Royal Enfield Bullet 650

Nostalgia! I think that is the bedrock of motorcycles like the Royal Enfield Bullet 650. You see, in the motorcycling world, the ‘Bullet’ nameplate has been around for decades and is so steeped in history that reminiscing it would require a dedicated section on these pages. So, for the sake of brevity, we can leave the history lessons for another time as we get together and find out if the Bullet 650 lives up to the name it so proudly wears.

Motorcycles like the Buller 650 need to evoke emotions within you when you first look at it and my word does the bike do so with aplomb. There’s an undeniable amount of charm oozing from every metal body panel on this bike, and to say that it is visually arresting would be an understatement.

From the round LED headlight and bulky fuel tank to the triangular side panels and squared-off tail fender, the Bullet 650’s design is like an ode to the originals. Its long wheelbase contributes to the all important stance of the bike but there are other elements that lend to the attraction.

Take the hand-painted golden stripes on the fuel tank, for instance. These are beautifully executed and have that all important ‘human-touch' that adds a sense of connection which today's horridly fake AI World is getting increasingly devoid of. The chrome finish on the handlebar and switchgear, the gold-plated Bullet 650 emblem and the pea-shooter exhaust add to its period-correct looks.

It’s so good-looking that it wasn’t just me; half the office stood mesmerised by its looks. If I were the owner of the bike, I’d certainly be chuffed about the appreciative glances that it draws. Enough to make me overlook that blasphemy of Royal Enfield to have given the Bullet 650 a round LED tail light from the Classic 650 and not the rectangular tail light that’s part of the OG Bullet’s identity. Perhaps, an update somewhere down the line would fix this.

Otherwise, the design alone is going to win the hearts of the customer, enough to sign the cheque. And we haven’t even gotten to the mechanicals yet!

Complementing the visuals of the Bullet 650 is the familiar Royal Enfield parallel-twin that does duty in the rest of the RE 650 Twins range. It’s an ultra-sweet engine that has cemented itself as one of the best out there. Displacing 648cc, it develops 47bhp at 7,250rpm and 52.3Nm at 5,650rpm. It is paired with a smooth six-speed gearbox.

The chassis, meanwhile, comprises a steel tubular spine frame that’s suspended by a telescopic fork and twin shock absorbers. The bike rides on 19-inch front and 18-inch rear wire-spoke wheels shod with tubed tyres. I have a bone to pick about this, which I will get to towards the end of the review.

For now, there’s a decent amount of equipment aboard the Bullet 650. A Tripper Navigation system offers turn-by-turn navigation, there’s an LED headlight and tail light and the levers are adjustable. In fact, I like the fact that Royal Enfield hasn’t added too many modern-day features to corrupt the classic theme of the Bullet 650. And this extends to the ride experience as well.

The moment you are sat on the wide and accommodating seat of the Bullet 650, a sense of occasion takes over. The upright posture, relaxed reach to the handlebar and neutrally set footpegs put you in a riding position that feels authoritative. It makes you feel like you are in command and I guess that’s the ‘feel’ that many Bullet owners love about these bikes.

When you fire up the engine, it makes you smile, for this is one of the sweetest-sounding parallel twins out there. Yes, the famous ‘dug-dug’ sound of the Bullet is missing but it is wrong to expect it from a twin, no? So, while the purists may despise the sound, I think this engine has the character to befit the Bullet name. In fact, you can visit the BikeWale YouTube channel and listen to this engine while watching the review.

On the move, the power comes in linearly as the speedo needle sweeps to the right hand side of the dial. The Bullet is a 243kg motorcycle but the engine has enough grunt to get past 80-90kmph quickly. Even 100kmph isn’t difficult to maintain, and this is where the sweet spot lies. You can hold speeds beyond 100kmph on the highway and even sit at 120kmph if you will, however, the engine does feel a little strained at this point. One must remember that this 47bhp engine has to move an all metal bike that weighs as much as an adventure bike. The power-to-weight ratio comes into play here.

That said, I never needed to sit at those speeds because I absolutely enjoyed the feeling of trundling down the road at 80-90kmph on this bike. Mind you, I love fast motorcycles and have owned the KTM 790 Duke at one point in my life. But such was the charm and effect of riding the Bullet 650 at a relatively sedate pace that I loved it!

Complementing the sweet engine was the ride and handling package of the bike. Royal Enfield has been steadily improving the ride on their 650cc class bikes and the Bullet 650’s ability to soak bumps is markedly better than bikes like the Super Meteor 650. Part of the reason is also the plush seat that isolates your back side from some of the bumps.

And while the ride is good for the most part, it's the handling that truly stood out to me. Despite its size and weight, changing direction on this bike is easy and I had no issues with snaking through city traffic. High-speed stability is good and the motorcycle remains beautifully balanced while negotiating corners. The braking, too, is reassuring and I’ve no cause for complaints there.

What I do want to complain about is the tubed-tyres. I shudder at the thought of being stranded by the road, especially at an odd hour, with a nail that has ripped through the tube and left me with a flat tyre.The rigmarole of searching for a puncture wallah, convincing him to remove the tyre and repair the tube is something I don’t want to deal with.

In fact, given the shape of the exhaust pipes and their proximity to the rear axle nut, one will require undoing the exhaust end cans to get to the axle nut. I hope Royal Enfield finds a way to introduce tubeless wire-spoke rims and save customers all of this misery.

That issue aside, I think the Royal Enfield Bullet 650 is a lovely motorcycle. It brings the romance of riding motorcycles to the entire experience, and if I’m honest, most modern-day motorcycles struggle to offer that feeling.

The Bullet 650 is for those who love wafting down the road at a sedate pace and soak in the views. Or love to sit and stare at their motorcycle, glistening under the sun while they sip coffee at their favourite cafe.

It’s for these reasons that parting with Rs 3.64 lakh (ex-showroom) for the Bullet 650 may not feel like such a big deal.

Photography by Kapil Angane