The motor is super-smooth, as well.
From bottom to top, the INT pulls smoothly
and evenly with a steady rush of power, mak-
ing you grip the bars just a little tighter as you
twist the throttle. It's plenty fast for a 650cc
twin and has no problems keeping up with
traffic flow on hyper California freeways. It's
very comfortable at 70 mph.
Fueling is very clean. Chop the throttle, then
quickly open it up again, the INT's EFI system
responds well, revealing zero glitches or hesi-
tation. The same holds true at any RPM. Nice.
And surprise number two—it also shifts
smoothly, not clunky like an authentic clas-
sic bike. The six-speed gearbox changes
gears seamlessly and with precision, and the
clutch pull is light enough, which is excellent
because you shift this bike a lot, though that's
not a bad thing at all. It launches smoothly,
too. No problem there.
You won't feel any excessive vibration in
the chassis from first gear through sixth at any
engine speeds. Royal Enfield did a great job
at the factory to squelch any possible annoy-
ing buzzing. Instead, its "odd" 270° crank-
shaft layout helps gives it a pleasant vibe, not
to mention a distinctive sound.
The INT 650 isn't about going fast but it will bait
you into it on lazy back roads since it handles so well
and makes better-than-you-would think power.
That's it. What else to you really
need to know, anyway?
VOLUME 59 ISSUE 13 MARCH 29, 2022 P91
