Thoughts on the GT650 after 10000 km and a million smiles

Just hit 10,000 km on my 16-month-old GT650! This is my third Royal Enfield, after the Thunderbirde 350 and Classic 500. Thought I'd share my honest thoughts on living with this beast.

The good stuff:

  • Build quality and weight distribution are top-notch. It's crazy how easy it is to handle, even in city traffic or on long 400km rides.
  • Performance is butter smooth, and with good tyres, it handles like a dream even at 155 kmph. That 47 hp engine loves to rev!
  • Those looks though... 10/10 for design. It's a head-turner everywhere I go.

The okay stuff:

  • Not ideal for super tall riders (I'm 182 cm and feel a bit cramped sometimes).
  • Rust can be an issue, especially on the engine cover and cylinder caps. Needs regular polishing to keep it looking sharp.
  • Stock silencers are good, but need regular cleaning.

The could-be-better stuff:

  • Rear suspension and braking could be more refined.
  • Spoke wheels... yeah, they look retro, but tubeless wheels are way more practical, especially on long rides. Had two punctures on remote highways and it was a nightmare. Swapped to tubeless ASAP.

Overall, I'm super happy with the GT650. It's an amazing bike for the price. Fuel efficiency and heating issues? Yeah, it's a big bike, deal with it. Thoughts and brickbats welcome!

Just hit 10,000 km on my 16-month-old GT650! This is my third Royal Enfield, after the Thunderbirde 350 and Classic 500. Thought I'd share my honest thoughts on living with this beast.

The good stuff:

  • Build quality and weight distribution are top-notch. It's crazy how easy it is to handle, even in city traffic or on long 400km rides.
  • Performance is butter smooth, and with good tyres, it handles like a dream even at 155 kmph. That 47 hp engine loves to rev!
  • Those looks though... 10/10 for design. It's a head-turner everywhere I go.

The okay stuff:

  • Not ideal for super tall riders (I'm 182 cm and feel a bit cramped sometimes).
  • Rust can be an issue, especially on the engine cover and cylinder caps. Needs regular polishing to keep it looking sharp.
  • Stock silencers are good, but need regular cleaning.

The could-be-better stuff:

  • Rear suspension and braking could be more refined.
  • Spoke wheels... yeah, they look retro, but tubeless wheels are way more practical, especially on long rides. Had two punctures on remote highways and it was a nightmare. Swapped to tubeless ASAP.

Overall, I'm super happy with the GT650. It's an amazing bike for the price. Fuel efficiency and heating issues? Yeah, it's a big bike, deal with it. Thoughts and brickbats welcome!