Team-BHP 2-Wheeled Ride of the Year, 2018. EDIT: It's the Royal Enfield 650

//M · 17th December 2018, 10:41

Voted for the RE 650cc twins.

Quite simply, RE has played a masterstroke with these motorcycles. They have simply swept off everybody who were sitting on the fence for these 650cc twins, including even the hardcore RE haters. Wonderful piece of machinery at a fantastic price. I am totally head over heels over the Interceptor 650 after a brief test ride. RE has hit it out of the park, and how !

musclecar · 17th December 2018, 11:51

Well, Voted for the RE 650 twins but had a hard time choosing between Ather 450/340 and RE650 twins. Especially when both the vehicles have up the game for the segment and have surpassed the expectations.
Both these 2 wheelers would surely set the gold standards in their respective segments.

ashokrajagopal · 17th December 2018, 12:16

Voted for Ather twins.
In my humble opinion, the one smart thing RE did with the twins is priced it aggressively. Add 1L-1.5L to the price and the twins never would have gathered this momentum.

Ather in my opinion is a game changer for future. 5 years later, I am sure many are going to credit Ather to have set the ball rolling.

R-Six · 17th December 2018, 14:43

This time, it has to be the RE 650 Twins without a second thought. What a comeback from RE. Not just the pricing, but so far from the reviews, the quality and the refinement is top notch as well. After delivering such a product into the market, we just cannot think about any other motorcycle that can be called as the “Bike of the Year”.

With the launch, RE has put in a lot of pressure on these niche players who were charging a premium for their higher capacity motorcycle. The aftereffects of this can already be seen in the market in terms of discounts, price cuts and what not!!

AirbusCapt · 17th December 2018, 17:15

I voted for the RE 650 twins. I believe these bikes are the true turning point for Royal Enfield from a company which made shoddily built but good looking vintage replica to a bike company who has good engineering and designing skills to produce a beautiful product which can compete against the best in the world. These bikes may be the first amongst the many RE will churn out and for one I am really looking forward to the RE Thunderbird in 650 guise. We may get our own version of the Triumph America cruiser.
If I had one more vote, the honorable mention would be to Java Java, 42 and the Perak.

NiInJa · 17th December 2018, 17:18

Its the Royal Enfield twins all the way. I haven't got an opportunity to ride it, nor will I ever buy it in near future, but almost all reviews of these twins have been positive. What RE has shown is that a twin cylinder bike can still be affordable (In relative terms) and give a tough fight to the competition.

Royal Enfield has started a revolution of some sorts and others (read Bajaj, TVS and Mahindra) will have to fall in line and come up with some twin cylinder engines if they wish to stay relevant in market of above 2L Rupee bike.

CrAzY dRiVeR · 17th December 2018, 17:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by AirbusCapt

Perak.

Perak is only a concept at this point, and was just previewed at the launch event. Hopefully for a launch in 2019.

pkulkarni.2106 · 17th December 2018, 17:26

Looking at today's bikes, I feel they look too "common".
Hence I very much like the look and nostalgia brought back by the Jawa bikes.

My vote goes to the twins!

ramgkulkarni · 17th December 2018, 17:48

This has to be the most difficult poll of this year. COTY was cake walk related to this. The bike segment on the other hand has had a blast this year. It has been a great year with some legends making a re-entry and then some revolutionary products getting introduced. Its truly an amazing time to be a biker.

My decision was based on the following:

Choice 3: Ather motorcycles. It an unique experience. You are buying a motorcycle and its also like leasing with all the options. I loved the idea but the execution has been a little disappointing. But I really hope they sort it out and get things back on track.

Choice 2: Jawa and Jawa 42. Real handsome bikes with a rich history to entice new customers(obviously some from RE). All online reviews are positive and I really believe they are better bang for buck compared to RE 350 range. That 6 speed gearbox has me sold and the mojo engine really has a great note to it even before the jawa exhausts.

Choice 1: As many in this forum, I really think RE twins steal the show this year. I am an ex-RE owner who sold his monstrosity after 2 years. To believe this product to be coming from the same manufacturer just shows to go RE has made an effort. With the 650 segment, RE really needed to step up. Although RE is going to do some good numbers in this segment, it cant be same as the current 350s. Surely this is a niche product and RE has done its homework. I am really hopeful the Himalayan episode doesn't reoccur but I am giving them the thumbs up for all positive reviews. I hope to get the bikes in my stable someday if they are what everyone says they are!

narayans80 · 17th December 2018, 17:53

Voted for the Ather twins, for the first serious attempt into electric bikes.

GypsyKing_775 · 17th December 2018, 18:13

Well this was very easy for me!
Without any second thoughts voted for the RE 650 motorcycles

Rocky_Balboa · 17th December 2018, 18:39

Voted for the RE twins, because of the sheer impact they have had on the market!

typlo · 17th December 2018, 18:48

As much as I hate Royal Enfield and their ancient toys, I had to vote for the 650 twins. I was blown away by the reviews and how Royal Enfield managed to create not just a good Royal Enfield, but a great motorcycle by itself. The price to value factor is just too great to resist.

Looking forward to having one very soon in my garage.

Subby · 17th December 2018, 19:33

I voted for Kawasaki Z900RS. I love retro machines, and this is a superbly crafted retro-themed legend.

I know it is beyond reach of most of the connoisseurs, but it is a timeless beauty with all the modern technology in its arsenal. This machine is unlike any machines introduced this year, oozes out it exclusivity of powerful 4-cylinder engine with promise of superior handling and agility. It gets my vote!

CrAzY dRiVeR · 17th December 2018, 20:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by Subby

I voted for Kawasaki Z900RS. I love retro machines, and this is a superbly crafted retro-themed legend.

If it was priced at a slight premium to the Z900, I would have voted gladly - even with the wallet. Such a desirable combination of timeless looks and inline4 performance.

But then - not only is it a pricey CBU - Kawasaki doesn't seem to be aggressive about it, nor considers it even as much of a priority as the niche ZX6R which is getting local assembly soon.

View Poll Results: Your choice?
TVS Radeon	1	0.09%
TVS NTORQ	110	10.02%
Suzuki Burgman Street	17	1.55%
Honda X-Blade	9	0.82%
Hero Xtreme 200R	2	0.18%
Duke 125 ABS	8	0.73%
Yamaha R15	38	3.46%
Ather S350 and S450	98	8.93%
Jawa and Jawa Forty Two	168	15.30%
Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 and Interceptor INT 650	512	46.63%
BMW G 310 R and G 310 GS	24	2.19%
FB Mondial HPS 300	4	0.36%
Kawasaki Ninja 400	12	1.09%
SWM SuperDual T	2	0.18%
Suzuki GSX-S750	5	0.46%
Suzuki V-Strom 650XT ABS	17	1.55%
Ducati Scrambler 1100	7	0.64%
Triumph Bonneville Speedmaster	7	0.64%
Triumph Tiger 800	14	1.28%
BMW F 750 GS and BMW F 850 GS	5	0.46%
Kawasaki Z900RS	10	0.91%
Ducati Panigale V4	17	1.55%
Kawasaki H2 SX	2	0.18%
Norton Dominator and Commando	1	0.09%
Honda Goldwing	8	0.73%
Voters: 1098. You may not vote on this poll

17th December 2018, 10:41	#61
//M Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: New Delhi Posts: 6,201 Thanked: 22,920 Times	re: Team-BHP 2-Wheeled Ride of the Year, 2018. EDIT: It's the Royal Enfield 650 Voted for the RE 650cc twins. Quite simply, RE has played a masterstroke with these motorcycles. They have simply swept off everybody who were sitting on the fence for these 650cc twins, including even the hardcore RE haters. Wonderful piece of machinery at a fantastic price. I am totally head over heels over the Interceptor 650 after a brief test ride. RE has hit it out of the park, and how !
	(2) Thanks

17th December 2018, 11:51	#62
musclecar BHPian Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Pune Posts: 88 Thanked: 171 Times	re: Team-BHP 2-Wheeled Ride of the Year, 2018. EDIT: It's the Royal Enfield 650 Well, Voted for the RE 650 twins but had a hard time choosing between Ather 450/340 and RE650 twins. Especially when both the vehicles have up the game for the segment and have surpassed the expectations. Both these 2 wheelers would surely set the gold standards in their respective segments.
	(1) Thanks

17th December 2018, 12:16	#63
ashokrajagopal BHPian Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Bangalore Posts: 169 Thanked: 797 Times	re: Team-BHP 2-Wheeled Ride of the Year, 2018. EDIT: It's the Royal Enfield 650 Voted for Ather twins. In my humble opinion, the one smart thing RE did with the twins is priced it aggressively. Add 1L-1.5L to the price and the twins never would have gathered this momentum. Ather in my opinion is a game changer for future. 5 years later, I am sure many are going to credit Ather to have set the ball rolling.
	(5) Thanks

17th December 2018, 14:43	#64
R-Six BHPian Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Ahmedabad Posts: 658 Thanked: 1,717 Times	re: Team-BHP 2-Wheeled Ride of the Year, 2018. EDIT: It's the Royal Enfield 650 This time, it has to be the RE 650 Twins without a second thought. What a comeback from RE. Not just the pricing, but so far from the reviews, the quality and the refinement is top notch as well. After delivering such a product into the market, we just cannot think about any other motorcycle that can be called as the “Bike of the Year”. With the launch, RE has put in a lot of pressure on these niche players who were charging a premium for their higher capacity motorcycle. The aftereffects of this can already be seen in the market in terms of discounts, price cuts and what not!!
	(2) Thanks

17th December 2018, 17:15	#65
AirbusCapt BHPian Join Date: Nov 2018 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 575 Thanked: 2,792 Times	re: Team-BHP 2-Wheeled Ride of the Year, 2018. EDIT: It's the Royal Enfield 650 I voted for the RE 650 twins. I believe these bikes are the true turning point for Royal Enfield from a company which made shoddily built but good looking vintage replica to a bike company who has good engineering and designing skills to produce a beautiful product which can compete against the best in the world. These bikes may be the first amongst the many RE will churn out and for one I am really looking forward to the RE Thunderbird in 650 guise. We may get our own version of the Triumph America cruiser. If I had one more vote, the honorable mention would be to Java Java, 42 and the Perak.
	(1) Thanks

17th December 2018, 17:18	#66
NiInJa Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Pune Posts: 1,060 Thanked: 3,721 Times	re: Team-BHP 2-Wheeled Ride of the Year, 2018. EDIT: It's the Royal Enfield 650 Its the Royal Enfield twins all the way. I haven't got an opportunity to ride it, nor will I ever buy it in near future, but almost all reviews of these twins have been positive. What RE has shown is that a twin cylinder bike can still be affordable (In relative terms) and give a tough fight to the competition. Royal Enfield has started a revolution of some sorts and others (read Bajaj, TVS and Mahindra) will have to fall in line and come up with some twin cylinder engines if they wish to stay relevant in market of above 2L Rupee bike.
	(1) Thanks

17th December 2018, 17:26	#68
pkulkarni.2106 BHPian Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Pune Posts: 267 Thanked: 511 Times	re: Team-BHP 2-Wheeled Ride of the Year, 2018. EDIT: It's the Royal Enfield 650 Looking at today's bikes, I feel they look too "common". Hence I very much like the look and nostalgia brought back by the Jawa bikes. My vote goes to the twins!
	(2) Thanks

17th December 2018, 17:48	#69
ramgkulkarni BHPian Join Date: Jan 2017 Location: Bangalore Posts: 89 Thanked: 360 Times View My Garage	re: Team-BHP 2-Wheeled Ride of the Year, 2018. EDIT: It's the Royal Enfield 650 This has to be the most difficult poll of this year. COTY was cake walk related to this. The bike segment on the other hand has had a blast this year. It has been a great year with some legends making a re-entry and then some revolutionary products getting introduced. Its truly an amazing time to be a biker. My decision was based on the following: Choice 3: Ather motorcycles. It an unique experience. You are buying a motorcycle and its also like leasing with all the options. I loved the idea but the execution has been a little disappointing. But I really hope they sort it out and get things back on track. Choice 2: Jawa and Jawa 42. Real handsome bikes with a rich history to entice new customers(obviously some from RE). All online reviews are positive and I really believe they are better bang for buck compared to RE 350 range. That 6 speed gearbox has me sold and the mojo engine really has a great note to it even before the jawa exhausts. Choice 1: As many in this forum, I really think RE twins steal the show this year. I am an ex-RE owner who sold his monstrosity after 2 years. To believe this product to be coming from the same manufacturer just shows to go RE has made an effort. With the 650 segment, RE really needed to step up. Although RE is going to do some good numbers in this segment, it cant be same as the current 350s. Surely this is a niche product and RE has done its homework. I am really hopeful the Himalayan episode doesn't reoccur but I am giving them the thumbs up for all positive reviews. I hope to get the bikes in my stable someday if they are what everyone says they are!
	(1) Thanks

17th December 2018, 17:53	#70
narayans80 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Madras Posts: 3,112 Thanked: 4,523 Times	re: Team-BHP 2-Wheeled Ride of the Year, 2018. EDIT: It's the Royal Enfield 650 Voted for the Ather twins, for the first serious attempt into electric bikes.
	(1) Thanks

17th December 2018, 18:13	#71
GypsyKing_775 BHPian Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: Pune Posts: 46 Thanked: 44 Times	re: Team-BHP 2-Wheeled Ride of the Year, 2018. EDIT: It's the Royal Enfield 650 Well this was very easy for me! Without any second thoughts voted for the RE 650 motorcycles
	(1) Thanks

17th December 2018, 18:39	#72
Rocky_Balboa BHPian Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Namma Bengalooru Posts: 676 Thanked: 358 Times View My Garage	re: Team-BHP 2-Wheeled Ride of the Year, 2018. EDIT: It's the Royal Enfield 650 Voted for the RE twins, because of the sheer impact they have had on the market!
	(1) Thanks

17th December 2018, 18:48	#73
typlo BHPian Join Date: Jul 2016 Location: Delhi/Mysore Posts: 120 Thanked: 245 Times	re: Team-BHP 2-Wheeled Ride of the Year, 2018. EDIT: It's the Royal Enfield 650 As much as I hate Royal Enfield and their ancient toys, I had to vote for the 650 twins. I was blown away by the reviews and how Royal Enfield managed to create not just a good Royal Enfield, but a great motorcycle by itself. The price to value factor is just too great to resist. Looking forward to having one very soon in my garage.
	(1) Thanks

17th December 2018, 19:33	#74
Subby BHPian Join Date: Feb 2018 Location: Kolkata Posts: 100 Thanked: 164 Times	re: Team-BHP 2-Wheeled Ride of the Year, 2018. EDIT: It's the Royal Enfield 650 I voted for Kawasaki Z900RS. I love retro machines, and this is a superbly crafted retro-themed legend. I know it is beyond reach of most of the connoisseurs, but it is a timeless beauty with all the modern technology in its arsenal. This machine is unlike any machines introduced this year, oozes out it exclusivity of powerful 4-cylinder engine with promise of superior handling and agility. It gets my vote!
	(1) Thanks