Royal Enfield unveils all-new 650cc engine

The all-new 650cc parallel-twin engine develops 47bhp and 52Nm of torque. The first motorcycle to get the new engine will be unveiled at 2017 Milan Motor Show on November 7. 

Putting an end to all the speculations, Royal Enfield has finally unveiled its all-new 650cc engine. The new powertrain, which is dubbed the “first modern twin-cylinder engine by Royal Enfield” was revealed at the firm's new Technology Centre in Leicestershire in the UK.

Royal Enfield’s new engine will power the company’s newest generation motorcycles – first of which will be revealed at the Milan Motor Show on November 7. Coming back to the engine, Royal Enfield says that the idea behind developing the new twin-engine was to develop a global platform for its new products. As a result, the engine is said to have the right balance of power, torque and usability. The focus here is to have a powerful engine that’s not intimidating to new riders and also has ample grunt for experienced riders, especially in European markets. 

The new powertrain is a 4-stroke, air-cooled 648cc parallel-twin engine with SOHC arrangement. Power output stands at 47bhp @ 7,100rpm and peak torque is 52Nm @4,000rpm.The engine has a compression ratio of 9.5:1. According to Royal Enfield, it’s engineered to accelerate and deliver high power and torque at lower revs so that it’s suited to urban environments as well as fast highways.The crankshaft uses a 270-degree firing order, which gives a high degree of character to the engine’s power delivery, claims the company. The engine also has a balancer shaft to eliminate unwanted vibrations.

The first motorcycle that will get the new engine is reportedly going to be called the Interceptor. The engine will be mated to a six-speed gearbox in the new bike. Covers will come off it at the Milan Show in just over a day's time. As per Royal Enfield, the entire platform, including the engine and chassis have undergone rigorous testing during the development programme that included lab and bench tests, in addition to real-world testing on race tracks and public roads. Now, all we can do now is wait for the Royal Enfield's new product until November 7 and see if it lives up to the claim...