Royal Enfield Bullet 650 Review: The Retro Aura Maxxer!

If my grandfather were given a pen and paper and asked to draw a motorcycle of his dreams, he’d probably sketch a Royal Enfield Bullet. Now that there’s a 650cc Bullet, is that already worthy of passing down to your grandkids someday? Only one way to find out.

The design of the Bullet 650 is both authentic and brave. Royal Enfield has stuck to period-correct design elements such as the intricate tank ornaments, pin-stripe detailing, and spoked wheels. The tapered handlebar and chunky bench-style seat from the OG Bullet have also been retained with slight enhancements. The circular headlamp is flanked by twin tiger-eye pilot lamps, which are a nod to the Bullet's design heritage. And of course, there is ample chrome everywhere, including the engine casings, headers, and the dual peashooter exhausts.

Overall, the Bullet 650 looks familiar, but the upsize in all the equipment also makes it more special and formidable. In a world obsessed with power figures and top-speed numbers, it is brave of Royal Enfield to keep the Bullet 650 as authentic as they can. It gives the motorcycle a certain prestige, even when compared to the flagship Super Meteor 650. I personally felt an emotional connection after spending time with the Bullet 650, which is something that rarely happens in today's day and age.

A bigger size and power need a more robust foundation, and Royal Enfield has made sure not to cut corners on the essentials. The Bullet 650 is built on a steel tubular spine frame, gets 43mm telescopic forks at the front, and has twin shocks at the rear.

It gets a 19-inch wheel at the front and an 18-inch at the rear; both sizes are widely used, so finding replacement tyres would not be a hassle. The front gets a big 320mm disc, the rear is a 300mm disc, and it also comes with dual-channel ABS.

The features list is limited to a slipper clutch, adjustable brake and clutch levers, a Type-C USB charging port, hazard lamp control, nickel-plated switchgear, and LED lamps on the front and rear. Enough to make life easy without taking attention away from the Bullet's riding experience.

Believe it or not, the Bullet 650 feels like the most comfortable 650 Royal Enfield to ride, despite having 243 kg of kerb weight. That is because of its utilitarian roots; the original Bullet was built as a workhorse for everyday use.

This means you sit on top of the bike in a neutral position. The tapered handlebars are easy to reach, and the foot pegs are centre-aligned for a relaxed riding posture. The 800 mm of seat height meant I was able to rest my foot on the ground easily; I am 5'11' for reference. Most importantly, I felt in charge of the heavy motorcycle in traffic and on expressways, not the other way around.

This led to better confidence when maneuvering at higher speeds, and the motorcycle also felt more natural to ride. Another key highlight for me was the bench-style seat. The hefty cushion protected me against any jerks from its rear suspension while keeping the feedback firm enough for a connected feeling. This is important to note, as the 90 mm travel of the rear suspension would have felt harsh over bumps with slimmer seat padding.

Overall, the Bullet 650 was comfortable enough to make me want to take the motorcycle out for both commuting and leisure activities. This is important for the majority of motorcycle buyers who are looking for a one-bike garage.

The 648cc parallel-twin engine produces the same 47 PS of power and 52.3 Nm of torque as it does in the other 650s. It somehow still manages to feel different in each bike, as they differ in construction and the kind of riding they are built for.

The low-end torque helps manage the Bullet 650 in traffic, and the raspy exhaust note from the twin exhaust is something to live for. There is enough grunt to put a smile on your face when you get a chance to twist the throttle. While triple-digit speeds are no biggie, the Bullet 650 feels happiest between 80 km/h and 100 km/h on the highways.

The motorcycle does have several positives as a 650, but there are some important things to consider before you join the bandwagon. It is a heavy motorcycle; even the clutch lever feels heavy in traffic use. The chrome will need regular maintenance, as it will attract watermarks and other spots. The biggest drawback, in my book, is the spoked wheels with tube tyres. It will be tricky to find a puncture repair shop that will agree to fix your bike. This is primarily due to the heavy weight and complicated setup of these 650 bikes. Doing it yourself will not be easy either. At least, Royal Enfield is offering the main stand as standard to make life easier.

Overall, the Bullet 650 is enough of a motorcycle to ignite the rider inside you, but it also commands equal parts respect. It is not built for top-end performance or extreme corner carving, and the bike conveys its preferences very directly.

If you are looking for a retro motorcycle with the right name and period-correct design, the Bullet 650 is a good place to start. It fulfills all modern-day requirements but still feels regal and prestigious to ride. It is an authentic, do-it-all motorcycle with a tasty exhaust note and enough power to keep up with bigger and more modern motorcycles.

But in retrospect, the old-school appeal might not be to the taste of all lifestyle motorcycle buyers. Many look for a sporty neo-retro design such as the Continental GT650 or Super Meteor 650. For them, the Bullet could feel too authentic.

Still, it would be a mistake to ignore the Bullet 650 based on looks alone, as it is the most comfortable and easy-to-ride 650 that I have experienced in the Royal Enfield lineup. Plus, it is priced at an attractive ex-showroom cost of Rs 3.65 lakh. If you are serious about getting a powerful retro motorcycle, I suggest you test-ride the Bullet 650; it will impress you in more ways than you expect.