There’ s a reason the 500 Twin was an iconic model in Royal Enfield’ s history. The Classic 650 draws on that lineage without passing on the hassle of owning an old bike.
itself with a more post- war British look. Take, for example, the forward- leaning cylinders on the 650 compared to the more vertical cylinder on the 350. The 650 also sports spoked rims, a seat that appears to float above the frame, and curvier fenders.
It’ s a fairly heavy machine at 535 lb wet, but it feels right for it to be so. The bike is all metal. While in the saddle and looking down at the shiny chrome switchgear and analog speedometer, it’ s easy to forgive its weight
as a sacrifice to the bike’ s bona fides. The hand- applied coachlining on the tank and side panels further contribute to the feeling that this is a machine of substance.
Even though it’ s heavy, Royal Enfield engineers clearly made an effort to ensure the machine was well- balanced. Our ride along the Saint Johns River was lacking in curves in typical Florida fashion, but the bike’ s handling instilled confidence while performing U- turns and 90- degree turns at intersections.
Suspension includes a nonadjustable Showa 43mm inverted fork offering 4.7 inches of travel and twin shocks offering adjustable preload and 3.5 inches of travel, and the Classic rolled over blemishes in the road smoothly. Everything about the ride was comfortable and conducive to long hours in the saddle, although riding at 70 mph without wind protection becomes tiresome.
On the topic of riding at highway speed, the air / oil- cooled 648cc parallel- Twin that powers the Classic
16 / OCTOBER 2026 / RIDERMAGAZINE. COM