2025-on Royal Enfield Classic 650 review | Classy neo-classic cruiser harks back to the ‘50s

The chassis kit on the Classic 650 appears a little archaic, but the suspension is modern Showa kit at both ends. Hidden under the olde-worlde front fork shrouds is a perfectly serviceable set of 43mm RWU forks, matched to a pair of understated rear shocks which feature preload adjuster collars (the only adjustment).

Both ends are a bit on the soft side, with the emphasis on cruising comfort – as you’d expect. Riding on the bumpy back roads between the Beamish Museum and our lunch stop at Appleby-in-Westmoreland, you occasionally got bounced out of the seat, but once you adjust to the lively nature, you can make decent progress.

The wide bars give good control, and the riding position is comfy enough, though I got a funny ache in my inner thighs at the end of the day – something about the way you brace yourself under acceleration and braking seems to use unusual muscle groups.

The Classic’s main handling limits are down to two things: the ground clearance, which sees the mid-set footpegs decking out fairly early-on, and the brakes. The single front disc with its twin-piston sliding caliper is a bit marginal, despite the 320mm diameter disc, and needs a big old handful if you want to stop in a hurry. A second disc would be a definite improvement – I know most folk will be riding the Classic in a steady fashion, but I reckon every type of road bike deserves to have brakes with decent power.

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The final qualification is the tyres. When Enfield launched the 650 twins, it went for Pirelli rubber, which was a great choice. The Classic, though, comes with ‘Nylohigh’ tyres, from the Madras Rubber Factory (MRF). MRF’s a massive Indian firm that sells millions of car, truck, plane and tractor tyres – and also has a strong car racing heritage – so I imagine it knows what it’s doing.

It’s the first time I’ve come across its bike tyres though, and while they worked well on this launch, with more than enough grip for the power, braking and cornering performance, we only rode the Classic in warm, dry, sunny conditions. I’ll wait to pass judgement on their performance in the wet and cold – and I’d probably be happier to see a fitment from a more established mainstream bike brand like the Pirellis used on previous models.

Royal Enfield played a blinder when it introduced the 650 twin cylinder engine back in 2018. And if you’ve ridden the motor  in any of the various Interceptor, Continental GT, Super Meteor or Shotgun models released since, then you’ll know what it’s like here, because nothing’s really changed. It’s still a pleasing motor, with a nice offbeat sound from its 270° crankshaft, clean fuelling and smooth power delivery.

It’s also still fairly flat, with its modest 46bhp stymied further by the Classic 650 Twin’s mass (243kg wet). This has both good and bad effects: if you’re trying to go fast then it’s actually quite engaging, because you have to extract every last fraction of performance you can.

Mistiming a gearchange, or hesitating to get on the gas out of a bend will put a big dent in your momentum, which is awkward when following a mate on a faster bike, or (as today) trying to keep up with an Enfield development rider on tricky backroads he’s been riding for a week and knows inside out. On the twisty B roads through the Pennines, the Classic is actually a load of fun, with the added bonus that you’re never going outrageously fast, either for the sake of your licence or for the local sheep which pop out when they fancy round here.

On the downside, if you want to overtake a briskly-driven car then there’s no real excess of grunt to do so cleanly. A few times on the test ride I had to think carefully about a pass which would have been mundane on most other 600cc+ machinery.

That paucity of drive is also a burden if you find yourself on a faster road like the A66 or A1 dual carriageways: there’s enough performance to hang with the traffic, but little in reserve. I saw 85mph after a bit of a run up, tucked in, with a bit more to come, but this is no Autobahn stormer. That’s no surprise of course – and for many owners the Classic has all the power they’ll want and need. But more than six years on from its launch, I’m a little sad that Royal Enfield hasn’t tried to get a little more go out of an engine that appears to have plenty of potential.

The first thing that struck me on the launch was how good-looking the test bikes were. The deep shiny paintwork, thick anodised metalwork, mirror-like chrome plating and bright engine covers all look superb, with quality on par with much pricier brands.

Of course, launch bikes are often pre-production machines, and these machines have obviously been carefully prepared. And it remains to be seen how this high-quality finish stands up to the various tests of time and British weather conditions. On first impressions though, the Classic 650 Twin looks like a really well-turned-out piece of kit – it’s definitely a bike you could take a pride in.

In these days of £20k+ adventure tourers, the Royal Enfield price list is a genuine breath of fresh air. The Classic 650 starts at just £6,499 for the more basic paint finishes, rising to £6,799 for the black chrome colour scheme. It’s a great price for such a handsome machine – and you’ll not break the bank with running costs either: expect an easy 60mpg when cruising, low service costs and minimal expenditure on consumables like tyres, brakes and chains.

Royal Enfield Classic 650 rivals

Triumph Speed 400  £5,195

Okay, it’s much smaller than the 650, and has a less extreme retro style. But the little Speed 400 is only 7bhp down on the Classic 650, and is a wild 73kg lighter. It’s the 2024 MCN bike of the year too, and selling like hot cakes: a definite option.

BSA Gold Star £6,499

Only a single cylinder engine, but the modern Gold Star 650 makes the same power, has broadly similar styling and is 42kg lighter than the Classic. BSA’s also suffering from low sales after an initial high, so there are big discounts out there at the moment (autumn 2024).

Harley-Davidson Nightster £13,295

We’re really stretching it here: the cheapest Harley is more than double the price of the Classic 650 Twin, makes nearly double the power and is 20kg lighter. But if you want an alternative heritage-style roadster with premium finish then it’s perhaps a choice to consider…

If you’re looking for a massive widescreen HD colour LCD dashboard and heaps of luxury electronics, then you’ve come to the wrong shop my friend. But the Classic 650 has a perfectly decent set of clocks: a large analogue speedometer dial with idiot lights within, and a pair of smaller LCD panels below: one with a fuel gauge, gear indicator and trips and one with a clear digital clock that also displays the firm’s Tripper navigation setup. The dash is laid out in a very stylish fashion, including a neat ignition switch on top of the headlamp nacelle.

In terms of electronics, you get the statutory ABS, and not much else. There’s a modern USB-C charging port on the bars, Enfield’s Tripper navigation app display and the lighting is all-LED. But there’s no traction control or rider modes (not that they’re really needed here).

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Royal Enfield does a decent range of aftermarket accessories, which are nicely designed and well-priced. There’s a range of dual and single seat options, rear rack, touring screens and various luggage options on the way for the Classic 650 Twin.