[AmBraCol]

When RE was revealing the new twins, yours truly was rumbling across the Andes.  Just put in my second longest trip on the Rumbler 500, had to take a new (to me) route due to huge construction related delays on my normal itinerary.  It wasn't until after my return that the opportunity presented itself to take a look at the new bikes, well, other than some pics shared to the local RE dealer's WhatsApp group. 

A lot of attention is being paid to the "inferiority" of the bike to the Triumph and other modern offerings from Japan, etc.  But the point of the RE Twins is that they'll make mid-sized bikes accessible to folks in less affluent parts of the world than the US, Canada, Europe, etc.  Triumph had a local dealership a couple years before RE came to town.  I went, walked around, drooled over the bikes, nearly passed out at the price thereof, never went back.  Within a year they'd  closed their doors, too high priced for the local market.  There's just not that much $$$ floating around to keep them going here.  A couple years later and RE opened a store here.  Much smaller place (methinks it's the smallest RE dealer in the country) but in the first year he sold around 40 bikes.  Not ground breaking, but I've yet to see a Triumph on the road yet RE's go rumbling by with relative frequency.

And that's where the Twins come in - a great step up with (hopefully) not too great of a step up in cost.  My guess is that they will retail here for about the same or perhaps a bit more than the Suzuki GS500, the formerly least expensive 500 CC bike in the market here in Coffee Country. Anything else in the same general displacement category will cost 50% more here - and that puts them out of reach of a great number of potential riders.  The 350-750 cc market has been all but ignored by the major brands, with the few offerings being priced well above the ability of the majority of folks here to pay. And that's why RE has taken the market by storm.

As I rumbled my way back up towards home, the twisty turny Letras Pass road was a blast to ride on the Rumbler 500, but it lacked just a bit more power to improve the experience.  The Interceptor looks like just the bike to move up to - if it comes in at an accessible (for here) price point.  Time will tell. 

In the meantime, I'm subscribed to this forum to see how things pan out in other markets. 

[AmBraCol]

Have been contemplating the Interceptor while going about life, work, etc.  I'd like to see what it looks like with the Rumbler/Thunderbird tank on it.  Have gotten used to the long range capabilities of the 20 liter tank, going back down to 12.5 seems like a step in the wrong direction.  :-D

[Karl Fenn]

Well triumph are not all they are cracked up to be, a friend of mine bought one its been backwards and forwards to main dealer with electrical problems, it you wait a while there will be plenty of royal enfeild 650 up for sale on the second hand market, they are to new at the moment.

[wachuko]

2017?



I never had an issue with mine... I miss that bike...

[agagliardi]

Wachuco- a lesson to be learned: never, ever sell any of your bikes. You will always regret it. Sell the wife, kids, house...but not your bike.

[biscot]

I'd love to be riding the Andes.

[Bilgemaster]

Well triumph are not all they are cracked up to be, a friend of mine bought one its been backwards and forwards to main dealer with electrical problems, it you wait a while there will be plenty of royal enfeild 650 up for sale on the second hand market, they are to new at the moment.

I see this elderly thread's been resurrected, but still, from your mouth to God's ear concerning the used 650s market. Right now the used ones aren't much of a bargain over the new ones. Already the topic of another thread, there's limited supply, and I blame the general disruptions of the Kung Flu.

As for Thai Triumph Bonneville vs. Indian Royal Enfield Interceptor, I think I'd prefer the Interceptor, and not just because I'm a marque fanboy or the price, though there is that. From what I gather from Stuart Fillingham's many videos, who owns both, he seems to clearly prefer his humble Interceptor too. Don't get me wrong, I'd LOVE to have an early '60s Bonnie or T-Bird, and even hazard that tanktop "bollocks-lopper", but the newer crop from Siam...not so much. Plus, the Interceptors just seem prettier to me.

[Hoiho]

In NZ last year; even the RE Classic outsold all nine Bonneville models combined. The Interceptor was eighth most popular bike sold in NZ, which is quite something given we love dual purpose style bikes...