Royal Enfield GT-R650 Cup Race Bike: An Experience

It’s a third-gear blind-right. Committing to it without a clear line of sight is scary. However, if one waits to see where it’s headed before committing to the corner, the entry will be ruined. It will be too slow, and the racing line would be all wrong. 

But that’s not all. As soon as one makes the right, there’s a crest on the road. And one takes it at an angle. And that, is never a good thing when it must be done with the throttle wrung to the stops. And if one doesn’t give it all, there’s no point; it would be akin to a lazy Sunday ride.

Now, if you also happen to do this on a motorcycle that’s almost 200kg in stock trim with suspension and tyres meant and designed for road rather than the track, it can be a hairy experience. It’s good then that the Royal Enfield GT 650 I am riding at the Kari Motor SpeedWay isn’t stock. It’s got a whole bunch of race-worthy tweaks. And it’s also lost some weight. 

Before we tell you how this race bike is to ride at the hands of a non-racer, we thought we’ll give you a low-down on the changes first.

Nothing serious has changed in the powertrain. The engine is stock. The gearbox is stock. And no changes have been made to the wheel sizes either. The GT Cup bike does however get a less restricted intake via a performance air filter. It also runs a smaller front sprocket to shorten the overall gearing so that one can use all six-gears on what is still a pretty tight track. And though the wheels are 18 inches, these now run significantly grippier tyres than what’s available on the stock motorcycle.

The bigger changes include a race-ready full exhaust system. It’s lighter, and it’s given the GT a significant performance boost. The front suspension uses thicker fork oil, the Tee sits lower, and it also comes with preload adjustment. The rear meanwhile uses stiffer springs. 

The race bike has a nice looking front fairing too. The seating triangle has become more aggressive courtesy of clip-on handle bars that sit significantly lower on the forks now, and the rider footpegs have also moved further back, and up. And finally, the GT Cup bike runs the touring seat from RE’s accessory catalogue, because, if one must race, one might as well do it in comfort! 

I am not fit. Or flexible. Physically that is. That’s the first thing that crosses my mind as I get on the GT Cup bike. The riding position is a bit too extreme for me. The clip-ons are too low and the footpegs, too high! I am whimpering with a cramp even before I have fired up the motorcycle. 

Having nursed my thigh for a couple of minutes, I finally venture out. The good news is, corners three, four and five have been left unchanged from the old layout at Kari. So, I can concentrate on getting to know the GT better instead of worrying about which way the track is headed.

Now, the GT might have lost nearly 25kg, but it’s still not a light bike. It still runs 18-inch wheels. And, it still has its weight centred upfront. So, it still requires progressive but firm inputs to get it to flip-flop from side to side. But, the changes in suspension - not to mention the grippy tyres - make the race bike less bendy, more accurate, and more predictable. And therefore, it feels friendly and inviting; at least at my riding pace.

Soon we are on the back straight. And it’s almost unsettling how quickly the GT Cup race bike revs now. I am hitting the rev limiter in every gear. I don’t want to, but the vibrations or engine note don’t change significantly as one nears the redline to act as a pointer for upshifts. And I can’t possibly keep one eye on the rev counter and the other on the track to keep me from going off.

It is especially challenging when exiting second- and third-gear corners. I get on the throttle at the apex, and even before I can pick up the bike properly, I am hitting the limiter. It is unnerving. And a bit demanding. 

So, I pick a gear higher than ideal through the next set of corners. For the pace I am running, it works out beautifully. That’s the joy of having a torquey motorcycle; you just roll on the throttle and it pulls you along seamlessly as if you were nailing the corners! Sure, I am losing a few tenths (more like a couple of full seconds) per corner, but at least I am not rushed. 

And then things begin to flow.

Coming down the main straight, I short-shift to hit sixth before my braking marker. Braking done, a firm nudge on the left clip-on, and I am through the super tight C1. Another push on the right hand bar, and once I am clear of the tyre wall, I pin the throttle. The GT feels planted, sounds fantastic, and is thoroughly enjoyable. 

Having negotiated the next set of corners I am now staring down the back straight once again. I brake hard into the tight left into an opening right, and the GT continues to impress. The tyres are brilliant, brimming with feel and grip. So much so that it allows me to scrape the exhaust pipe on a couple of occassions. Not because I am riding at an insane pace, but to compensate for my tiny mistakes as I correct my line mid-corner.

Next up, it’s the third-gear blind-right. I commit to it without a clear line of sight. It is still scary. But, if I wait to see where it’s headed before committing, my entry will be ruined. It will be too slow, and the racing line would be all wrong. That’s not all. As soon as I make the right, there’s a crest on the road. And I take it at an angle. Now generally this won’t be a good idea. But, with the GT nicely damped, it just rides over it without a nary shake or weave. And I go over it with the throttle wrung to the stops. 

But, I get my braking wrong for the next; a never-ending right hander. I run wide at entry. But that’s the lovely thing about the GT Cup bike - and its tyres and suspension - it allows me to come back in without a hint of drama. Grip and feel flowing through unabated, giving me confidence to lean it down to its exhaust once again as I tighten the line. 

I make the final left. As I straighten up for the start-finish straight, I am greeted to a magnificent view. The sun is setting, going down at the end of the main straight. It’s a sight to behold with the orange glow and the soft shadows. And it’s the perfect end to my riding session. 

The last couple of laps have been serene, elating, and near bliss. Yes, the GT Cup isn’t your run-of-the-mill, high-strung, demanding, take-it-by-the-scruff-of-the-neck traditional race bike. But for my skill levels, and riding pace, it felt just right.