Royal Enfield Interceptor & Continental GT650: Waiting periods, delivery timelines revealed

Royal Enfield dealers across India are taking bookings for the recently launched twin cylinder engined Interceptor  650 and Continental GT 650 motorcycles. Sharp pricing has meant that the interest in both motorcycles has been  overwhelming, and enough to push waiting periods to 3 months. If you book today, expect to wait no less than 3 months for delivery of the Royal Enfield Interceptor and Continental GT.

As for delivery timelines, the first batch of Interceptors are expected to be delivered in January 2019 while  February 2019 will see the second batch getting delivered. Minimal deliveries could happen in December as well, but  most people who’ve already booked the motorcycles will get them in February. Test rides of the Interceptor 650 are  now available at most Royal Enfield dealerships while test rides of the Continental GT 650 will commence soon.

A good thing about the booking process for the Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 and Continental GT 650 is that it has  been centralized. Your bookings will directly go to the Royal Enfield factory with the dealer no longer having any  control over delivery timelines. This is expected to lower dealer interference with bookings and queue jumpers may  not longer be entertained thanks to the new, centralized system in place.

The Interceptor, whose prices start at as little as Rs. 2.34 lakhs in specific parts of India, is the least priced  twin cylinder engined motorcycle that money can buy in India. The Continental GT 650 is the next cheapest twin, with  prices starting from Rs. 2.49 lakhs. Both motorcycles use the same engines and mechanicals but styling and riding  postures are quite different.

While the Interceptor has an upright riding position, and is meant to be an everyday motorcycle for city streets and  highway rides, the Continental GT 650 has a sporty, cafe-racer styled riding position and is positioned at riders  seeking a retro motorcycle mainly for shorter rides. The Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 also has a slightly higher  tank range.

Both motorcycles are powered by a newly developed, 650cc parallel twin engine that gets a 270 degree firing angle.  The motor makes 47 Bhp-52 Nm, and features four valve heads, a single overhead camshaft, air-oil cooling and fuel  injection. Initial reviews of this motor suggest that it’s a very smooth, free revving unit, much unlike what most  Royal Enfield motors are. A 6 speed manual gearbox with slipper clutch is standard, and both the bikes are capable of  hitting speeds in excess of 160 Kmph. The 0-100 Kmph run is dispatched in under 7 seconds, making them extremely fast motorcycles for Indian roads.