The Royal Enfield Continental GT650 Twin is a Bonneville on a Budget - One Take 

I have one of these as a daily. Little over 6,000 miles on it, with zero issues. I’ve upgraded to Ohlins rear shocks and Andreani front forks. Very solid bike. The shifting issue is either because it’s still not broken in, or the oil needs changed. I’ve found running 20w-50 holds up far better than the 10w-50 they recommend.

do more bike stuff. I'm a car guy AND a bike guy. Your review style is what moto culture needs.

Man, there is a simplicity, authenticity and just sense of smoothness and ease that this bike emanates. It's like the opposite of the Harley brand.

Love the bike reviews, you were right about there being a cross over between car and bike people, couldn't understand why the others thought there wasn't.

Bought a royal enfield as my first bike. It was really fun and a perfect bike to learn on.instead of a honda 250. Much cooler. More fun and a bit of a history lesson if you will. Thx for bringing enfield on to the map to your viewers

One of the best value propositions in motorcycling today. Royal Enfield really upped their game with the 650, but also offered something unique in the market. There are very few air/oil cooled twins on sale that are genuinely desirable and affordable, if any. It’s almost like buying an old Honda CB450 or Norton Commando that has modern metallurgy, injection and ignition. It has lots of vintage charm with few vintage niggles.

Matt... The new cameras are good. looks like higher frame rate as well. Thank you.

I assume the "WW2 aircraft sound" is more because of the 270 degree crankshaft, not the dual pipes. Nice review though.

Ive got that Bike its a blast !! No issues , does what its suppose to. I also own a Cafe GL 1300 and a Busa . The RE is for just riding around enjoying the day & contemplating the meaning of life, the GL for two up , The Busa for when the Hooligan in me comes out . I'm a very happy man !!

I think I must be the target audience for it. I'm 52 and lived for bikes between ages 16 and 21. Owned over a dozen and although I've kept one or two in the intervening years nothing has really excited me enough to consider buying a new one in recent times except this. Lost my job in the aviation industry due to the handling of the flu or else I'd have had one this year.

Purchased on just recently and love it...only 500 miles on it so far...very good review and right on with your comments about positives and negatives. I have heard the gear box issue smooths out after the first oil change...it certainly gets a lot of looks....sounds great as well

The gear box will break in and the issues you did not like will go away. By 3k and second oil change the gear box was fin. Also I am 6-2" 280lbs and have ridden this on the highway for 100 mile at 75mph with out issue. I have also topped the bike out at 98mph at my weight. I now have 8.k on my bike and love it.

I can see a lot of Indian guys liking this vid... including me ✌🏾

The reason these don't sound like typical parallel twin weed wackers is the 270 degree crank. It's basically a V twin firing order in a parallel twin case. Love the review but would love it more if you switched the cameras (ie forward view as big shot)

Had a 535 and a 650 Enfield Continental GT. It's really difficult to beat the value of the bike! Simple, classic design, and enough useable power for daily commuting.

I have owned this bike for nearly two years and, while I agree with most of your comments, I differ on your opinion that this is not a good highway bike. I have done several multi-day trips with distances on the thousands of km, and I must say that the bike cruised quite effortlessly at normal highway speeds and was not unduly tiring to ride. Mind you, I weigh slightly less than you at 150 lbs.

As a car enthusiast & now bike enthusiast, I appreciate these moto one takes

Matt Farah finally reviews a vehicle I own

Great review. I've had my GT for around six months and no gearbox issues, although I found a couple of false neutrals. But the gearbox gets better with usage, and I would now consider the gearbox to be one of the highlights of the bike, it's really silky smooth. Greetings from Australia 👍🇦🇺

You are leaning forward because it is not a cruiser, it is a Cafe racer. Along with the Bybre brakes it also has Bosch EFI, Bosch anti lock brake system, Gabrial front forks, Gabrial rear shocks, and Pirelli tires, When you add all that up with the Harris frame and the wonderful 648 cc twin engine that an awful lot of goodies for just six grand. No it will not outrun the sport bikes, but that's not what it's about. It's all about riding a motorcycle, not racing a motorcycle. It's all about enjoy the ride.

And it comes with 3 year warranty and road side assistance...going to my local dealer to check it out this week👍

Fit a short screen, and you can cruise all day at 80mph with no wind buffeting.

Keeping with the India theme, Matt should review a Mahindra Roxor!

Loved the review. I own the Interceptor 650, which has the same chassis and engine combo. I faced similar issues, such as the gear not slotting to Neutral, and the bike suddenly popping out of gear. However, after the first service around 500 KM in, the bike has been performing near perfect. Great machine, for anyone getting into the 600+ CC segment!

Just picked one up in the Bay Area around December in the white and blue. Brilliant first bike, enjoying the hell out of it.

99% sure I rode that exact bike last weekend 😂 Any shifter issues usually relegate themselves after the first oil change, 8k problem free miles on my Continental GT

I got my GT650 a couple of days ago. And believe me the bike is a dream to ride.

So nice that they gave this adequate power now. There used to be absolutely no reason to get this bike because the bonnie was 7000 and a twin, more reliable, more parts, etc., and this was just a crappy 500 thumper that was slow. Now they got it much more competitive, the bonnie MSRP has skyrocketed in the meanwhile, and it sounds really good in those drive-by shots.

Its the 270degree firing order that gives the sound ;) nothing at all to do with the exhaust. A 2 in 1 sports exhaust on the 650 still gives the exact same sound.

So I've been listening to you talking about this on a few of your podcasts and am so stoked to get to see and hear it in motion. Thanks for ride along review. I want one so freaking bad now!

this motorcycle is built in England. Royal Enfield moved the factory specifically for this model and hired 3 former Triumph engineers

I have to say the more I see you standing on videos, the thinner you are. Well done on getting healthier Matt it shows, I bet you have more energy as well. The Royal Enfield Continental GT650 is a great value for money option for a classic bike enthusiast.

I think your gearbox problems are specific to your machine. I absolutely love mine and it is one of the sweetest shifting bikes I have ever ridden.

The bike sounds like it does because of the cross-plane crankshaft with 270° ignition offset between the two cylinders. A major ease of maintenance feature is the screw-and-jamnut method of valve adjustment. The reason you're a little bent forward is because of the modified clip-on handle bars of the Continental GT, unlike the regular handle bars of the Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 (called the "INT650" in the U.S.).

I don't know if you mentioned it or not? It also comes with 3 years warranty and breakdown cover. That along with the mpg and easy maintenance It's a no branner for all the practicalities of owning a motorbike. Then when you throw in the actual look and sound of these bikes. That's when the heart for me takes over.

Buy one, replace the budget parts, you’ll have a better bike than a Bonny and change for a few trips. If you want to sell it, turn it back to stock and keep the bits for your next project. Fun times.

In my life I never thought you would review this continental!

They'd been building military bikes for the British "forever." India ALSO had a factory making the world-famous Lee Enfield battle rifle and the Jungle Carbine. The engine of this thing was recently-designed in England, as was the FRAME, which was designed by Harris Performance, a firm which they'd recently acquired. In the UK, New Zealand, Australia, and Canada, people who remember the old Cafe Racer are scarfing these-up.

It's a classic bike it attracts old school vintage riders I love royal Enfield it's affordable and the value is there. Great video

i have an interceptor and love it. never had a transmission problem. actually its what i love most is the smooth, effortless transmission. a ton of accessories from RE that are very inexpensive. plenty of power. i have a bonneville and a street twin but im always on the RE the most. great bike!

Love this review!!! As a Triumph T 120 owner, I think there is a lot of value here. I'd definitely consider one of these. Thanks man

I rode two old classic Enfield 500s in India many years ago and although it was very nostalgic I never thought that one day I would consider buying one, oh and by the way that was a great test ride review of the gt 650 keep up the good work

I think the 650s are good competition to a brand new street twin!

Cool bike, and happy to see more bike content on TST! I probably would have bought one of these if they existed a few years ago when I bought my Bonnie. You really can't argue with the price tag. I also think something like this is so much more approachable to non-bike people than the typical sport bike or Harley.

very relaxing mid range sound from this engine

I have a 2020 INT650 and have not had any issues with it popping out of gear at any speed. In a year of ownership, have had maybe a half dozen false neutrals between 1st and 2nd. Agree that it's not a highway commuter bike, but I live in the mountains and it loves the twisties. Great review!

Great to see another bike One Take! I also miss Zack's One Takes

These 650 cc twins sell like hot cakes in india...❤️From🇮🇳

Liked the review - with 300 miles on it the gearbox is going to take a little time to run in. I have no problems with my interceptor. Dont forget the 3 year unlimited warranty. No other manufacturer back their product like that. I trust you were keeping it under 4000 rpm as per running in procedure:) Cheers from Australia.

I’m Batman. Much love, your friends at Rev Media!!

How can they make a brand new motorcycle for less than Specialized make an e-bike?🤣🤣

Matt, I love that you’re doing more bikes

Ask any Questions I’m from India & a Owner of the Latest Gen. Royal Enfield Himalayan & have driven RE Gt650 as well as Interceptors briefly. -> FTW many people in India SOLD Their Harleys for A Royal Enfield 650s ! Because these bikes a Very Peppy, Easy on Pocket, Very much Built for Rough Road you cannot very much break it & be able to fix it with Bare Hands & Tools! And Guys we Have a 650CC New Cruiser from Royal Enfield Coming competitor to super Fragile Harley Bikes 🤣

that sound is due to the 270 degree crankshaft

This is why he’s the greatest reviewer. The man said it right.

Matt, loving the motorcycle reviews, keep them coming! It would be great to see a separate playlist of just the bike reviews much how you have the cars organized by country. Keep it up!

there are millions of Royal Enfields all over India - they are pretty bullet proof.

have a 2020 Interceptor 650 with 10000 kilometers on it. The bike is brilliant in every respect and I would highly recumbent it to anybody looking fo a new ride. David in Thailand

If you want to do an India show, then get good contacts from The North, West, East & South of the country. Because the attitude and culture are different. I am just painting broad strokes here but this is a correct starting point.

Nice to see you on a bike -- anything with an engine (or a motor)! I just passed 4K on my RE Bullet 500 - it's a blast and has been problem-free. I had a hard time choosing between the 500 and the 650 interceptor. The Int may be a better fit. The RE gearboxes have a good reputation - I wonder if the issues you experienced are related to break-in or clutch-adjustment.

this bike it's emotion!

Best bang for the buck

I've owned an Interceptor 650 for about three months and put in close to 2500miles. The gearbox settles down quite a bit after the break in. I rarely get any troubles with gear selection any more. I do occasionally get a second neutral between fourth and fifth gear

@TheSmokingTire This review was great, love the updated format! The mic was super clear but you can still hear the bike. One suggestion, maybe mirror one of the videos (maybe the rear-facing one so we still recognize the roads) so that the two videos "match" more. The leaning of the selfie video is opposite to the turn of the road since it faces the other way. Either way, love the motorcycle reviews!

it has a really nice sound. where i live there is a trend with bikers having bikes sounding like a lawnmower on steroids. it's loud and annoying as hell

Good to see Matt bac k out on two wheels!

You know this dude is huge cuz he's sitting upright on a cafe racer

It's the 270 degree crank that's responsible for the characterful 'British' engine sound and torque. :)

Loving the bike vids Matt!

I was really tempted by the Royal Enfield bikes, but I passed for a good deal on a new Kawasaki Z900RS. The value proposition is so good on the Enfields, but I spend too much time on the highway to justify it. There's really a renaissance of retro style bikes going on right now, and it's awesome.

Matt lost some weight man! And the bears is on point. Good job dude

This has also been a fun customizing/upgrading project, with a good offering of both factory and aftermarket parts now available to improve the performance and to address some of the cosmetic shortcomings of this otherwise fun and solid bike.

Omg! Motorcycle Review video?? Hell yeah! 👍🏼

India - a place where They can make something out of nothing. And it works! This one looks like its a really good value for money. In Europe usually you get 125ccm in this price range.

FYI the parallel twin has a 270 degree crank angle which means the arrangement is similar to the MT-07 which means it’s one of the better sounding parallel twins!

Awesome! Love the old style, similar to the inexpensive MUTT bikes we have here in the UK

I'm not making any suggestions, but I wonder if the chin mount below the helmet would be a nicer field of view since youd see the handlebars and the cockpit of the bike.

Loving these bike reviews!!!

That bike looks way better than the modern Triumph twins in my opinion.

I'm from india and I have the interceptor 650 that is a more comfortable version of the continental GT, it's really good I mean it's more than enough for riding pleasure, my dad was a biker back in the day before I was born and he happen to have a lot of Enfields and he approved of this too, there's a new cruiser 650 coming out I might trade my bike for the cruiser 650 because that will be better with this engine

Very happy you're reviewing bikes!

Yes! Yes! Yes! This is awesome Matt, more motorcycle reviews! I have been watching your car reviews for 8 years, but I didn’t know you rode bikes.

It's made for India. If it can survive on the "roads" there, it will be fine in the first world.

Looks weird out in the dessert.. needs a twisty leafy lane and a nice cosy pub for a pint and a pie ...

Yeah. Didn't know this guy was into bikes. Like to see more and I'm sure there are plenty that agree. I think those coming out of gear issues would iron out with time/breakin.

I’d love to see matt review an r1 or panigale v4 lmao. Love the bike reviews!

I have never had a problem with the gearbox on mine, in almost 18 months. Like you I am taller but I fitted some risers to the bars on my Interceptor, not Cafe which really makes it comfortable.

I've got one of these bikes. Agreed about the indicator switch, not good. I find that the slightest tendency to push the switch inwards while attempting to indicate right will mechanically lock the switch preventing me from indicating right. My gearbox is perfect, as alluded to it does have 6 speeds, I love it but I wish there was a 'which gear is selected' indicator beyond the N for neutral. Not mentioned in the review: ABS on both wheels by Bosch. Fuel injected (also by Bosch). The engine (designed by ex Triumph engineers) has a balance shaft that very effectively keeps vibration levels to near imperceptible. Being a short guy I find the saddle height a little high (TEC bike parts have a pair of adjustable length rear shocks that hopefully will fix that for me). There are 3rd party suppliers that will let you convert this bike from 650cc to 850cc if the 47hp is deemed insufficient. A performance camshaft and all sorts of customising bits can also be had from 3rd parties. The bike as it left the factory is more than powerful enough for me though. The frame was designed by a well respected British designer of racing motorbike frames, seems fine to me but I don't have the skills or inclination to ride hard enough to really evaluate that at the limit. Apart from anything else this is a gorgeous looking bike. Thank you for the review, I liked it a lot.

Love the bike content. To be fair, any "cruiser" style bike won't do great at long highway stretches. I have a Rebel 300, which is every bit capable of hitting 90, and cruises at 75-80 well, but anything at 75+ really has so much drag.

These are built in India but all the R&D is done in the UK. A lot of the engineers are ex Triumph employees.

This new English V2 250ccm 75hp 110kg bike, "Langen" might be the last 2 stroke bike in the history of Europe. Naturally bc of emissions. It costs around 30.000£!

In India it costs around 4.5 K Dollars only. Continental Gt 650 Twin is the only best bike in this price segment. Good review Pal.😃

Awesome that you do both bike and car stuff

Love when you do the bike reviews! Best part was when you were talking about an f800gs (my last bike) my wife was like "what's he mean sewing machine like" and I said well this ones got that two tone kind of helicopter like and made the sound and right after I made the sound you did the same one 😂 she says I've seen too many of your videos. Cheers!

If you felt too leaned over maybe you should try the INT 650. You are the only one I've heard complain about the gear box. The switch gear is the same as many Hondas. For six grand I don't think you can beat the Royal Enfield.

Fantastic review, hope to see more bike stuff! The production and the new cameras are excellent.

Thank you. I hear you like scooters for their practical side. So, you dont seem biased for one kind of motorcycle or another. Here in Portugal, they have the Interceptor as well. I believe it is the same bike but with a more up right riding position. These are very interesting. Quite afordable. I will take a test drive. I do fear it is a bit tame... and I will get bored easily. Another 650 from Japan would be uglier, but faster and maybe better on the long run. Thank you again.

That gearbox issue is a worry. I would like one but I'll see if any other reviews mention it. Perhaps you got a bad one. Some of the comments suggest it's a new bike issue.

Who wants a motorsickle with a crap gearbox? Or was this a one-off faulty machine? What we bikers who live in countries where it hardly ever stops raining (U.K.) want to learn about (when listening to reviews) is have the wheels and frame been powder coated or similar, or will it rot out if left untreated (like my GTR1400) within two years? The trend of one coat of water colour is simply taking the urine.

It’s not $5999 out the door. It’s actually around $9000 out the door. $5999 MSRP.