Photography: Arvind Salhan
Made like a gun, goes like a Bullet! A phrase all Royal Enfield lovers know! We have the review of the new Bullet 350 running on car&bike. Now, it is time for the gun, the Shotgun! You see what I did there! So, you better say hello to my not-so-little friend, the all-new Royal Enfield Shotgun 650! Yes, this is the fourth motorcycle from Royal Enfield on its 650 cc parallel-twin engine platform. Unveiled barely a month ago, we finally rode it and got a taste of its firepower. So, here goes nothing!
Also Read: All-New Royal Enfield Shotgun 650 Unveiled
There is no doubt that the Shotgun 650 is a good-looking motorcycle
Royal Enfield refuses it to categorise as a cruiser, bobber or anything else! But it does carry the RE spirit in its design and shape. Adding to it are the nice alloys, a muscular stance, and the blacked out bits, particularly the twin pea-shooter exhausts.
The LED headlight is the same as the one on the Super Meteor 650
A round LED headlight encased in a retro nacelle, tear-drop shaped fuel tank, stripped back seat and low-slung stance and a chopped fender at the rear make for a distinct custom-inspired design.
Quite a muscular stance and silhouette on the Shotgun 650
Straight up, it is good-looking machine, the Shotgun 650. It screams rebellion and it is an outlier. The overall design is a blend of modern aesthetics and retro styling, and I definitely like the way it looks.
The features list includes a digi-analogue instrument cluster, with the Tripper navigation pod, but misses a USB charger
You also get dual-channel ABS but it ends at that. The Royal Enfield Shotgun 650 will be offered in four colour options - Stencil White, Plasma Blue, Green Drill and Sheetmetal Grey. Our test bike is done in stencil white.
Also Read: Royal Enfield Shotgun 650: Top 5 Highlights
The blacked out engine, with a gloss black engine cover looks really cool
The engine is the same as on the Super Meteor 650, a 648 cc parallel-twin engine that is air/oil-cooled and makes 46.39 bhp at 7,250 rpm of maximum power along with 52.3 Nm of peak torque at 5,650 rpm.
Smooth, engaging performance on the RE Shotgun 650
Riding the Shotgun 650, you get that all-familiar feeling of smoothness and refinement. The 650 cc parallel-twin engine is a thing of beauty. The rich, creamy, butter-smooth performance, along with dollops of torque available right across the rev range makes this motorcycle very entertaining and offers a nice riding experience. The rich vein of torque continues to shine through and makes overtaking a breeze.
Load of torque available right across the rev range
The 6-speed gearbox is smooth and the gears slot in nicely and the motorcycle can be ridden at sustained triple digit speeds for long, but then you will have to bear the windblast in all its entirety too.
The motorcycle isn’t a lightweight, with the scales tipping at 240 kg. After all, it does sit on the same platform as the Super Meteor 650. And you will feel the weight if you are backing out of a parking spot.
You may not feel the 240 kg kerb weight on the move, but the bike is heavy
What is slightly surprising is the fact that the motorcycle has a narrower handlebar than we had imagined, and it is positioned away from the rider. So, you have to reach out for the grips, unless you have really long arms. But then, people who like a sportier seating position, will find this to be a good fit.
The Shotgun 650 handles better than you would imagine
But with a low seat height of 795 mm, it doesn’t feel difficult to manoeuvre in traffic or at slow speeds. Overall, the motorcycle handles better than what you imagined it to be. And you will feel the engine heating up in traffic. In winter, it may feel good but on hot summer days, the engine heat will make you uncomfortable.
The stiff suspension will bother you over the ‘not-so-perfect’ Indian roads
The other spot of bother is the stiff suspension. With 120 mm of travel at the front and 90 mm at the rear, there isn’t enough purchase for big undulations. On broken roads, you will feel the suspension working overtime and it isn’t going to be a pleasant experience.
Big disc and 43 mm big piston USD fork on RE Shotgun 650
The motorcycle is built around the steel tubular-spine frame and is suspended on 43 mm big piston USD fork from Showa and gets twin shock absorbers at the rear. The suspension travel at the rear on the Shotgun is 11 mm lesser than that of the Super Meteor 650. The brakes on the Shotgun 650 are good too, with decent progression. The bite could have been a bit stronger though. Up front is a 320 mm disc and at the rear, the bike gets a 300 mm disc.
The pillion seat can be easily removed on the Shotgun 650
Now, Royal Enfield tells us that the Shotgun 650 could be ridden solo, with a pillion or it could be turned into a touring motorcycle with a single seat at the twist of a key. And we think the bike looks better without the pillion seat.
The twin pea-shooter exhausts look and sound nice
The prices of the Shotgun 650 are yet to be announced but we suspect it will be positioned between the Continental GT 650 and the Super Meteor 650, with prices starting at Rs. 3.30 lakh (ex-showroom).
We like the Stencil White colour scheme on the test bike
The shotgun is a weapon that may not be the most effective, but it does put the fear of God in you and while it may not look as sharp as an assault rifle, it definitely looks cooler when you see one getting loaded and fired. The Royal Enfield Shotgun 650 feels similar. It may not be the most practical 650 cc motorcycle out there but then, it does make a solid style statement.
The Royal Enfield Shotgun 650 is ideally for a solo rider and has oodles of attitude on offer
It gives off that sigma vibes and yes, riding solo, you will look quite good on this bike. Priced right and this could give the other 650s from Royal Enfield’s line-up a run for their money.
