Motorcycles made by Royal Enfield have a charm of their own. They remind us of a much simpler time when it was the rider that defined how the motorcycle is ridden, not electronic rider aids that dominate the riding experience like in modern sports bikes. While most motorcycle manufacturers today are after a pretty spec-sheet, Royal Enfield has managed to retain the retro motorcycle appeal.

At the same time, however, they have been working hard on improving the quality of the motorcycles they make. Take the Royal Enfield Meteor 350, for example, it is the cheapest cruiser motorcycle you can buy in the US, but it still does not compromise on getting the basics right. The result of this approach is that Royal Enfield has fixed almost all the reliability issues that their older motorcycles, like the Royal Enfield Bullet 500, used to have. Lately, Royal Enfield has been keen on going fast. They have even tried their hand at American Flat Track rather successfully.

A racetrack, however, is not where you expect a Royal Enfield to be. Unless you see this modified Royal Enfield Continental GT 650, called No. 55 GT 650 Production Racer.

This Royal Enfield Looks The Part

Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 Modified Front Suspension View
Via: Royale Cars and Motorcycles

This modified Royal Enfield comes from Royale Motorcycles in Hamilton, New Zealand, and was built to be presented at the Busted Knuckles Build Off competition. This is organized by Royal Enfield Australia & New Zealand, and it is a custom bike build competition. But before we get into the technical details of the motorcycle, we just have to take a step back and soak it all in. The No. 55 GT 650 Production Racer is gorgeous.

The biggest reason why the No. 55 GT 650 looks like it is going fast even when standing still is that Royale Motorcycles made sure that the geometry of the bike stays sporty throughout the modification process. The design inspiration comes from the lesser known Royal Enfield Continental GT-R 650 which is the race version of the Continental GT 650 modified by Royal Enfield itself. These bikes are supposed to be part of the one-make racing series conducted by Royal Enfield in India called the Royal Enfield Continental GT Cup.

But while the Royal Enfield’s version of the modified Continental GT 650 takes the retro-racer route, Royale Motorcycles decided to go all out in making their version of the race-ready Continental GT 650 look like a modern racer. And what a fantastic job they have done. This machine resting on a pair of paddock stands feels right.

Related: 10 Things Every Motorcycle Enthusiast Should Know About The 2022 Royal Enfield Continental GT 650

The Beauty Is Skin Deep

Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 Modified Swingarm View
Via: Royale Cars and Motorcycles

The No. 55 GT 650 Production Racer is not only meant to look like a fast motorcycle but is meant to go like one too. And in order to do that, there are several changes done to the motorcycle. It comes shod with Pirelli Diablo SuperCorsa tires on the 17-inch wheels front and back which means that not only can you ride the motorcycle with these tires on the racetrack, but can also ride to the track and back once you are done.

The complete front end of the motorcycle has been taken from the iconic Triumph Daytona, including the front brake rotors and the fully-adjustable front suspension. At the back, the mono shock from Ohlins is fully adjustable as well. Add to that the fact that the bike comes with rear-set foot pegs, which too can be adjusted, and you have a motorcycle that can be adapted for pretty much any rider in the world, for any racetrack they wish to ride at.

The braking duties are done by capable Nissin calipers and the motorcycle also borrows an aluminum swingarm from a Honda. The sub-frame of the motorcycle has been modified as well. There is a custom free-flow air intake and exhaust system fitted on the bike to make it breathe freely too.

Related: 10 Facts Most Riders Don't Know About Royal Enfield Motorcycles

Retro Meeting Modern Is Exciting

Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 Modified Cockpit View
Via: Royale Cars and Motorcycles

No wonder the No. 55 GT 650 Production Racer won the Royal Enfield Australia & New Zealand’s Busted Knuckle Build Off 2022 challenge. And the fact that even with such a focused intent behind the build, the engine was left untouched speaks volumes of just how far Royal Enfield motorcycles have come in terms of reliability and the versatility that they offer. It reminds us once again that the motorcycles built by Royal Enfield on the twin-cylinder 650 – the Continental GT 650 and the Interceptor 650, are some of the most value-for-money motorcycles that you can buy.

And with this retro-themed motorcycle meeting a modern sports bike approach brings back the formula that we have loved for decades – an affordable twin-cylinder middleweight sports bike!

Source: Royal Enfield Continental GT 650, Royale Cars