[Hammer & Anvil]

Its been a week and few hundred km, of which 60 were on the super GMC/Goa University roads, and the balance '00s in Mumbai traffic, doing the diligent running in, old school types, varying rpm every so often.

First impression, its small for a 650. Amazingly compact. Small. All thru the test rides, I kept wondering- with my height, most, if not all, bikes are tall and big, so how is this feeling like a reduction photocopy of other 650s? More on this later.



Keeping Indian anthropometric data in mind, the seat height continues to be in the RE family range, 805mm- give or take a few mm. This makes it just right for almost all desi men, and allows a possible reduction by 10-odd mm for ladies to make this just physically right for the Indian populace.

The stance is a mild lean forward, when you get on it, and thats when it hits you- this is exactly like a RX-100 or a RD-350, depending on what you can remember from the mid-80s, in terms of height and lean and forward reach.



The single stab- and instant crank and no whirr-whine like the other REs that you could hear or dread- hearing the starter crank till the 'Bendix' withdrew from the spinning engine.

A cold bike starts with a 1800rpm idle till the cat-con heats up- I assume that is what it does to heat the catalytic convertor quickly to get to its operating temp, thereby starting to make a proper job of the emission control. My bike settles to about 1000, and its unobtrusive, unstrained and easy noise with a healthy engine almost reminiscent of old Japanese 750s, heavy bass filled engine but muted exhaust sounds. Not loud, but low grumble and some sounds like chains and gears from within that disappear the instant the hand touches the throttle and gives it that hair width twist. Light as a feather.

First gear engages with a positive note and there is this lack of vague lever feel, or the random play that my TB and Classic gear shifters have, that you keep pressing down on the gear lever, keep pressing- till it finally clunks into first- None of that here, just as slick as a gear on any european or Japanese bike. Just a tough ' boot, and click' kind of engagement.



When you release the clutch, all that 'idle, twist and watch it rev' becomes funnily meaningless as the seemingly free revving engine, now is not. It is purposeful, and it a torque machine. The bike moves with the climbing rpm meter needle, and I find that for the first time a generation of Indian riders will start to pay attention to the fact that 2400-2700 is the low end cruise rpm, and that when you want to hustle and move it, about 6500 is great news and for dragging the bike at traffic lights, you can upshift at 6000-6500 and that with a pillion, will really tell you how much of the torque is actually being put down on the road.

One can easily put down to 100 in just about 3rd.



Here is where the surprise set in, the brakes. Simply amazing bite- probably a combination of the rotor, pads and the Pirellis. Unlike the MRFs that come on the other REs and tires that last for 25000-35000km, these are suddenly a new 'item' and am sure I am going to find a bunch of riders riding the bike like a RX-100 on steroids. The brakes are simply something that is well engineered. I have not had the opportunity to ride fast and test the ABS, maybe after the running in I will. Least to say, the brakes +tires were good enough that whatever I could dare try on a new bike, the bike stopped within my expectation- much to my surprise. So thats taken care of, good.

If you hustle the bike, you can easily touch redline in 1st and 2nd- and make it move. And that brings me to the question of the size. Its almost the same size as the ER-6N and the Twin from Triumph- except that these, especially the Triumph seems to have a much much lower seat height making it a more comfortable ride than the RE650, as the seating posture is a RE Thunderbird type- as opposed to the Rx-100 lean forward.



So what have I not liked- and maybe that is the design which I will have to accept or work on, or simply replace.

The forward lean, and the flat bench seat. The handlebar needs a riser, or it needs a Harley SuperLow type, upswept, handlebar and the seat needs a step up for the pillion to make it comfortable for the pillion. So a slight dip for the rider in the seat, and good 25mm height raise for the pillion. This will prevent helmet-banging for my pillion and the rage that ensues later.
Riders footpegs- are these too out... or what? They are so annoyingly placed. How the hell did rider pants and jeans or trousers not snag in them at signals? Boot laces? There is something that is wrong with the placement of the riders footpeg. And what is more annoying is that not one journalist or reviewer talks about this? Was everyone 6' tall or they rode to Goa in Shorts? So when you ride the bike, be very careful of these obtrusive pegs, lest you snag your pants and have to really jiggle your ankles to free the pant/boot before you tip over.

Having dealt with these ergonomic issues, back to the bike and everytime you sense a feeling of calm, you will be between 3000 and 4000... everytime you feel your bottom is being moved, fast, you will be around 5000, and a feeling of power envelopes you at about 6000- 'now I have broken free and its time to shift.'



The bikes keeps asking for the next gear the minute you cross 3500, and unless you are racing someone, you feel- lets go to the next gear- except in 6th, when @3000 you would be a shade lesser than 80, @4000 you would be dot at 100 and then you have 2000 more clicks to see what you want to do
The wheel base dimensions and seating position, though almost identical to the ER6N- the bike is far far more nimble than the Kawasaki and the Triumph twin too. You can weave in traffic, and when at a signal light, you can win the 'Nokia Snake' game weaving around in 1st gear.

To cover the last point- 650cc, and oil cooled- so whats going to burn? The last two days and over 300+ km in city, from Powai to Currey Road, and in morning time Airoli and Mahape traffic, no heat to burn the ankles, calves, thighs- funnily at about 60-70kmph, there is warm draft of air that rises to the underside of the thighs.... its just warm. It not hot, its just there- and if you speed drops or rises, the draft is dissipated... so god knows how that works. But 300km hard core city traffic and we are doing fine.

Between some random refill and top ups, we have done 210km in about 7.5L in the city.... earlier greed to refuel got me 25, so I am guessing that the bike in city will settle around 25-26 and possibly about 27-29 on the highway. Whatever little open road I got to do, even with this 'running in' bogey in my mind, I still did occasionally touch 100 easy and I think that about 110-115 will be the easy spot for the bike.

Would it help reach Goa faster, yes, because the pickup is much better than stock RE bikes, the brakes are better so your sustained running will be better and therefore your average per hour, will be much better.

For the elders, many of whom are my friends now,and who worry about all the power- the sweet spot is 70kmph at a lazy 2750rpm- where the bike, the engine, the chassis, exhaust- no one seems to be doing anything. Its just a superb spot to plant your bike vitals and head to the hills. Make that the Aravalli hills.

___________________

Here is the Friday-Saturday update and with a few pointers from the powers that be.

The fuel economy- 230KM dot in 10L of city riding. That's the fuel economy. On highways, some steady 100kmph@4000 will probably get you about 26-27, and then spirited riding will get it down to 23 from experience, but that is speculative and a number to verify further down. The city average is what I can confirm this afternoon to you riders.

The straight line hold, as someone has asked below, is superb and the torque makes short work of the concrete/asphalt edges. The Himalayan has a 21" to get out of trouble, this one has a nice thick sidewall/good rubber and torque to push itself over these infernal edges.

The seat in all this riding felt hard and probably the top layer is soft, just enough that it feels very comfortable for the over 2 hour commute during office hours from Powai to Nariman Point. The step up will be needed for the pillion and the look a the GT Seat, well that's not enough. I have mentioned this earlier too, just reiterating.

They forgot an O ring on the side panel where it locks into the frame and the owners manual is missing. Therefore tire pressure is at best unknown. Amazing. But it's ok, as it would be too much to expect RE to get everything perfect. The bike is wonderful, so for a week this didnt bother me, but the rattle from somewhere, made me search and search till it located the missing 'O' ring and well, maybe in the first service i will get that sorted out.



I faced a few questions on heat. My suspicion is- lower compression ratio to ease out the stress on the engine and that coincides with the lower output numbers that had many wondering why this was just a little better than the Duke 390. So that's it, I guess for the heat. Large capacity oil tank for heat dissipation, oil cooler, large engine find for surface area cooling all in tandem help. Today's non-stop morning ride with the son as simply superb.



The son rode the bike for the first time and his comments were- 'the pick up is silky smooth, and the brakes are amazing. Straight line accelerating is very balanced and all the way from standstill to triple digit speeds, the bike feels unstrained and just calm.' Along with the long story I have written above you can either figure out the prose or in summary read the sons concise note.

Footpeg -ok, here is the grouse. See images. I am 5'4" and the son is 5'10" the mess is the location and design of the foot pegs and it's very very puzzling that not one of the test riders complained. Chalo, I leave it you to be careful of your inseam and shoe laces when you ride.



Bottom line, you cannot but come away from a test ride feeling, that RE has finally brought out a product that is a stunner. Ergonomics which can be fixed, aside, this bike has already brought down prices of other bikes. That should give you even more confidence that RE has actually got it right, first time, this time.

[Nilesh5417]

Thank you!! The first person account is so much more exciting to read. And you do have a way with words.

But your short review goes to prove RE did a great job engineering wise with the twins. A few ergonomic fixes hopefully as accessories or local jugad then makes this a really great 'big' tourer for everyone as RE wants it to be.

Am amazed by the lack of any real heat from the engine even in traffic. What has RE done that Triumph hasn't managed to?

[ACM]

How is on these aspects? (Vs Japs not old REs)

1) Straight line stability?
2) Tyres Width? Is it OK
3) Going across tar side roads to concrete center roads? Across the parallel to bike joint crevices.
4) Wind Blast due to high seating position and no protection?

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Congrats!

The first ownership report of the 650 twins on Team-Bhp, and surely many more would follow as well.

I had a great time with the bike and really loved what it offers at the price point. Wish I could purchase it - but that won't be happening! A good friend will be taking delivery of the same 'Orange Crush' version soon though - can't wait to try it once again, cruise down an open road without the worries of having to take mental notes.

[navin_v8]

KD mate congratulations on getting the RE i650. First hand review from the owner itself is very helpful for people looking to buy or those sitting on the fence for buying RE 650 twins, in this case the RE i650.

Among many one of the questions I wanted to ask you is about the torque band, meaning torque curve spread on various gears. Does it have FTC(Flat Torque Curve) like one can pull from speeds as low as 25-30 KMPH from 3rd or 4th or 5th gear without lugging the engine or riding the clutch? I read it somewhere that the bike has 80% of the torque available from 2500 RPM itself and that it can pull smoothly with minimal gear changes.

Also it will be really insightful to know the battery capacity of this motorcycle as I couldn't find it on RE's official website.

TIA and congrats again.

[Red Liner]

Originally Posted by navin_v8

Among many one of the questions I wanted to ask you is about the torque band, meaning torque curve spread on various gears. Does it have FTC(Flat Torque Curve) like one can pull from speeds as low as 25-30 KMPH from 3rd or 4th or 5th gear without lugging the engine or riding the clutch?

Why would anyone on any bike want to be that low a crawling speed on a motorcycle in that gear? I've never ridden bullets beyond a day (I couldn't stand it more), so maybe I'm missing something here.

We're not on a 4wd IDI tractor engine based Mahindra. It's a sweet revving parallel twin. Staying on the right gear at the right RPM is so much more fun!

PS: This bike almost does the 1st cog's work in 2nd in the little I rode it. So, the torque is great.

[navin_v8]

Originally Posted by Red Liner

Why would anyone on any bike want to be that low a crawling speed on a motorcycle in that gear? I've never ridden bullets beyond a day (I couldn't stand do it more), so maybe I'm missing something here.

Mate in short it is all about convenience, but I would like to enlighten you more. I have been riding them RE's old and new since ages. The original Bullet STD CI 350 designed by Tony Wilson Jones was made for Gt.Britain specifically London which is known for its narrow roads. These bikes were designed in a way to reduce gear changes due to narrow roads. This coupled with a heavy crank helped the engine retain its inertia and helped the rider roll on despite of being on higher gears at low speeds. I am not sure if you have heard of the term FTC (Flat Torque Curve), it is a feature and not something to frown at.

I just checked the specifications on RE's official website for RE i650 and it indeed says, "While offering a very usable 47 horsepower at 7250 RPM and maximum of 52 Nm torque at 5250 RPM, the secret of the new 650 Twin lies in the way the power is delivered. Seamless throughout the rev range, 80% of the maximum pulling power(torque) is available as low as 2500 RPM, so that the engine delivers smooth and rapid progress without the need for constant gear changes." I believe this has answered your question, "Why would anyone on any bike want to be that low a crawling speed on a motorcycle in that gear?" Because the Bike can do so by its inherent engine design, as simple as that mate.

I remember V12's thread on Kawasaki Z800 and TeamBhpian Sojogator clearly mentioning that the Z800 too has FTC and can build up speeds on top gear from as low as 30 KMPH to its top end. Also my Mitsubishi Lancer Petrol has a FTC and I can crawl from as low as 20 KMPH on 4th gear without stalling or lugging the engine. It is a feature the FTC and is also mentioned categorically in my Mitsubishi Lancer Owner's Manual. Same feature is there in Suzuki GS150R as well. The bike just doesn't stall or lug while riding as low as 25 kMPH on 4th gear, reason? FTC. There are many other motorcycles which do have FTC mate, it is a feature which enables the bike to do what it does without stalling and lugging.

We're not on a 4wd IDI tractor engine based Mahindra. Its a sweet revving parallel twin. Staying on the right gear at the right RPM is so much more fun!

Mate that's your riding style speaking and not everyone will relate to it like you do. See some of the threads on our wonderful forum about Mahindra Thar CRDe and people telling about why the CRDe doesn't have a punchy LET(Low End Torque) as the Mahindra Thar DI, many have even tried to work around to overcome this limitation on Thar CRDe. One can always "Staying on the right gear at the right RPM is so much more fun!" but if FTC is a feature then why not use it as well in addition to what is mentioned in " ". I like FTC as it is really helpful in city riding conditions. Forget parallel twin my Big Single 1963 and 1969 RE CI 350 have FTC, many parallel twins have FTC, some boxer twins have FTC, many triples have FTC, many inline 4's have FTC, many V4's have FTC, many Vtwins have FTC, etc.

PS: This bike almost does the 1st cog's work in 2nd in the little I rode it. So, the torque is great.

Nice to know that mate as my RE Tbird500 too has a similar torque curve.

[alpha1]

Originally Posted by Red Liner

Why would anyone on any bike want to be that low a crawling speed on a motorcycle in that gear? I've never ridden bullets beyond a day (I couldn't stand do it more), so maybe I'm missing something here.

We're not on a 4wd IDI tractor engine based Mahindra. Its a sweet revving parallel twin. Staying on the right gear at the right RPM is so much more fun!

PS: This bike almost does the 1st cog's work in 2nd in the little I rode it. So, the torque is great.

Adding to what Navin has written above, there are other factors too:
1) Lower rpm = proportionally lower fuel consumption
2) Lower rpm = more steady engine beat: many people like this sound over the high rev vrooom
3) Lower rpm = keeping the higher rpm free for overtaking.

[Red Liner]

Originally Posted by alpha1

Adding to what Navin has written above, there are other factors too:
1) Lower rpm = proportionally lower fuel consumption
2) Lower rpm = more steady engine beat: many people like this sound over the high rev vrooom
3) Lower rpm = keeping the higher rpm free for overtaking.

1. Lower rpm, higher gear is worse for your engine and you are probably slipping the clutch.
2. Steady engine beat? Have you heard this twin?
3. If you are at a lower rpm and a higher gear, your take off will be much slower, you HAVE to downshift to over take. At the right gear, you just twist and go.

The right gear at the right rpm is the right mantra. Or that doesn't apply to bullets? This twin is definitely not a bullet.

[bigron]

The right gear at the right rpm is indeed the mantra and there is no exception to this rule no matter what bike. It could be a 20 hp moped or a 200 hp pocket rocket.
Also, there is no such thing as keeping the rpm free for overtaking. You have to be in the right gear to over take. If you are not you will shift, twist and go. If you insist on holding your gear and wait for speed to build up so you can overtake, well that is not how you overtake.
Coming to fuel consumption, unless you are in the right gear at the right engine speed, you are just taxing the engine.
Coming to the 650 twin, the lower 4 gears are tall on this bike and the torque curve flattens in the mid range. This bike is tailor made for WOT in every gear and with just 47 hp its extremely effortless and fun.

[navin_v8]

Originally Posted by Red Liner

The right gear at the right rpm is the right mantra. Or that doesn't apply to bullets? This twin is definitely not a bullet.

Mate who said that the RE i650 is a Bullet. You need to read up about FTC which I clearly explained in my post about gearing and torque delivery.

Don't believe me, kindly go to RE official website and go through the specifications page in detail. The portion mentioned in bold is clearly mentioned there. They are not just my words but RE's w.r.t 650 twins and it has nothing to do with Bullet.

[GTO]

Thread moved from the Assembly Line to the Motorcycle Section. Thanks for sharing!

[Kosfactor]

Originally Posted by Red Liner

1. Lower rpm, higher gear is worse for your engine and you are probably slipping the clutch.
2. Steady engine beat? Have you heard this twin?
3. If you are at a lower rpm and a higher gear, your take off will be much slower, you HAVE to downshift to over take. At the right gear, you just twist and go.

The right gear at the right rpm is the right mantra. Or that doesn't apply to bullets? This twin is definitely not a bullet.

You are right, this 650 is definitely no cast iron bullet of the old times where in you could be in 4th gear at walking pace. The shape of this bike , the stance and the fact that it has an interceptor name means it is meant to be fun on the boil. (Relatively)

Low engine speeds and high gear was okay with old engines, the fuel injected engines do not like this. They will calculate load and increase fueling, which isn't ideal.

It is a lot more effortless to blip the throttle to overtake than having to down-shift , but you can't have everything I guess. Someone can test this out to see how that works on cruising gears.

[vikramvicky1984]

Thanks for the review. Really useful
Would request to keep updating on your experiences.
How are the accessories? Please share your experience

[ashwinprakas]

Originally Posted by navin_v8

Among many one of the questions I wanted to ask you is about the torque band, meaning torque curve spread on various gears. Does it have FTC(Flat Torque Curve) like one can pull from speeds as low as 25-30 KMPH from 3rd or 4th or 5th gear without lugging the engine or riding the clutch? I read it somewhere that the bike has 80% of the torque available from 2500 RPM itself and that it can pull smoothly with minimal gear changes.

More or less in effect considering that in the Dyno test done by Cycle World the motorcycle was putting down consistent torque at the rear wheel upto 4000 RPM and 5000 upwards it was aggressively spiking up to peak output.

Dyno Test

As for thumping at low speeds, remember the golden words, "Coasting Kills!"

Also it will be really insightful to know the battery capacity of this motorcycle as I couldn't find it on RE's official website.

Stock battery is 12V 8AH.