Getting back to the original post, i have been looking at these pictures a lot and what strikes me as most significant is the frame. It is a classic and simple twin downtube/loop frame. And it would seem to me that this frame may be the basic frame for all R.E.s for the future, even the twin if it ever happens. If R.E. can meet the quality challenges and get the details right i think this bike may be their game changer.
As someone mentioned earlier, the bike has the look of Italian retro stuff more than English bikes of old. I have to wonder if Mc deeb had any influence here. Just thinking out loud.
Robert & REnfield.
By the way,Honda is also going back to the future with the 2013 CB1100, check it out!