Royal Enfield is a brand that's made a name for itself creating good, honest, everyday motorcycles. From the factory, they're not full of all the latest gadgets and gizmos. They're not the fanciest, but they're more than capable machines for everyday people to buy, ride, and enjoy in their daily lives.
Riders can get solid bikes at reasonable prices, and then either spend the money they've saved on other pressing matters, or on their own customizations to make their Enfields their own. Not everyone is going to like them, and that's OK, because plenty of people certainly do.
Enfield currently has three engine families that it's been concentrating on building out. There are the 350 J-platform bikes, which currently consist of (in order of appearance): Meteor 350, Classic 350, Hunter 350, and Bullet 350.
Then there are the 650 Twins, which consist of: Continental GT650, INT650, Super Meteor 650, and Shotgun 650. As an outlier, we have the all-new Himalayan 450, which currently sits alone as the only bike currently using that engine. It seems unlikely to stay that way for long, but that's the current situation, in any case.
But maybe something's coming?
And Then There Were Five?
At the time of writing, there are currently four bikes that use the 650 Twin engine in Enfield's existing bike lineup. However, a new trademark filing that has an application date of May 9, 2024 was recently filed with India's Intellectual Property Office by the company. Like many Enfield model names, it's pretty straightforward about what it could be.
Much like the Meteor 350 before it, could it be time for the Classic 350 to grow from a single into a twin and take its retro-inspired styling cues along for the ride?
I've ridden most of the bikes in the current Royal Enfield lineup. So I feel confident in observing that the seating position and aesthetics are slightly different from the other 650 Twins that already exist.
Also, while the Classic 350 is a fun and easy-to-handle little bike, there are simply times when a little 350cc thumper isn't going to give you the power you want (or maybe need).
After all, that little 350cc single makes a claimed 20.2 horsepower at 6,100 rpm and 19.9 pound-feet of torque at 4,000 rpm. By contrast, the 650 Twin engine makes a claimed 47 horsepower at 7,250 rpm and 38.5 pound-feet of torque at 5,650 rpm.
Now, imagine a bike with the styling cues of the Classic 350 and the heart of a 650 Twin, and it doesn't take a rocket surgeon to see the potential appeal.
Order Of Operations
Veering purely into the realm of speculation, could a potential Classic 650 Twin give a further indication of Enfield's plans for expanding the 650 Twin range?
The Meteor 350 was the first J-platform bike to be released. Eventually, it became the first new addition to the 650 Twin lineup since the original two bikes were released. While the Shotgun 650 doesn't have a 350cc counterpart, the Classic 350 was the next bike to appear in the 350 lineup.
Could a Hunter 650 follow in its footsteps, if we're following the release order of the 350s? Or is a Hunter 450 more likely, particularly since building out the 450 platform is mostly an unknown quantity at this point?
There's also a strong case to be made for a Bullet 650, given the enduring popularity of the Bullet 500 back in the day. So far, though, there's zero supporting evidence for this particular future model thread; merely wishful thinking.
What future Enfield model(s) would you like to see? Would you be interested in a Classic 650 Twin? Let us know in the comments!
