Royal Enfield Brings Updates To The Interceptor and Continental GT 650s in France

With more tech, revised features, and also a few convenience bits for your daily ride, Royal Enfield has rolled out a couple of updates for the Interceptor 650 and the Continental GT 650 for the 2024 model year in France. 

Royal Enfield has been on a roll for a while now, and the brand has been going at it with its lineup. In the 650cc class, the Interceptor and Continental GT 650 were both the poster kids of RE’s middleweight offerings until the Super Meteor 650 came out. Bringing the standard and the cafe racer into a more modern era. RE’s brought a bunch of updates to its original 650 twins in the form of hardware updates plus new looks for 2024 as standard in the lineup. 

The two retro twins are getting LEDs on the headlight. Still in a round shape, but now with a bright white light beaming out, the update will see an increase in the premium factor the two bikes bring. Though, some purists will argue that halogen is better. 

No updates were made to the engine and other bits of hardware for these bikes, so we still get classic RE performance with a 647.95cc parallel twin with a 270-degree firing order, 46.8 horsepower, six-speed manual transmission with a slipper clutch, a 320mm disc in the front, a 240mm disc in the rear, anti-lock brakes on both ends, standard forks in the front, and dual gas shocks at the back. 

Just like the Super Meteor, the Chennai manufacturer has also gone the extra mile with its switchgear, opting for a new set of switches on either side to freshen up the cockpit and other touchpoints on the motorcycle. The handlebars and the ergonomic packages in the Interceptor and the Continental GT 650 are otherwise unchanged save for the updated saddle, which Royal Enfield claims is better than the previous years. For this update, more padding equals more comfort, so RE decided to add a bit more fluff this time around.

Next up is the USB port. While one may argue that this takes away from the classic and no-frills appeal of the 650 twins, I’d say that it’s definitely a convenience feature that any modern rider shouldn’t overlook. The port is a USB type A unit, and it’s there to charge your phone. When not in use, a weatherproof flap keeps it away from moisture and dust. 

Lastly, no updated year model from RE would be complete without this, but a new set of paint schemes and hardware options. Would-be buyers of either of the 650 twins will be able to select one of either two finishes offered by the classic marque. There are also variants for either model that will be equipped with spoked rims, chrome engine covers, and chrome exhausts. If you don’t prefer a more stealthy look, alloy wheels, black engine covers, and black exhaust variants are available.  

As for the pricing in France, the Interceptor 650 will cost 7,390 EUR or about $7,890 USD. Meanwhile, the Continental GT 650 goes for 7,690 EUR or about $8,200 USD. Also, customers in France will be covered under warranty for up to three years with unlimited mileage.