The Harley Davidson Street 750 is currently the easiest way to enter the Harley club in India. On sale for less than 5 lakh rupees, the Street 750 offers a good mix affordability, cruiser bike looks and strong performance. No wonder that it has become a favourite of sorts among many big bike buyers in the country.
However, from the looks of it, the cheapest HD motorcycle in India can soon have some competition. Royal Enfield, the popular iconic bike maker of this country, recently showcased two really promising new motorcycles at EICMA 2017. The new Interceptor 650 and the Continental 650 get a, yeah, you guessed it, near 650cc parallel twin engine that make the bikes powerful enough to rival the Street 750. We compare the two motorcycles in our Royal Enfield 650 vs Harley Davidson Street 750 comparison on this page.
Royal Enfield 650 vs Harley Davidson Street 750 Price in India
Well, the two new REs are still some time away from their market launch in India. That said, the company has promised to price these upcoming models very competitively. Helping Royal Enfield price its 650cc motorcycles very aggressively will be local manufacturing and parts sharing with existing motorcycles.
Hence, possibility of a starting price of as low as Rs 3.5 lakh is something that we really can’t rule. On the other hand, the Street 750 is the least priced Harley you can buy in India. It comes to us for an ex-showroom price of Rs 4.91 lakh, So, basically, there’s quite a huge gap we expect in prices of the three motorcycles here. And the cost advantage will be in favour of the Royal Enfield 650 motorcycles.
Royal Enfield 650 vs Harley Davidson Street 750 Specifications
The new Continental GT 650 and the new Interceptor 750 are the most powerful production-spec REs ever. The design of the new 650cc parallel-twin motor is based on another twin-pot engine from 1948. However, the internals are fairly modern and don’t have anything to do with the pre-1950 unit. The twin cylinder engine offers a maximum power of 47 PS at 7,000 RPM and a maximum torque of 52 Nm torque at 4,000 RPM. While not class-leading figures, these should make the new REs offer a healthy performance on the expressways.
The Street 750 from Harley Davidson comes with a 749.9cc parallel-twin engine outputting a maximum power of 52 PS at 8,000 RPM and a peak torque of 59 Nm at 4,000 RPM. Compared to the new REs, the Street 750 is definitely more powerful, at least on the paper. But let’s not forget that the new motorcycles from the South Indian bike maker weigh just about 200 KGs compared to 222 KGs of the Harley. So difference in real world performance will be negligible, we reckon.
Royal Enfield 650 vs Harley Davidson Street 750 Looks
Well, the two new Royal Enfield 650 motorcycles don’t look exactly like each other. While the Continental GT 650 looks a lot like the current 535cc model, the Interceptor is a Triumph Bonneville-like retro design. Styling highlights of these two motorcycles include upswept twin exhausts and spoke wheels. The new Continental GT 650 looks a lot like the 535cc café racer sibling. On the other hand, the Interceptor 650’s round fuel tank and a flat seat reminds us of bikes like the Bonneville. Overall, both the motorcycles bring in a dose of classiness along with a lot of charm.
If you compare the Harley Davidson Street 750 with the new REs, the former looks a lot different. It’s basically more cruiser-like and offers a stance that traditional American cruisers are known for. What’s more, bits like the optional Screamin’ Eagle silencer, multi-spoke alloys and a high set handlebar give this motorcycle a true blue cruiser look. Basically, there is no clear winner in this part of the comparison as looks are highly subjective and it all boils down to personal tastes. Still, if you ask us, we will choose the Conti GT 650 for the amalgam of café racer style and the racy character it has on offer.
What are your thoughts on the Royal Enfield 650 vs Harley Davidson Street 750 comparison? Let us know about your viewpoint by sharing it via comments.
