[Viju]

I for one am quite happy to see that they put in some effort to design and develop a lot of new parts - especially a new chassis after 50+ years. These new cycle parts should go a long way in taking the handling of the bike a few notches above what we are used to on REs. One look at the bike and one wouldn't see too many parts being shared with the rest of the Royal Enfield range.

If the motor puts out a good amount of usable power, and is reliable (since these bikes are not going to be babied around), it should sell well. Of course, the price will be a big question mark since they seem to have spent a good amount on developing this particular model. Good luck to RE.

The day they come with a 50+ BHP twin, I will consider going back to the RE fold.

[apachelongbow]

Originally Posted by Viju

I for one am quite happy to see that they put in some effort to design and develop a lot of new parts - especially a new chassis after 50+ years. These new cycle parts should go a long way in taking the handling of the bike a few notches above what we are used to on REs. One look at the bike and one wouldn't see too many parts being shared with the rest of the Royal Enfield range.

If the motor puts out a good amount of usable power, and is reliable (since these bikes are not going to be babied around), it should sell well. Of course, the price will be a big question mark since they seem to have spent a good amount on developing this particular model. Good luck to RE.

The day they come with a 50+ BHP twin, I will consider going back to the RE fold.

They had to move on with the times so no surprises there on a new double cradle chassis. Motor is reputed to put out 38bhp!!! which should produce performance on par with the 250cc twins, however the reputed weight of 180kgs might blunt it a little.
Selling well is 100%, for the past 2 years every product from RE has been lapped up like crazy, have you not heard of the 8 month plus waiting period for almost all models now?
TB500 is presently the best RE bike ever and I do hope this GT will top it. Kudos to RE for moving rapidly in the right direction.
I believe they are working on a parallel twin (not a V twin), and long time back RE did have a 750cc parallel twin, if they do get it out, it just might be India's answer to the Triumph

[jkdas]

http://motoroids.com/news/2014-royal...spotted-again/ again spotted?

It is being said that the 2014 Royal Enfield Continental GT 535 aka Royal Enfield Cafe Racer 535, which will be a logical successor to the GT250, will be launched in India in last quarter of 2013.

Hope its lighter and can do 150plus and all this for 2lacs.

[ansu]

Spotted near outskirts of chennai,while riding my TBTS from Bangalore to Chennai.

[aruncheloor]

This one looks like the production version with mudflaps,mirrors etc. Dont you people think the front fork travel is on the lower side. I think it will bottom out easily at potholes.

[jkdas]

Great! Thanks ansu.
Looks built pretty good! Did you talk to the rider?

Wish the silencer was a bit more classy/macho?

[ku69rd]

Where did the Ohlins rear shocks go?

[JayPrashanth]

To cut costs, they're replaced by Paioli units. Think they're made a certain factory in Pirangut, off Pune.

Cheers,

Jay

[bivin]

will be interesting to see how relevant this is gonna be against the likes of the Duke 390. Pricing must be crucial, although i dont see how it will be priced below 2L, considering the significant changes.. theyre obviously trying reach a wider audience from this launch, and i have a feeling this was originally designed with the foreign market in mind instead of the Indian market alone, where the cafe racer scene is quite established.. easily the prettiest bike made on Indian soil by far IMO..

[Magnaspectre]

I second that, the Enfield Cafe racer is a thing of beauty. Hope it does have the poke to match. If priced sensibly, between 2- 2.3L it will be a mouthwatering prospect for all bike lovers. (It will attract a far greater market than the traditional RE Bulletwalas).

[ansu]

Originally Posted by jkdas

Great! Thanks ansu.
Looks built pretty good! Did you talk to the rider?

Wish the silencer was a bit more classy/macho?

Hi Das ,
Talked with rider and enquired about the price.
The price told was exactly 2 lakhs and the rider is from Royal enfield .

[voodoochild]

Back in April of this year, I'd seen this bike with the same red TN plates (possibly the same rider as well) under the Electronic City elevated road in Bangalore. It was right in front of my car for about a kilometer before I had to turn off. Did anyone else spot it around this time?

Its about time that RE stepped up to the plate with something new. Although an ECU remap and lighter flywheel aren't really massive development strides, they've atleast shuffled their feet a bit. The flashback to 1965 will probably work in their favour. But now, how many decades till we have a nice beefy parallel twin?

Cheers,
Rahul

[ebonho]

Does anyone have the performance figures for this bike? Especially the top end?

I just do not get RE pricing man.

First the LBs jumping 30-40K over the Standards?

Why? New 5 speed gearbox and new engine we are told. OK very good. So must be really much faster we ask? Ya of course we are told - bike rips man. Does a cool 125 kmph tops. Huh but the Standard does 120 stock man we wonder.

Ok there is a lot of chrome and gas shocks too, so stopcribing.

Then the UCEs come along. Again the prices jump by 30-40K. Wow we wonder. Must be a techno marvel this time (salivating through long atrophied glands). Gear box inside engine - wow! we say. Less transmission losses so more of that mythical bhp and torque actually makes it to the rear wheel.

Yummy so far. Hydraulic tappets and pushrods. And fatter fork tubes finally after 50+ years. Man we are now really rocking! So whats the top speed we wonder. Does it at least now go past 140? No, but close we are told. Official top end is now a whopping 130. Whoodeeeeedooooo!

Ok so a new generation of rider buys into the Bullet dream, and the "Classics" (bicycle spring saddles man!) start moving off the showroom floors nearly as fast as the bike's top end.

The comes a fancy matte paint job, followed closely by another model dipped in a chrome tub. Resultant cost hike another 20K. Man!

Then comes the TB 500. Cool rider. Modified foot pegs. Bigger tank. Fancy grab rail. And projector headlamp. All for now only 30K more saar!

But does it go any faster saaar we ask hopefully, imploring with our eyes, as the vacuum in our back pocket pulls us earthwards? Errr, not really ......

So now that brings us to this Cafe Racer. Another 20K being asked for by the looks of it. Different tank, shocks, shorter fork, cradle frame, and solo saddle, with clip ons and rear sets.

But does it go faster saaaaaaar (voice very feeble, saliva long since dried up)?

Wait and see .......

[enfield_500]

well then what do you think are fair prices for the Classics, Thunderbirds, and this new cafe racer?

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by enfield_500

well then what do you think are fair prices for the Classics, Thunderbirds, and this new cafe racer?

The market decides the fair prices. I am not part of this market anymore.

I bought my last Bullet for 1.5 lacs and felt thoroughly cheated.

So much so that I sold that Bullet for 1.4 lacs 3 months later. That was 10K well spent though.