Royal Enfield 650cc Bobber based on Interceptor: What it could look like

A week ago, Royal Enfield wowed bike buyers in India with the pricing of the Interceptor and Continental GT 650 twins. A day later, Jawa came in with three new motorcycles, one of them a bobber. All three new Jawa motorcycles are aimed straight at the Royal Enfield range of retro motorcycles.

Also, Jawa has introduced the least priced Bobber motorcycle of India in the form of Perak, which carries a price tag of Rs. 1.89 lakhs. Can Royal Enfield be far behind? We don’t think so, and this brings us to a render that shows what a Royal Enfield Interceptor-based Bobber could look like.

The Royal Enfield Bobber render retains the front end of the Interceptor 650 while the rear is where all the action is. While the Interceptor features twin gas charged shock absorbers, the Bobber goes in for monoshock unit for a much cleaner look at the rear of the motorcycle.

The swing arm seems to have been extended, with a corresponding increase in wheelbase while the side boxes also get a more streamlined design. A fatter rear tyre and a ‘floating’ single seat are the other key changes, which give the motorcycle a typical Bobber look.

It won’t be difficult for Royal Enfield to produce such a motorcycle if it wants to as most parts are shared with the Interceptor 650. Maybe the company can even do a big bore version of the 650cc engine to position the Bobber at a significant premium, just like Jawa has done by boring out the Perak’s engine to 334cc.

If the Interceptor’s stock motor makes it to the Royal Enfield Bobber, the motorcycle will have a 647cc, parallel twin engine powering it. This newly developed motor is quite modern – for a Royal Enfield. It makes 47 Bhp and 52 Nm, and can rev to over 7,000 rpm.

This is because it’s got overhead camshafts and a four valve head, in a major departure from pushrod equipped engines that Royal Enfield has been churning out for decades. The motor also features an oil cooler, fuel injection and a 270 degree crank shaft. It’s paired toa 6 speed manual gearbox with slipper clutch as standard.

Currently, the ‘Bobber’ scene in India is in its infancy. Triumph has one based on the Bonneville, which is priced at over Rs. 10 lakhs. The Jawa Perak is the latest upstart, and is priced at just Rs. 1.89 lakhs. However, the first deliveries of the Perak will happen only later next year. So, even if Royal Enfield builds a Bobber based on the Interceptor 650, don’t expect the motorcycle to arrive anytime before 2020 as the automaker has its hands full with the 650 twins for now.

Via GaadiWaadi