I'm cold. No, I'm bloody freezing. It's a brutal, almost base feeling, and it's relentless. The... wait a second, I remember these words, because I've written them before, five years ago. On that occasion, I was describing being astride the new Royal Enfield Interceptor 650, on a beautiful Californian highway on a spectacular day. This time, I'm on the Royal Enfield Shotgun 650. On a beautiful Californian highway. On a spectacular day. And I'm still bloody freezing. Talk about full circles.
But enough about me; let's focus on the Shotgun, RE's latest blast across the bows of... well, its own motorcycles, for starters; the Interceptor/Continental GT and Super Meteor all have many things in common with it, beginning with their engines the 648cc parallel twin, making 46.4 bhp and 5.3 kgm. For years now, Royal Enfield has absolutely killed it in the realm of affordable, characterful motorcycles - the Bullet, the Classic, the Himalayan - each a testament to the company's legacy of building robust machines with a timeless, retro appeal. When news broke of the Shotgun 650 - a bobber based on the Super Meteor platform - we all held our breath. Could RE pull off a modern interpretation of a bobber, or would the Shotgun turn out to be a misguided departure from its core identity? That's what I went to the City of Angels to try and find out.
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Sedan Sensation
Volkswagen Virtus is India's definitive choice for sedan!
PLEASANT X-FACTOR
The X3 delivers a thrilling driving experience without sacrificing comfort, making it the ideal SUV for the discerning driver
ONWARDS AND UPWARDS
In the last two decades, India has seen unprecedented growth in public infrastructure. We set out to experience some of it first hand, in partnership with Mahindra and JK Tyre
THAT FAMILIAR FEELING
There's a new Swift in town. Is it a case of 'so what else is new?'
COFFEE CULTURE
Two friends head out to explore the coffee capital of India with the Nissan Magnite HRAO X-Tronic CVT
PLEASANT X-FACTOR
The X3 delivers a thrilling driving experience without sacrificing comfort, making it the ideal SUV for the discerning driver
P FOR VENDETTA
Makes sense considering that a V-Strom comes with a parallel-twin engine, right?
ONE FOR ALL
Pretty obvious thing to say about a scooter, right? Yet here we are...
GOOD COLD DAYS
Riding the new Himalayan in the new Himalayas (sort of)
A MOTHER'S EMBRACE
Volvo C40 Recharge: A safe and sustainable choice!