30s that have saved up a little cash or are upgrading from their first, used “Facebook Marketplace” bike. Older riders love the classic bobber look and vibe of the Shotgun, as evidenced by the “Wow!” reaction several of the other Road Dirt guys had at the sight of it. This is a motorcycle for people who want something retro-cool, approachable, and fun without spending Harley or Indian money.
And for those who care about aesthetics as much as performance? You’ll love the Shotgun. This bike turns heads wherever you go; in fact I got complimented three separate times while out on rides! From the paint scheme to the low flowing lines, this is a beautiful motorcycle.
Single disc, dual-caliper ByBre (Brembo) brakes up front, under Showa inverted forks; Showa shocks out back.
City Cruiser Comfort with Minimalist Tech
What impressed me most was how comfortable and rideable the Shotgun 650 is around town. The mid controls, low seat height, and upright posture give it a confident, easy-to-ride feel. It’s welcoming to new riders and still fun for experienced ones.
The rider triangle feels very similar to a Harley Sportster 883 or Indian Scout Sixty, but with less weight and a more compact feel. What you give up in high-end performance, you gain in maneuverability and confidence.
The tech package is intentionally minimal to fit the bobber experience, but still practical. You get:
•Tripper Navigation System
•USB charging port
•Slipper clutch
•ABS brakes
While having basic navigation is nice, I found the Tripper app unwieldy and not as user-friendly as it should be. Rather than using the tripper, I instead mounted my RAM Mount onto the bars. Also built into this system is the “Wingman” feature that’s accessible via the app. While I didn’t personally use the feature, Wingman seems genuinely helpful as it tracks location of the bike, fuel level, and oil health. It’s a nice bonus that most bikes in this price range don’t offer.
Oops. Just had to, if only for a few moments. Such a beautiful spot.
Highway Riding and Real-World Performance
The Shotgun 650 handles highway speeds well at 60–70 mph. It’s smooth, planted, and surprisingly comfortable in that range. After riding for more than an hour at 75 mph, my groin area started getting sore. That’s because the rider triangle requires you to grip the tank more aggressively at high speed due to the mid control placement.
Top speed is limited to 100 mph by a factory governor, which might bother some riders- but I rarely needed more than that even during spirited highway riding while passing. The Shotgun is the perfect example of it being more fun to ride a slow bike fast than a fast bike slow.
One thing worth noting: while the fuel tank looks big, it only holds 3.6 gallons and gets about 50 mpg based on my riding style. For comparison, my 2009 Kawasaki ER6n 650 (also a parallel twin) carries 4.1 gallons. I found myself stopping for gas more often than expected, but with how much I enjoyed riding the Shotgun, I didn’t really mind.
I have absolutely enjoyed this bike. I think you might too.
Final Verdict: Who Should Buy the Shotgun 650?
The Royal Enfield Shotgun 650 may not be for everyone. But if you want a bike that’s stylish, approachable, and won’t cost you a fortune, it’s one of the best new bikes for around $7,000.
It’s not as powerful or long-legged as some of its competitors, but the Shotgun 650 captures the soul of a bobber in a way that feels both nostalgic and modern. If you’re just getting into riding or are looking to simplify your motorcycle life, the Shotgun 650 is a smart choice.
What do you think? Would you ride a Shotgun 650? Have you owned one or something similar? Drop your thoughts in the comments below!
And if you want to follow more of my rides, reviews, and motorcycle life stories, find me on Instagram and YouTube.
Thanks for reading- Ride Life, biker bros!
Nathan “GenZ Biker” Baron
*For more on the Royal Enfield Shotgun 650, click here:
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