REFINED IN PURPOSE

When presented with a rare sunny day in the northern side of the United Kingdom and the new Classic 650 Twin, we believed we knew what to expect. We were in for a surprise

- Joshua Varghese

WITHOUT CONSULTING THE Internet or history books, one can say with confidence that the Classic range was key to Royal Enfield's revival. Synonymous with the brand at one point, it has now evolved into an icon. The absence of a Classic bigger than the 350 was felt and Royal Enfield have addressed that concern by fusing the evergreen shape of the Classic with their popular 650-cc platform. We got an opportunity to sample this combination in the northern part of the United Kingdom when the rain decided to take a day off. Lucky us.

Story-telling has always been an integral part of Royal Enfield's culture and they took it to another level during the press ride of the Classic 650. Our day began with a look into life in England back in the 1820s thanks to a tour of the open air museum in Beamish, an experience that rivalled being sent back in time. Despite being the most modern machine in the region, the Classic 650 did not look out of place standing on the cobbled streets, which highlighted the timelessness of its design. At first glance, it is easy to say that the Classic 650 Twin looks just like any other Classic but close inspection will reveal a few small changes. Such as the absence of the oval throttle body covers and, obviously, the presence of the twin exhaust pipes.

At the rear and a 19-inch one at the front; something that is unique to the Classic 650.