Royal Enfield is rumoured to have a twin-cylinder engine in the works, and it will compete in the middleweight category globally. That puts it in the 600-650 cc range, and it will form the heart of, no points for guessing, a cruiser motorcycle. The reason for the new engine despite the fact that the company already has engines with displacements of up to 535 cc, is that the current crop of powerplants doesn’t generate enough power for most freeway speeds in the US and UK, two of the biggest motorcycle markets in the world. We’re expecting a parallel-twin format, as that would both keep the identity of the company as a British-born motorcycle manufacturer, and also not require RE to reinvent the wheel, so to speak.
It will be most interesting to see what exactly the company comes up with, considering the twin-cylinder cruiser market already has a few strong players, including the Harley Davidson Street 500/750, which is quite a modern engine, with its short-stroke/water cooled tech – unlike the other engines in the Milwaukee fold. Whatever be the case, the consumer will end up winner.
Source: Visordown
