Rajputana Customs’ Vigilante 650 is a beautifully customized Royal Enfield Continental GT 650

Jaipur-based Rajputana Customs – known for their custom-built motorcycles mainly based on Royal Enfields – have modified the Continental GT650 into a racier looking machine. Called the Vigilante 650, the modified Royal Enfield Continental GT650 gets slick tyres, and LED headlamp, a half fairing, upside down front forks, a  shortened seat, monoshock rear suspension, glossy grey paint, blacked out engine, custom exhaust mufflers, and finally twin disc brakes at front. Overall, the customized motorcycle does have a delectable form factor but the focus seems not just on looks but also onl function; on the way the various customized bits come together to give the motorcycle much better performance.

Images courtesy MalhaarChaturvedi

The Royal Enfield Continental GT650 is the only affordable cafe racer styled motorcycle on sale in India, and was launched late last year. It’s Royal Enfield’s  flagship offering globally, and in India it costs less than one fifth of the next least priced cafe racer, the Triumph Thruxton 1200. The Continental GT is powered by Royal Enfield’s newly developed 647cc, 4 stroke air-oil cooled parallel twin engine that makes 47 Bhp of peak power and 52 Nm of peak torque.

While the numbers may not seem very impressive, the motor has managed to impress almost everyone, with its smooth, linear power delivery, strong low and mid range, and a beautiful exhaust note thanks to a 270 degree crank firing angle. The newly developed motor operates with four valve heads run by a single, overhead camshaft, and fuel injection is standard. The motor is paired to a 6 speed manual gearbox that gets a slipper clutch as standard.

While the Continental GT 650 shares its mechanicals, including the telescopic front forks, gas charged twin rear shock absorbers, dual channel ABS equipped disc brakes on both wheels and also the aluminium rims, with the Interceptor 650, the ergonomics and styling are different. The Interceptor 650 is an easier riding street bike while the Continental GT650 offers a focused, sporty riding position thanks to rear set footpegs and clip-on handlebars. The bike also gets different paint schemes as another differentiating factor between it and the Interceptor, and only the all-chrome version is similar to the latter. While the Interceptor has cornered 70 % of sales, the Continental GT is steadily creating its own niche.

Royal Enfield has big plans for the 650cc engine platform. In future, this motor could make it to other Royal Enfield motorcycles such as the Himalayan, Classic and Thunderbird. In that sense, the 650 twins are among the most important launches for the once-British-owned-now-Indian retro motorcycle brand. emand has been high for both the Interceptor and Continental GT 650, and Royal Enfield is all set to double production in order to meet deman