Royal Enfield Shotgun 650 review – a new step for RE, but does it work?

Motorcycle lovers from all around the world were captivated by the Royal Enfield Shotgun 650 when it was unexpectedly unveiled at the 2023 Motoverse/Rider Mania event in Goa. The Shotgun, which is marketed as a sportier version of the Super Meteor 650, offers an exhilarating ride without sacrificing its cruiser heritage. Not only does America enjoy the classic bouquet of cruisers, but Los Angeles and the legendary “sunny California” have some of the best riding routes, which is why Royal Enfield picked Los Angeles as the location for us to test out this motorcycle. For a cruiser variant, is that a bit excessive? In a moment, we shall explore that.

Having stated that, I don’t like to approach new cars with preconceived assumptions. However, the Super Meteor’s extremely rigid suspension convinced me that RE wanted to distract us from the harsh ride by providing us the Shotgun on the smooth and possibly perfect American roadways. Let’s start by dealing with the elephant in the room.

Ride Quality

Despite being a powerful cruiser, the Super Meteor 650 has drawn criticism for having a harsh ride, which is a frequent issue in the cruiser market due to the little suspension travel, particularly in the back. When designing the Shotgun 650, Royal Enfield paid close attention to these comments. The additional height of the rear fender is immediately noticeable. The donor’s biggest problems are resolved by this seemingly insignificant change, which frees up an extra 8–9 mm of wheel and suspension travel.

We personally witnessed the effects of this change as we ventured onto the highways of America, a crucial market for Royal Enfield’s 650 line. There is a discernible increase in ride comfort when riding on some of the rather difficult terrain. Even on the pothole-filled roads common to daily commutes, the Shotgun promises a more forgiving ride despite being less luxurious than the Classic.

Because of the lower fender height and different wheel sizes, it’s crucial to remember that the improved suspension system of the Shotgun isn’t a plug-and-play option for current Super Meteor owners.

Different Ergonomics

The Super Meteor’s suspension mounting points, chassis, and engine are still present in the Shotgun, but Royal Enfield has made considerable ergonomic adjustments to give it a more aggressive feel. The riding posture is redefined to a more aggressive and forward-biased stance with lower handlebars, an 18-inch front wheel, a 17-inch rear wheel, reduced front forks, increased rear suspension, and a subtle alteration to the rake angle.

In addition to honoring Royal Enfield’s legacy with a traditional 90-degree knee angle, the mid-mounted foot pegs add to the unique riding style that distinguishes the Shotgun from its stablemates. The more aggressive stance made for an exciting and dynamic ride on the curving roads close to Mulholland and the Angeles crest. The Shotgun feels sharper than the Super Meteor 650 right away, but it’s important to note that there is still a noticeable gap between the front and rear suspension. The motorcycle appears excessively fluid during abrupt direction changes or switchbacks, and the back feels substantially softer than the front. However, it’s not frightening, and once you get the hang of it, riding the shotgun is a lot of fun.

It provides a sense of connection with the road that enthusiasts long for and feels more responsive to rider inputs. You can rely on the front end far more, and it feels and is more confident than any of its 650 brothers, which speaks volumes about the Shotgun’s handling package. So much so that I can’t wait for Royal Enfield to apply this magic elixir to the Continental GT, which will suddenly feel slower than the Shotgun’s rapid turn-ins. The low-set foot pegs’ cornering clearance and the intended audience’s desire are the only two factors restricting the Shotgun’s aggressive handling. The majority of them will have a cruiser mindset and might never truly take use of this bike’s handling features.

Performance

However, it’s encouraging to know that the Royal Enfield Shotgun 650 adds a welcome dose of fun to the class of bikes, where the focus is frequently on relaxed cruising. The parallel twin motor, which maintains the same gearing and sprocket sizes as the Super Meteor, enhances the riding dynamics rather nicely. Theoretically, the wheel sizes would differ, but not significantly.

It’s set to potter around town and cruise at 120 kmph on the highway, and it has good low and midrange responsiveness. The engine does run out of revs rapidly when you are racing around turns like we did, so you have to shift the gears more frequently. You will be able to take advantage of the midrange without frequently using the gear shifter if you maintain a quick pace without attempting to maximize the bike’s capability. Additionally, the braking manners are superior to those of the first-generation 650 twins.

Design

The unique design of the Shotgun was influenced by current custom motorbike trends. We saw about a dozen of these modified Shotgun 650 motorcycles at the charming LA company of Bike Shed. RE even gave all the body panels to different custom bike builders to experiment with. It emphasizes that the designers’ main goal was to provide a more basic version of the Super Meteor 650 that the custom bike builders could go crazy with, even though they had their share of fun producing a fun handling package. Even if you don’t want to alter the appearance, Royal Enfield Shotgun 650 appears different from its siblings and offers both novice and experienced builders a fresh and simple canvas.

Modern design trends and historical components are carefully combined to create the Cyberpunk inspiration. The unique design features, like the elevated rear fender, add to the Shotgun’s aesthetic appeal in addition to fulfilling a practical role. The mid-mounted foot pegs, an homage to traditional cruiser ergonomics, are another example of how tradition and modernity can coexist peacefully with the more aggressive riding stance.

The new silhouette, low waist line, and striking color choices create a visual story that highlights Royal Enfield’s dedication to change. Although its goal is to serve as a platform for bike builders, its clients are free to share their own narratives if they so choose.