P86
RIDE REVIEW I 2026 ROYAL ENFIELD CLASSIC 650
war-style motorcycle and that's just how
they looked, I thought. They didn't have
"cruisers" back then. But within the first
few miles riding the Classic 650, I start-
ed to think, "This is a cruiser." At least it
feels that way with its low 31.5-inch seat
height, somewhat long 58.1-inch wheel-
base, semi-fat tires and stiff seat and
suspension. The Classic 650 shares its
mainframe with the Super Meteor
and the Shotgun 650, featuring dual
seats with an optional pillion seat and
rack removal, using a single-bolt mecha-
nism. My ride was pillion-less. The single
seat is wide, firm, and I thought quite
comfortable, despite limited padding.
throws a leg over it will agree.
Adding to the "you're on a
cruiser" feel is the positioning of
the instrument housing/headlight
nacelle. It's slightly lower and
pushed forward a bit more than
standard bikes. The Classic 650
is fitted with a large analog spee-
do and a modern-looking—small
but readable—digital screen that
displays a fuel gauge, gear-
position indicator, clock, USB-C
charging port and a Tripper
turn-by-turn navigation pod with
phone connectivity. The large
round headlight is LED, and on
each side are small running "tiger
eyes" lights. That whole area of
the bike looks very cruiser-ish.
(Above) Two of the three
versions of the Classic 650
feature hand-painted pinstriping.
(Below) The Classic 650 borrows
elements from Royal Enfield's
original parallel-twin, the 500
Twin, and its top-selling 350
Bullet model.
One of the things that didn't
feel cruiser at all to me was
ergonomics. The sitting position
is more straight-up-and-down,
standard style, with the footpegs
directly beneath you rather than
forward, like on many typical
cruisers, a style I never cared for.
Luckily for me, the Classic 650
has a more neutral seating posi-
tion, which means your spine isn't
an extension of the rear suspen-
sion like on traditional cruiser
bikes. Overall, the Classic 650 is
very comfortable and relaxed.
I'm sure anyone of any size who
