On December 12, 2023, Royal Enfield officially revealed the production Shotgun 650 to the world. Following hot on the heels of the limited edition Motoverse bike, here are all the details of the bike that will become available at Royal Enfield dealers worldwide in 2024.
While it takes the tried-and-true 650cc parallel twin engine that was first introduced in the Continental GT 650 and Interceptor 650 as its heart, and it also uses the same frame as the Super Meteor 650, there are more than just superficial differences that set the Shotgun 650 apart. With this bike, it's all about the details.
The Engine
The new Royal Enfield Shotgun 650 is powered by a 648cc liquid-cooled parallel twin that produces a claimed 46.3 horsepower at 7,250 rpm and 52.3 newton-meters (or 38.5 pound-feet) of torque at 5,650 rpm. It's mated to a six-speed gearbox. So far, this should all sound familiar if you know previous 650 Twin-powered Enfields.
Dimensions
Here's where you'll see some changes. The Shotgun 650 has a shorter wheelbase, greater ground clearance, and a very slight drop in curb weight as compared to the Super Meteor 650.
We'll lay the dimensions out side-by-side so you can start to visualize the difference in your head. As you'll soon see, none of these things are the same when you look at them side-by-side.
Royal Enfield Shotgun 650 | Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650 | |
Wheelbase | 1,465mm (about 57.6 inches) | 1,500mm (about 59 inches) |
Ground clearance | 140mm (about 5.5 inches) | 135mm (about 5.3 inches) |
Length | 2,220mm (about 87.4 inches) | 2,260mm (about 88.98 inches) |
Width | 820mm (about 32.2 inches) | 890mm (about 35 inches) |
Height | 1,105mm (about 43.5 inches) | 1,155mm (about 45.5 inches) |
Seat height | 795mm (about 31.2 inches) | 740mm (about 29.1 inches) |
Rake and trail | 25.3 degrees and 101.4mm (about 4.09 inches) | 27.6 degrees and 119.38mm (about 4.7 inches) |
Fuel capacity | 13.8 liters (about 3.6 gallons) | 15.7 liters (about 4.15 gallons) |
Curb weight | 240 kilograms (about 529 pounds) | 241 kilograms (about 531.3 pounds) |
Suspension, Wheels, and Brakes
Royal Enfield's team of designers and engineers worked together to reconsider how to give the Shotgun a distinct personality of its own. Playing with suspension characteristics can undoubtedly impact how a bike feels to ride.
The Shotgun 650 rides on an 18-inch front wheel and a 17-inch rear (contrast and compare to the 19-inch front and 16-inch rear found on the Super Meteor 650). While the Shotgun 650 also gets a set of upside-down 43mm Showa Big Piston Forks up front, they're 33mm shorter than the ones found on the Super Meteor. The rear twin shocks on the SG650 are 20mm longer than the ones found on the Super Meteor.
The brakes are the same. On the Shotgun 650, you'll find a single two-piston ByBre floating brake caliper and a 320mm disc up front, and a single two-piston ByBre floating caliper and a 300mm disc in the rear. ABS is standard at both ends, as are braided stainless steel brake lines from the factory.
Additional Features
The Royal Enfield Shotgun 650 utilizes a set of round gauges up front, with a larger digi-analog one showing your speed, gear position indicator, and other information. The smaller one on the right is the Royal Enfield Tripper Navigation pod, which connects to your smartphone via Bluetooth so you can have navigation displayed there if you choose. There is also a USB port to keep your phone charged.
LED lighting is standard on the Shotgun 650.
One particularly cool and useful thing about the Shotgun 650 is the easily removable rear subframe/pillion seat holder/parcel rack. A series of four bolts holds it securely in place, so you can pop the rear seat on and take your friend for a ride.
If you just want to grab groceries or strap your backpack to a sturdy rear rack, though, all you have to do is remove the rear seat. The rear subframe has a sturdy parcel rack integrated as part of its design, so you don't need to purchase it as an additional accessory. Since the subframe is rated to carry the weight of an extra adult human, that means it can carry a whole lot of groceries or other heavy things you want to strap on the back.
Finally, if you just want to ride around solo and look cool, you can unbolt the rear subframe entirely and leave it at home.
Colors, Pricing, and Availability
Gallery: Royal Enfield Shotgun 650
Royal Enfield has not announced pricing for the Shotgun 650 anywhere in the world just yet. For 2024, it will be available in four colorways: Stencil White, Plasma Blue, Green Drill, and Sheet Metal Gray.
As for availability, it's expected to begin rolling out across markets around the world throughout 2024. When we have further specific information, we'll be sure to share it with you.
What do you think of the Shotgun 650? Are you interested to try one out for yourself? Let us know in the comments, and you can expect a full First Ride review coming soon to RideApart.