THRYLLZ
Thrills we thrive on
Thrills we thrive on
The Royal Enfield Continental GT 650. A stylish and, above all, affordable café racer with a timeless design. A design that takes you back to the past, with today’s technology. We took it out for a few days. Find out what we thought.
The Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride, or DGR for short, was held on one of the days we took the Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 out for a spin. Normally, this isn’t our kind of thing, but we thought, “Why not?” and decided to join in. It’s a ride that takes you back to the good old days and lets you ride in style. All for research into prostate cancer and mental health for men.
And we rode in style. We put on our best suits and donned our jet helmets. Off we went to Lijnden, where the ride started and where we would later meet up again.
We departed from Hoorn in the Netherlands, so the journey there involved a stretch of winding roads and a stretch of highway. The Continental is fantastic on winding roads. It’s a pleasure to ride and secretly quite fun. We rode two Continentals. One blue and one green. We are both used to 200+ horsepower superbikes. You might think you would miss all that power. But nothing could be further from the truth. What a sudden sense of calm.
With my height of 1.68 cm and short legs, I could easily reach the ground. Even with bent knees. That doesn’t happen often! For the first time, I could turn the motorcycle while still sitting on it. Something that might be very normal for someone else, I was experiencing for the first time. An enormous convenience. Do I normally miss that? No. Is it practical when it works? Absolutely.
But you don’t buy a motorcycle for its seat height. At least, I hope not! You buy it because it rides well, gives you confidence, or because you just think it’s outrageously cool. All these reasons can be found in the Royal Enfield Continental GT 650.
Of course, it has to be your taste and thing. Personally, I think it’s pretty cool. Do retro bikes automatically make my heart beat faster, as a kind of natural reaction? No. Not immediately. Unless they are classic race bikes. But I can really appreciate their charms and look. In this world where everything is getting faster, harder, and more aggressive, it’s a relief to take a step back. Yes, I really mean that.
It’s fantastic cruising on the Continental. With the sun shining, in our retro outfits, it’s pure enjoyment. The many smiling faces, thumbs up, and almost drooling retro fans contribute to those positive vibes and enjoyment. I’ve never had so much attention on a motorcycle. Not even as a petite woman on the huge BMW R 1250 GS Adventure. Not even with my own Aprilia RSV4 RF, which in my opinion is a real eye-catcher. No, the Continental outdid them all…
Funny! I didn’t expect that beforehand. But those retro vibes. That glimpse of the charms of yesteryear. It triggers something in people. And this Continental GT builds a flawless bridge between those charms of yesteryear and today’s technology. It’s a no-nonsense motorcycle. Great suspension, great brakes, and great throttle response. No excess of gadgets and electronics, but just enough engine to enjoy without worries.
It’s carefree riding. The Royal Enfield performed well during the DGR ride. The average speed is low during this ride. I can hear you thinking, “But every motorcycle can handle that, right?!” Yes, you’re right. But riding slowly is not fun on every motorcycle. And what about the heat? After 10 minutes, I could have lifted my Aprilia onto the ‘bike ambulance’ wagon. It would have died immediately.
But the Royal Enfield pulled through without complaining. As a two-cylinder, it also runs smoothly at low speeds. Did a gap open up? Then we pulled away easily. Because this bike also accelerates smoothly. City traffic is no problem. Personally, I had to get used to the wider handlebars with the bar-end mirrors that protruded slightly from the handlebars. You have to be careful when riding between traffic jams.
But even that went smoothly in the end. On the highway, it was rough. You’re fully exposed to the wind, and despite the low center of gravity and relatively heavy weight of the bike, you can still easily be blown a meter to the side by a sideways gust of wind. It has something, in my opinion. But it’s not really relaxing highway riding. Of course, that’s not what it’s made for. But that would prevent me from buying this bike as a second bike for commuting. Again, you may wonder if the Continental is meant for that.
Incidentally, it’s striking that the GT 650 inspires considerable confidence in the rain. Yes, you’ll get soaked, of course. But that’s the case on any motorcycle if you’re not wearing waterproof clothing. So there’s no shelter. But there is confidence! Thanks to the bike’s good balance and very decent factory brakes, the Continental inspires immediate confidence in the rain.
This motorcycle is essentially designed for enjoyment. For leisurely rides along winding dike or country roads. Or for trips through the city where you can unleash your inner hooligan with flair from the past. Expect to attract attention, meet many friendly people who want to chat with you about your impressive motorcycle, and receive numerous thumbs up.
The Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 is a charming motorcycle. Not overwhelming in terms of power. Not overwhelming in terms of presence. But it is a lot of fun, and slowly but surely, this motorcycle steals your heart the longer you look at it. Do you want a motorcycle with the charms of yesteryear, without the hassle of old technology (and therefore tinkering) that you can ride right away? And above all, one that is a lot of fun to ride? Then give the Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 a try.
It’s no secret that we at THRYLLZ are fans of classic-styled motorcycles. Want to read more about these bikes? Check out our ‘Classic Crush’ series. You won’t regret it!
