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.
Denne historien er fra February 2024-utgaven av Motoring World.
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Denne historien er fra February 2024-utgaven av Motoring World.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
ELECTRIC VANILLA
It has everything that makes a regular EV, but does it stand out amongst everything out there?
HERE, THERE, AND EVERYWHERE!
Just about everything you want in a rider-friendly dirtbike, now in a street-legal avatar!
THREE'S A CROWD?
The third 125cc bike in the Pulsar lineup the N125 will disagree
CARNIVAL CRUISE
The Carnival is back in town, and it's looking to make a statement. Let's see if the higher price tag brings added value and luxur
CLASSICAL ROMANCE
Much more of the same cannot be a bad thing... right? Right?
ENTERPRISE SOLUTIONS
The new E-Class betters what it's always been good at being an office on wheels
MPV OR MVP?
An electric rival to the Innova? Or does it redefine the segment?
PAW PATROL
Experience the charm of open-air cruising with the sleek new Mercedes-Benz CLE
SLIDE WHIPS
Want to burn rubber and make doughnuts? Here's the recipe!
AN ORANGE SURPRISE
This Basanti will dance, jump, and sing through a titanium exhaust, just for you