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1 year with the Royal Enfield Continental GT 650: Ownership review

5th August 2024, 16:02 by Brij Gawde

Currently the bike Odo is at 5600 Kms. It has completed all 3 free services.

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One year with Continental GT650

Last month, I happened to complete one year of ownership of the Continental GT 650(Apex Grey). Currently, the bike Odo is at 5600 Kms. It has completed all 3 free services. Owning the bike has been mixed feelings. While I have been delighted with the looks and performance of the bike, there are certain dislikes.

2023 RE Continental GT 650:

Why Continental GT ?

In 2017-18, I was looking for a logical upgrade from Pulsar 200 DTSI and thought 650 twins were the ones within my budget. However, I was not happy with the tubed tyre set-up & overdone chrome. Meanwhile I had to get rid of my ageing SX4 & buy a new car as well. I postponed the bike purchase plan. Later I travelled to the US for work, COVID-19 happened and I moved to a new house. The thought of buying the bike came up again in 2023 when RE was testing the upgraded 650 twins. I test rode Interceptor & GT(both old ones) back-to-back a couple of times. I liked the committed riding stance of the GT compared to the laidback one in the interceptor. This along with the good looks, I made up my mind and booked Apex Grey GT through the RE app. Though the delivery was delayed, I was happy to get my GT in June 2023.

PDI in dealer stockyard, Acclaim Motors Yelahanka:

Pooja on the delivered day:

Bike with touring seat, Large Engine guard and sump guard:

After PPF and Ceramic coating:

Ownership Experience:

After a week of delivery, I got the PPF done (before going to 1st service). Initially, I took time to get used to the weight of the bike. In fact, I have dropped it a couple of times during push-pull movement with only my hand. Gradually I have learnt how to handle the bike. Bikes have been primarily used for office commutes which is 20 Kms round trip on a route with very little traffic. The bike is definetly a pain to ride in B2B traffic due to weight and handlebar positioning and I completely avoid it. Surprisingly, I felt it comfortable on highways. I have done a couple of day rides(around 250 KMs) with my wife as a pillion. Also, I have done 3 solo trips of Bangalore-Davangere(280 KMs).

First trip to Davangere:

The bike is definitely fast for me and its performance is more than asked for. Being in my 40s, I have not dared to cross 130 KMPH on it, nor will I ever. Braking is good and I have yet to encounter any panic-breaking scenarios. I am getting around 22 KMPL of mileage in the city and around 25 KMPL (100 KMPH speed) on highways. Servicing at Acclaim Motors, Yelahanka has been satisfactory so far. The bike has been trouble-free so far.

More trips to Davangere:

Dislikes:

Most of my dislikes towards the bike are related to its limitations on highway trips. Please do not get me wrong here. I am very well aware that this bike is not touring-friendly. But I still feel there is a scope to make it a better bike.

Handle Bar Height - There is a feeling of pressure on the wrists after some time. Well, I am accustomed to it, RE could have placed the handlebar a couple of inches higher without compromising on the looks. I tried to order Zana handlebars but their customer care was not sure if it fit the updated GT's switch gears.
Fuel Tank Capacity - It is 10 liters and there is no problem in city usage. But when travelling on highways, I really need to plan fuel stops after 150-160 kms, which I really hate. A bigger 15 liter tank would have been good. (Fun Fact:- My previous ride Pulsar 200 DTSI used to accommodate 20 litres and I had done Bangalore-Ooty-Banglore round trip without any refueling.)
Headlight - The new LED headlight is good but not really useful for those night highway rides. I don't have any plans to upgrade the same as of now.

Modifications:

I am not much into modifications. The biggest mod I have done is to install bar end mirrors. Got an aftermarket set from Amazon & installed them myself. Also, I removed the saree guard and pillion handle bar. I am trying out a new solution for handlebar height and will update you on the same here.

Bar End Mirrors: