In recent years, Royal Enfield has deftly toed the line between modern and retro. The all-new Meteor 350 calls back to brand’s mid-century cruisers while the Google-powered Tripper navigation pod adds contemporary convenience. Presented at EICMA 2021, the Royal Enfield SG650 Concept takes the brand’s unique balance of vintage style and modern function to new heights.
“We are a company in transition,” stated Royal Enfield Chief of Design Mark Wells. “So long a representation of the analog age and now developing new products that keep that same pure soul, yet are fully integrated into the digital present. To celebrate this, we wanted to develop a project that really gave our design team an opportunity to stretch themselves creatively.”
The SG650 Concept blurs the lines between eras with its cruiser-meets-cafe-racer silhouette, cyberpunk paint scheme, and air/oil-cooled 648cc parallel-Twin. The CNC-machined aluminum gas tank and wheels capture the classic forms of the past with modern manufacturing methods. At the fore, the aluminum headlight nacelle, inverted fork, low-rise handlebars, and aluminum switches favor present-day design. Conversely, the rear end’s dual shocks, a floating single saddle, and loop frame clearly nod to the past.
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“The design team have done an amazing job in retaining the analog soul, those classic Royal Enfield lines and design nuances – subtle nods to the past – while creatively pushing the boundary of what the Royal Enfields of tomorrow could conceptually represent in form and function,” added Wells.
Though Royal Enfield outfits the SG650 with bespoke components and a flashy paint job, the new concept looks vaguely familiar. The firm leverages the same air-/oil-cooled, SOHC, parallel-Twin found in the Continental GT 650 and INT 650. Royal Enfield then shoehorns that 648cc powerplant into a chassis resembling the Meteor 350’s twin-downtube spine frame.
With the SG650 using current Royal Enfield equipment and tech, we wouldn’t be surprised if the concept finds its way into Royal Enfield’s production lineup in the near future. However, we expect the middleweight cruiser to arrive in a less avant-garde and more production-friendly guise if it reaches the market.
For more information or to find a Royal Enfield dealer near you, visit royalenfield.com.
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