The introduction of the continental GT have marked a new milestone in the history of motorcycling. The first GT, which was one of the last bikes that were built before Royal Enfield closed its original factory at Redditch near Birmingham, in 1967, was a single cylinder tuned 250cc motorbike aimed at beginners. Royal Enfield, being one of the world’s longest continuously operated motorcycle manufacturer, stirred up a revolution in the 60′s with the introduction of the continental GT. And once again, the legend is back.
This visually similar Continental GT brought back from half a century is a real nostalgic feeling. However, the new continental GT have taken up only the style, name and colour,rest everything makes it a real modern motorcycle.The steel frame is designed by Harris Performance(UK), bodywork by Xenophya Design(UK), brakes from Brembo, Paioli shocks, 41mm fork tubes which ticks all the boxes for a “cafe racer”.With all those accesories, the GT turns out to be a real head turner. The GT, which is now born in a brand new facility in Madras, takes up the medal for the fastest and most powerful Royal Enfield in production today.
With an air-cooled, fuel-injected, 535 cc single-cylinder engine and a five-speed transmission, the new GT isn’t much of a powerhouse. It produces just around 29 horses and a appreciable torque figure of 44nm. What Royal Enfield have done here is they manufactured a bike that’s economical to own and to make the rider feel the fun and thrill from the classic periods of the motorcycling era. Some may mock the low power output, but with a bike that handles amazingly, it’s impossible to keep away a idiotic grinning face while riding it.And after riding it upto its limits you will exactly understand that the GT houses the correct combination of power and torque. A little less will take away a substantial amount of fun and a bit more can make it terrorizing to ride.
There’s nothing really extravagant about the way Continental GT looks.It can be plainly described as a minimalist,stripped-down bike with an engine, wheels and a frame designed with inspiration from the race bikes of the 60′s era. However,the low handlebars, bright red paintwork and racing style humped seat makes it stand out among the other Royal Enfield fleet.The Continental is actually a development of Royal Enfield’s all time favourite, the Bullet, which as we saw, has been constantly modernised during the past decades trying hard to keep its appearance and character intact.
By that time, Royal Enfield managed to expand its roots in the Indian territory and very soon turned out to be India’s most loved premium bike manufacturer. But still, when it came to continental it looked to Britain once again for inspiration. The engine is a slightly tuned up version of the Bullet’s traditional 500cc engine. However,a larger piston takes up the capacity from 499 to 535cc and the hotter cams and revised throttle bodies resulted in the power output to increase by a couple of horsepowers.
Eventhough the GT is blessed with a fuel injector the engine proved to be cold blooded in the chilly morning hours. It took a couple of trials before the engine fired up. Eventhough, the GT is provided with an electric starter, at damp morning hours the kickstarter can only be trusted.If you’re okay with the engine, the rest of the Continental GT is more friendly to ride than it looks. The clutch felt amazingly light and as soon as the road opened up, the transmission worked smoothly with quiet and quick shifts. With a weight of 184 kg and a seat height of 800 mm, the GT handled like a mice in the dense traffic.
Infact its real fun to play up and down with the gears and I spend most of my time filtering through traffic, turning every vehicle ahead of me into tiny spots in my rear view mirrors.Twist the throttle and hear those legendary thumping symphony blaring out of the exhausts which will take you right into the middle of the 60′s. The GT was absolutely stable on the highway, and clocking and maintaining a three digit speed wasn’t hard at all. But the joy of the Continental GT comes from the Enfields’s iconic easy and non threatening performance with considerably increased style. It rided so amazingly that at times I almost stopped to guys with an extended arm and a thumb before realizing its a single seater. U simply forget everything around you as soon as you start riding it.
Dont be fooled by the Continental’s racy image and agressive riding position (Lying flat on the tank) dictated in the ads, which is actually painful and spine curving after riding a couple of kms. You can actually sit up and enjoy the ride comfortably. The suspension felt too hard for the town and it really felt better when taken out into smooth highways. Pirelli tyres and appreciable ground clearance added more appeal to the GT.The single front disc and Brembo caliper promises excellent stopping power.Even on greasy wet roads the GT proved to be extremely reliable.
But it is a bit scary to take it to triple digits on such roads without an ABS system, which sadly the GT doesn’t have. The narrow seat is thick and comfy and the rear of the tank is a good shape that blends in with the styling. However, for a 535cc motorbike, it seemed to be a little tiny. With a fuel capacity of 13.5 litres and a decent fuel economy of about 30kmpl, the GT can take you between considerable distances without refueling. Even though Royal Enfield claims that the continental GT is free of vibration issues suffered by the other fleet members,on the highways there’s mild vibrations through the handlebars above 4500 rpm. With just one big piston getting thrown up and down in the case, the vibration issue is understandable.
If you want to think about buying one, it depends what kind of rider you are. If you’re a speed lover then probably not. And don’t forget the 6 months waiting period to get your hands on one. If you are into style and classic charm, rather than speed, and if you’ve got 2.05 lakhs to spend and a lot of patience, the Continental GT hits the spot.
Tech Spec
Engine: Air cooled, 4-stroke single cylinder
Power: 29.1bhp @ 5100rpm
Torque: 44Nm @4000rpm
Weight: 184kg
Seat height: 800mm
Tank size: 13.5 litres
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