Time may just keep moving along at an alarming pace, but fashion and aesthetics are strangely (and sometimes comfortingly) cyclical. Motorcycles are certainly no exception, with most of today's current volume-selling OEMs relying heavily on a mix of nostalgic design, coupled with modern engines and safety features to sell at least some of the models in their current lineups.
The specific magic formula may be smaller or greater, depending on the OEM and situation. If you're Royal Enfield, there's naturally a lot of reverence for the brand's long and impressive history, but there's also more than enough willingness to fervently face new directions, such as with the rip-snorting and decidedly modern 450 platform.
But it's hard to get more classic than a Classic, and more specifically, it's hard to get more classic than Royal Enfield's Classic 650. If the Classic 350 was an instant heartstrings-puller, then the Classic 650 might just be its ultimate form. I have two words for you (one compound, one not), and they are: Hand-pinstriped tank. On a bike that carries an MSRP of US $7,499.
In this economy? Pinch me, right? I must be dreaming.
Except no; I'm not; it's very much a real thing that you can really buy right now, should your heart so desire it. The Classic 650 isn't here to reinvent the wheel; in fact, it's making use of the brand's very much tried-and-true 650cc parallel twin, the same one you can find in the INT650, Continental GT 650, Super Meteor 650, and Shotgun 650.
This bike is meant for the rider who really loves this type of style, but wants something a bit bigger and more capable than the Classic 350. The great thing about that 650cc parallel twin is that it's seriously smooth, and is also perfectly happy to hop on the highway any time you get tired of puttering around the back roads and just need to get somewhere relatively quickly. While the Classic 350's counterbalanced crankshaft keeps it quite smooth for a thumper, riding it for long periods of time at highway speeds is probably not the most fun way to spend your time.
And that's exactly why the Classic 650 now exists. Do you want one? Take a look at this video and see for yourself.
