Royal Enfield 650 twin test ride first impressions

Over the weekend there was a local event where you could test ride the new 2019 Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 / Interceptor 650.Overall, I was pretty impressed. They're great bikes for the price ($6k new).The test ride course was only maybe a mile, but I did it probably 6 or 7 times. There was one long straight where we were able to open it up - it wasn't long enough to get to max speed, but I was able to get to about 75mph in 4th gear.There were a few minor complaints - like the turn signals aren't self-cancelling and the grips felt a little cheap - but nothing major. I rode the Continental GT 650 and Interceptor 650 each roughly 3 times. I preferred the Continental. It has that cafe racer look and I actually found it a little more comfortable somehow. The seat seemed slightly lower - so even though the bars were lower, the riding position felt more natural. Both bikes are essentially the same, though - just slightly different looks.The bikes are cool (enough), maneuverable (enough), and quick (enough) to be enjoyable. They aren't going to break any records... but they're also $6000 new. If you plan on riding within the speed limits and don't plan on any real track time - I'd recommend at least taking a look at these.It'll all come down to reliability / longevity. RA bikes aren't known for their dependability, but apparently these are made at a new factory with more modern quality assurance. I guess we'll see. At least they come with a three year warranty... so worst case you just sell it after three years if you don't want to risk it.I wasn't in the market for one of these... and I'm not 100% convinced, but after the weekend, these bikes are at least in the conversation - I had a lot of fun.Here are a few pics from the event: https://www.instagram.com/p/Bx_nQ0MJK2O/ via /r/motorcycles https://www.reddit.com/r/motorcycles/comments/bu0lxi/royal_enfield_650_twin_test_ride_first_impressions/?utm_source=ifttt