KEY HIGHLIGHTS
- While the Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 is an authentic caf頲acer, the BSA Gold Star 650 and Kawasaki Z650RS are more of traditional retro roadsters
- The Continental GT 650 is the only motorcycle with clip-on handlebars and adjustable levers
- It is also the only motorcycle here with a conventional air-cooled engine, compared to the liquid-cooled engines of the Gold Star 650 and Z650RS
Despite its niche positioning as an authentic caf頲acer, the Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 has become a sales success recently, owing to its increasing popularity for its looks and raw power. In the middleweight retro motorcycle category, very few motorcycles come close to the old-world charm of the Continental GT 650, which has recently received a fresh challenge in the form of the BSA Gold Star 650.
Unlike the caf頲acer persona of the Continental GT 650, the Gold Star 650 is more of a true retro roadster, wearing a more straightforward and conventional design. How does the Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 fare against the fresh challenge of the BSA Gold Star 650? We take a look at the newly-found rivalry while also including the much more premium and expensive Kawasaki Z650RS, another middleweight retro motorcycle, in the comparison.
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Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 vs Rivals: Price
With prices ranging between Rs 3.19 lakh and Rs 3.45 lakh, the Continental GT 650 sits between the slightly more affordable BSA Gold Star 650 and the much higher-priced Kawasaki Z650RS.
| Model | Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 | BSA Gold Star 650 | Kawasaki Z650RS |
| Price (ex-showroom, Delhi) | Rs 3,19,000 Rs 3,45,000 | Rs 2,99,990 Rs 3,34,990 | Rs 6,99,000 |
Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 vs Rivals: Engine
Compared to the liquid-cooled setup for the single-cylinder 652cc engine of the BSA Gold Star 650 and the parallel-twin 649cc engine of the Kawasaki Z650RS, the 648cc inline-twin engine of the Continental GT 650 has a more conventional air-cooled setup.
The maximum power output of the Continental GT 650 is marginally higher than that of the BSA Gold Star 650, while the peak torque output is marginally lesser than the BSAs offering. Meanwhile, the power and torque outputs of the Z650RS are in a completely different ball game, offering much peakier performance than the Continental GT 650 and Gold Star 650.
| Model | Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 | BSA Gold Star 650 | Kawasaki Z650RS |
| Engine | Inline-twin, air-cooled, 648cc | Single-cylinder, liquid-cooled, 652cc | Parallel-twin, liquid-cooled, 649cc |
| Transmission | 6-speed | 5-speed | 6-speed |
| Maximum power | 47.5PS @ 7,250 rpm | 45PS @ 6,500 rpm | 68PS @ 8,000 rpm |
| Maximum torque | 52.3Nm @ 5,150 rpm | 55Nm @ 4,000 rpm | 64Nm @ 6,700 rpm |
Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 vs Rivals: Hardware
All three motorcycles here have conventional steel tubular frames with telescopic forks at the front. However, while the Continental GT 650 and BSA Gold Star 650 have twin coil springs with adjustable pre-load, the Kawasaki Z650RS gets a more modern mono-shock setup.
The front tyre and brake setup of the Continental GT 650 and Gold Star 650 are similar, with the latter having a bigger rear disc and rear tyre. Meanwhile, the Z650RS have much more superior brakes and tyres than the Continental GT 650 and BSA Gold Star 650.
| Dimensions | Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 | BSA Gold Star 650 | Kawasaki Z650RS |
| Frame | Steel double cradle | Steel tubular | Steel tubular |
| Front suspension | Telescopic | Telescopic | Telescopic |
| Rear suspension | Twin gas-charged coil springs with adjustable preload | Twin coil springs with adjustable preload | Mono-shock |
| Front brake | 320mm disc | 320mm disc | Dual 272mm petal discs |
| Rear brake | 240mm disc | 255mm disc | 186mm petal disc |
| Front tyre | 100/90-18 | 100/90-18 | 120/70-ZR17 |
| Rear tyre | 130/70-R18 | 150/70-R18 | 160/60-ZR17 |
Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 vs Rivals: Features
Regarding features, the Continental GT 650 feels slightly more modern than the out-and-out old-school BSA Gold Star 650. The Continental GT 650 has an LED headlamp and a small LCD panel for the fuel gauge, over the halogen lights and all-analogue meters of the BSA Gold Star 650. All three motorcycles here have a USB charger and dual-channel ABS, but the Z650RS feels the most premium here, with exclusive features like traction control, an LED tail lamp, and turn indicators.
Being an authentic caf頲acer, the Continental GT 650 has a sportier riding posture with clip-on handlebars, unlike the more relaxed riding posture and single-piece handlebar of the Gold Star 650 and Z650RS.
| Dimensions | Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 | BSA Gold Star 650 | Kawasaki Z650RS |
| Headlamps | LED | Halogen | LED |
| Tail lamps | Halogen | Halogen | LED |
| Turn indicators | Halogen | Halogen | LED |
| Instrument console | Analogue with LCD MID | Analogue | Analogue with LCD MID |
| USB charger | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Clip-on handlebars | Yes | No | No |
| Adjustable levers | Yes | No | No |
| Alloy wheels | Yes (optional) | No | Yes |
| Tubeless tyres | Yes (optional) | Yes | Yes |
| Dual-channel ABS | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Traction control | No | No | Yes |
Verdict
With a handful of premium features over the BSA Gold Star 650, the Continental GT 650 is the more recommendable retro motorcycle, particularly for its niche caf頲acer design and riding stance. However, you may prefer relaxed riding, especially over longer journeys. In that case, the Gold Star 650 and Kawasaki Z650RS are the preferable motorcycles, with the latter only advised for those who can stretch the budget to buy one.
While the Kawasaki Z650RS offers much superior performance and mechanical hardware, its limited availability, after-sales support, and higher maintenance costs can be hindrances for many.
