Royal Enfield Continental GT - First Ride Review | Rider Magazine

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Rider Magazine > MANUFACTURER > Other Motorycle Reviews > Royal Enfield Continental GT – First Ride Review

Royal Enfield Continental GT – First Ride Review Rich Cox October 9, 2013 Filed under Other Motorycle Reviews, Retro + Vintage Motorcycle Reviews, Road Tests, Top Stories

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True, it doesn’t go a million—or even a hundred—but the GT definitely offers all the right look and feel for those who would love to transport themselves back to the future. (Photography by Rich Cox)

Last September Royal Enfield Motors hosted a lavish international press launch in England for its all-new Continental GT café racer bike, which was first seen in the U.S. at the International Motorcycle Show in Long Beach, California in December 2012. The UK intro was a genuine “back to the future” experience. During the four-day itinerary, Enfield not only submersed the press in the history of the iconic brand (visits to legendary bike and motorsports museums, introductions by well-known Royal Enfield historians, even a trip to the site of Royal Enfield’s original 1907 Redditch factory), but made sure we experienced firsthand some of the magical sights, sounds and subjects that were a part of the nostalgic 1960s café racer scene in England.

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That naturally included a visit to the legendary Ace Café, which Royal Enfield utilized as the launching pad for all of its festivities—and our first real look at this café racer contender. Royal Enfield’s main plan with the GT was to make sure it artfully retained the simplicity, form, function and especially the authenticity of those iconic

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’60s racers—but also to mechanically bring it into

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the new age. Two British firms were hired by the Like Like

Chennai, India-based company to do most of the GT’s development work. Harris Performance brought the bike’s road-going stature into the 21st century by engineering an all-new double-cradle frame for it instead of the Bullet’s single

Royal Enfield used the historic motorcycle subculture venue the Ace Café for its massive international press launch. The GTs will be available in only one color, signature red.

http://www.ridermagazine.com/top-stories/royal-enfield-continental-gt-first-ride-review.htm/[10/10/2013 10:40:24]

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downtube chassis. There’s also a beefy 41mm fork, gas-charged Paoli shocks, new 18-inch Excel alloy wheels with Pirelli Sport Demon tires and Brembo disc brakes front and rear (the rear disc is also a first). Royal Enfield also worked closely with Xenophya Design of the UK on the styling of the GT, making sure its overall look, proportions, positioning and the quality of the componentry—especially the tank, seat, clip-ons and rearsets—were café racer authentic, and its weight a svelte 405 pounds with the 3.3-gallon tank 90-percent full. The company even utilized one of Royal Enfield’s past standouts—the 1965 Continental GT

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250—for overall design inspiration; not a bad choice as this little 21-horsepower café-styled racer was, during its time, touted as Britain’s fastest 250cc production bike.

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The actual press conference took place on the storied grounds of the Brooklands Museum, the birthplace of British motorsports and aviation. Here the GT takes a breather underneath a prototype Concorde, one of the museum’s star attractions.

For power, the GT starts with Royal Enfield’s basic air-cooled 499cc OHV single used in the Bullets for generations. The old cast-iron mill was finally phased out in 2011 in favor of an all-aluminum, unit-construction engine with fuel injection, in service since 2009 and good for about 27 horsepower. Some might think the GT would have been much more desirable with a more modern engine design, but for Royal Enfield that was never in the plan. It wanted to keep the GT simple, economical, uncomplicated and authentic to the original ’60s café racer period. The GT’s current engine is, however, not a totally stock powerplant. It’s been hotrodded ever so slightly—displacement is now 535cc, the ECU has been remapped and the flywheel lightened, all good for about a two horsepower increase over the stock engine. Here in the States an outdated 29horsepower single probably won’t light the younger generation’s fire, but the engine’s period authentic appearance and performance might actually increase the GT’s desirability and collectability, especially among http://www.ridermagazine.com/top-stories/royal-enfield-continental-gt-first-ride-review.htm/[10/10/2013 10:40:24]

Royal Enfield Continental GT - First Ride Review | Rider Magazine the older generation. Physically the GT replicates the former café period bikes to a tee. It is petite, light and very slim, with a moderately racy seating position —in fact, its physical dimensions and overall weight are very similar to perhaps the most famous café platform of its day, the BSA 500 Gold Star. So just strapping a leg over the GT and whacking the throttle a few times, listening to that muffled blat blat heartbeat of the big single, will instantly send you back in time. Royal Enfield had prearranged a morning’s massive group test ride that launched us from the Ace Café and eventually wound us down south, about 85 miles, to the seaside town of Brighton. For the most part it was a crazy, chaotic ride as 30 of us battled to stay in a group through the choking London traffic and frequently contentious roundabouts. If anyone got separated, they would have been lost forever. The GT can, as it turns out, competently play the commuter role as its seating position isn’t overly aggressive, and I had no complaints about any of its basic mechanical functions. Clutch

Although a very mild performer, the big

engagement was smooth and progressive, the action from the 5-

single’s very distinct, retro appearance

speed gearbox was flawless, the Keihin EFI provided hiccup-free

definitely adds to the authenticity of

throttle response, the brakes are plenty potent, and even finding

the package. Its ability to dish out

neutral at the stops was easy.

mileage figures in the 70-80 mpg range is a plus as well.

That’s all a plus, but it’s still a very low-performance powerplant and acceleration is sluggish. It takes a whole new mindset—slow down, take your time, there’s no hurry, experience the mechanical sounds and pulsations of the past—to fully enjoy riding one of these creatures. And I did have to adjust my riding style slightly in search of the best acceleration. I was originally trying to take the engine to its 5,800 rpm redline before shifting, but it turned out the hot ticket was to short shift and let the torque provide the squirt out of the corners. I would have liked to experience the GT’s true calling by burning a few mountain roads, but unfortunately our designated route didn’t offer any. I can tell you that the GT feels easily flickable and very taut and together when flung with abandon through congested roundabouts. There’s no question in my mind that at this point in time, the GT’s chassis performance is way beyond that of the engine’s—which means you could easily ride it at ten-tenths all day long and that’s where the excitement will be. Longer distances and higher speeds do not suit the GT well, however. The big thumper is really breathing hard as it struggles to 3,800 rpm at 70 mph, and at that speed it produces some serious

The GT’s cockpit is both simple and elegant with analog instrumentation providing just the basics—speed and engine rpm. The little slide lever on the left bar aids with starts in really cold conditions.


Royal Enfield Continental GT - First Ride Review | Rider Magazine vibration through the handlebar and chassis that —coupled with the rather stiff suspension and a thin, mildly padded bench seat—means that short runs to the café or quick blasts up the local mountain road will still be the best way to fully enjoy this bike. Overall, I was pretty impressed with the GT. I loved its clean and simple period-correct fit and appearance, and its overall handling takes the marque to whole new level. Of course the most important question is that, by purchasing this new GT, are you going to instantly become one of the notorious Ton Up Boys? Sorry, not quite—we could only coax it up to about 85 mph, maybe 90 downhill. But that’s no problem, as Royal Enfield will also be offering a great selection of accessory “Burn-up Wear” to help you at least look the part. The U.S. distributor, Classic Motorworks, hopes that bikes will start reaching its dealers before the end of 2013.

2014 Royal Enfield Continental GT Specs Base Price: $TBD Website: endfieldmotorcycles.com ENGINE Type: Air-cooled, single cylinder, 4-stroke Displacement: 535cc Bore x Stroke: 87.0mm x 90.0mm Compression Ratio: 8.5:1 Valve Train: OHV, 2 valves per cyl. Fuel Delivery: Keihin EFI

The museum’s period correct grounds really show off the

Lubrication System: Wet sump

GT’s clean, simplistic beauty. All test bikes were sporting

Transmission: 5-speed, constant mesh Final Drive: O-ring chain

the company’s accessory muffler that’s a little smaller in size and has a slightly bigger bark compared to the stock unit.

ELECTRICAL Ignition: Digital electronic Battery: 12V 18AH CHASSIS Frame: Twin downtube cradle frame Wheelbase: 53.5 in. Seat Height: 31.5 in. Suspension, Front: 41mm stanchions, no adj., 4.3 in. travel Rear: Paoli twin gas-charged shocks, adj. for spring preload, 3.1 in. travel Brakes, Front: Brembo 300mm floating disc w/ 2-piston pin-slide caliper Rear: 240mm disc, 1-piston pin-slide caliper Tires, Front: 100/90-H18 Rear: 130/70-H18 PERFORMANCE Claimed Wet Weight (90% fuel/oil): 405 lbs.


Royal Enfield Continental GT - First Ride Review | Rider Magazine Load Capacity: 405 lbs. Fuel Capacity: 3.3 gals.

The 1965 Royal Enfield Continental GT 250, the inspiration that set the current GT’s development in motion. At the time, the 250 was very cool looking, very fast and highly desirable among young “learner” riders in Britain.

The GT certainly rewards the non techies among us, as the only suspension adjustment offered is the spring preload on the gas Paoli shocks. Notice the little grab handle above the shock—it makes centerstanding a breeze.

Like its predecessors, the GT is slim http://www.ridermagazine.com/top-stories/royal-enfield-continental-gt-first-ride-review.htm/[10/10/2013 10:40:24]

Royal Enfield Continental GT - First Ride Review | Rider Magazine The Continental sports a larger 300mm

and compact, and although its mildly

front disc (all other Enfield models

racy riding position is fairly

have a 280mm front) and is the first

comfortable, it all plays better to the

Enfield to feature both a front and rear

physically smaller rider. The bar-end

disc brake. Braking power is plentiful.

mirrors are very stylish looking, but not very effective.

2 Tags: cafe racer, Royal Enfield Motorcycles

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