The forthcoming Royal Enfield Shotgun 650 was recently found out in the open after being observed testing in India in April. The Shotgun 650 is based on the SG650 Bobber concept that Royal Enfield showcased at last year’s EICMA. It will have a single-piece seat, as is typical of a bobber, but the presence of a pillion seat in the new test mule suggests the motorcycle might be available in two variants; boober and a roadster.
The test mule has an upside-down fork, similar to that seen on the Super Meteor 650. The front fender mounting is smartly constructed to double as a fork seal cover. The motorcycle has dual shock absorbers at the back. It is additionally supported by disc brakes on both ends with ByBre callipers and dual-channel ABS. The RE Shotgun 650 Roadster test mule, like the Super Meteor 650, was outfitted with alloy wheels and road-biassed tyres.
The spy photos also show the asymmetrical instrument cluster. The main pod will most likely be a semi-digital unit, similar to the Royal Enfield Meteor 350, with the smaller pod possibly housing the Tripper Navigation module.
While the general design idea of the bike, as with other REs, screams retro, the components are finished in black, giving it a current factory-custom look. The Shotgun 650 will be powered by the same 650cc, parallel-twin, air-cooled engine that powers the current RE flagship products. However, the state of tune and exhaust note will most likely be different to suit the character of the bike.
For the next five years, Royal Enfield plans to release one new motorcycle per quarter. The Hunter 350 appears to be the next model, based on an invitation given to media outlets by Royal Enfield. Super Meteor 650 is expected to be available in late 2022, with the Shotgun 650 following in early 2023, with the expected price of Rs 3.15 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi).