Royal Enfield has been clocking astronomical sales figures in India and for us, it has become a regular affair. Two years ago, Royal Enfield launched the 650 twins including the Interceptor 650 and Continental GT 650. They organized a test ride event at a global level and invited publications from all over the world to review their latest creation at that point of time. The intent was pretty clear that they wanted the whole world to realize that they have developed something which meets the International standards and would appeal to a wide variety of riders.
Royal Enfield has sold a decent number of 650 twins in India despite the fact that they are comparatively more expensive than the rest of the motorcycles in their portfolio. But what came as a surprise is the fact that less than two years after the bike was launched, the Interceptor 650 has crawled up to grab the top spot in UK’s motorcycle sales chart for the month of June 2020!
More details
As per data posted by the Motorcycle Industry Association (MCIA), Royal Enfield has managed to sell 196 units of the Interceptor 650 bike last month. It is second only to the highly popular Honda PCX 125 scooter, which sold 445 units. The Interceptor 650 has outsold every competitor in its segment and has managed to punch well above its weight. Who would have imagined a Royal Enfield motorcycle grabbing the top spot in UK’s motorcycle sales chart? It even edged out the BMW R 1250 GS which was 2019’s bestseller. It sold slightly lower 188 units in June.
Some people might argue that the sales number is incomparable to how much they sell in India but one should understand that the UK is a different playground altogether. It is a matter of pride and accomplishment for us as well as the company. The British public is slowly moving towards opting two-wheelers as an affordable mobility solution. The stats too justify the above-stated fact. The total sales figures for June 2020 stands at 12,520 units, which is a sizable 13.4 per cent increase over the same period last year. This is where affordable yet premium motorcycles like the RE Interceptor 650 come in.
Specifications
It is an interesting thing to note that the UK technical centre of Royal Enfield played a vital role in the development of the Interceptor and the Continental GT650. RE not only managed to develop their first modern-day multi-cylinder motorcycles, they actually hit the ball out of the park! The twins draw power from a newly developed 648cc, parallel-twin, air-cooled, 8-valve, SOHC, fuel-injected engine that produces a maximum power of 47 Bhp and peak torque of 52 Nm. It gets a slip-assist clutch with a 6-speed transmission.
Also read: Indian Army Scales The Heights Of The Karakoram Pass On Royal Enfields
In India, the twins are the most affordable twin-cylinder motorcycles that one can buy. RE is trying to recover the huge blow caused by the lockdown period. Recently, they also announced an end of season sale where one can avail of discounts up to 40% on their merchandise. A quick glance at their online store shows t-shirts, belts, trousers and a couple of helmets which are available at a discounted rate.