It was in November 1901 that Royal Enfield launched its first motorcycle at the Stanley Cycle Show in London, kickstarting the journey of an iconic brand that has since inspired millions in their pursuit of pure motorcycling over the last 120 years. From these humble beginnings in 1901, Royal Enfield, the oldest motorcycle brand in continuous production, is marking this milestone year with the 120th Year Anniversary Edition of its popular 650 Twin motorcycles — the INT 650 and Continental GT 650 — revealed at EICMA 2021.
In a proud celebration of its 120-year legacy, Royal Enfield reached back into the brand’s rich heritage of building authentic, handcrafted motorcycles. Along with unique black and chrome color schemes and a selection of Genuine Motorcycle Accessories, these limited-edition anniversary models feature artisan-crafted, die-cast brass tank badges and classic Royal Enfield hand-painted pinstripes. A limited run of only 480 units worldwide — 120 in each of its four regions for a total of 60 Continental GT 650 and 60 INT 650 units bound for North America — present a unique opportunity for enthusiasts to own a piece of motorcycling history.
The 120th Year Anniversary Edition INT 650 and Continental GT 650 have been designed and handcrafted by the company’s teams across the U.K. and India. The exquisite brass badges are crafted in collaboration with the Sirpi Senthil family, multi-generational artisans from the temple town of Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu, India. Particularly specialized in making the elegant brass effigies for the most revered temples in India for centuries, this is the first time that these artisans have collaborated with any automotive brand.
The unique, rich, black-chrome tank color scheme has been developed in-house, with Royal Enfield’s industry-leading chroming technology at the company’s original 1950s manufacturing factory in Thiruvottiyur, Chennai, India. The motorcycles are chromed with an alternate, sustainable, trivalent, eco-friendly process. To complement the black chrome tanks, both the Continental GT 650 and Interceptor 650 will feature, for the first time, completely blacked out components, with the engine, silencer and other elements in an array of black color schemes. The motorcycles will also come equipped with a range of Genuine Motorcycle Accessories, such as fly screens, engine guards, heel guards, touring and bar-end mirrors, among others in a defining black to accent the overall design.
The 120th Year Anniversary Edition INT 650 and Continental GT 650s will also boast the legendary Royal Enfield hand-painted pinstripes. To make each motorcycle even more exclusive, the tank top badge will feature the unique serial number of each motorcycle indicating that it is one of 60 unique motorcycles in any of the four regions mentioned around the world. Additionally, the motorcycles will also adorn a side panel decal that is a special ode to Royal Enfield’s 120 years.
“Few brands can celebrate the kind of legacy and history that Royal Enfield has enjoyed over the last century, and a lot of this legacy is from the immense love the brand has received from riders through the ages,” said Siddhartha Lal, managing director of Eicher Motors Ltd. “There was simply no better way of celebrating this milestone than sharing a piece of it with our consumers around the world. We are delighted to bring the 120th Anniversary Edition 650 Twin motorcycles to enthusiasts around the world and share the brand’s legacy with them. Both the INT and the Continental GT are hugely successful around the world today, as they were in the 1960s, and truly represent our heritage of making simple and enjoyable motorcycles.”
Inspired by the legendary Royal Enfield Interceptor 750 and Continental GT 250 of the 1960s, these motorcycles have been instrumental in the brand’s global expansion and success in recent years. The significance and relevance of the INT and the Continental GT 650, both in Royal Enfield’s glorious past and modern history, make them the obvious choice for the 120th Anniversary Edition.
In North America, the Royal Enfield 120th Year Anniversary Edition Twins will be made available via a limited time online sale in early 2022. Visit www.royalenfield.com/120thedition for more information; availability details will be announced soon.
