BSA Gold Star vs Royal Enfield Interceptor 650- competition check

The BSA Gold Star India launch has been pending for quite some time but there’s finally light at the end of the tunnel for those looking to buy the bike. The bike will be launched in India on 15 August and once it enters the market it’ll find itself going up against the Royal Enfield Interceptor 650. This is how they stack up against each other on paper.

Design

Both motorcycles are of the modern-retro type and their design exudes the charisma and timelessness of the bikes from a bygone era. The BSA Gold Star is the new motorcycle here and its styling is beautiful. The way the fuel tank has been shaped, to the neat and simple design of the fenders, the Gold Star is an example of ‘less is more’ in terms of design. It doesn’t need anything over the top to look good and even the colours and the chrome all around adds to its charm.

The Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 has been around since 2018 but regular updates and fresh colours have helped it look as enticing as it always did. The recent updates brought blacked out alloy wheels, engine and exhaust pipes to the bike, which goes with the retro design of the bike.

The BSA and the Royal Enfield look good in their own way and should appeal to those who like modern-retro bikes.

Features

The features on both the bikes are somewhat similar. They get dual channel ABS, twin pod instrument clusters with analouge dials and the RE gets an LED headlight. They are, however, devoid of modern-day features like traction control, cornering ABS or instrument clusters with Bluetooth connectivity.

Engine

Here is where both motorcycles are as different as chalk and cheese. The BSA Gold Star has a 652cc, single-cylinder, liquid-cooled engine that produces 45bhp at 6,500rpm and a peak torque of 55Nm at 4,000rpm. The long-stroke motor is paired with a five-speed gearbox.

The Interceptor 650 gets a 648cc, parallel-twin engine that makes 47bhp at 7150rpm and 52Nm at 5250rpm. The engine is linked with a six-speed gearbox.

The power and torque figures of the bikes are in the ballpark of each other but they will vastly differ in character and feel. The Interceptor’s engine is known for its refinement and performance.

Hardware

The Gold Star has a cradle frame with a telescopic fork in the front and twin shock absorbers at the back. The Interceptor also has a telescopic fork and twin shock absorbers but these are gas charged. It, too, has a disc brake at the front and a disc at the rear like the BSA.

Price

The Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 is priced from Rs 3.03 lakh, ex-showroom, Delhi. The BSA Gold Star should be price between Rs 3 lakh to Rs 3.3 lakh.