The first modern twin-cylinder RE motorcycle, the Royal Enfield Interceptor 750, is expected to be unveiled at the 2017 EICMA Motorcycle Show in Milan in about a couple weeks from now. While we wait for India’s first ever modern day twin-cylinder bike to show up, one of our friends Kamalakannan Raju has shared a video which captures the Interceptor 750’s high-speed capabilities.
Chasing a test mule on his Bajaj Dominar 400, Kamal egged the test rider and the RE pulled ahead comfortably even when the Dominar was maxed out and its digital speedometer indicated 160 kph+! During the encounter, the Dominar rider noticed that the RE braked hard and locked its rear wheel, which could indicate that ABS if offered, could be single channel only. We noticed that this particular test mule has a proper seat and loses the rear cowl, although the rest of the styling is similar to that of the Continental GT. Also, the test rider cruises comfortably at 120 kph+ with his left hand off the bars, which does suggest a bit or two about the Royal Enfield Interceptor 750’s easy going high-speed manners.
It is obvious that with its extra cylinder and additional power, the twin-cylinder RE will be a faster machine in comparison to the big single that powers the Bajaj. Mechanical details are scarce at the moment, although, the 750cc parallel twin engine will most likely deliver 50 hp of power, about 60 Nm of peak torque, and should be paired to a six-speed transmission. Going by the current pricing of existing RE motorcycles, expect the Royal Enfield Interceptor 750 to be priced near the INR 4 lakh mark at least (Just our guess). For that money, you could buy two Dominars and still be left with enough change to invest in some high-quality safety gear. The Dominar then, isn’t the ideal yardstick to compare this RE with. However, real competition for the Interceptor will arrive when the Bajaj-Triumph partnership dishes out their fare, whenever they’re done with the cooking.