Royal Enfield takes the next step: 750cc inline twin makes its debut

When they were unveiled, the Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 and Interceptor 650 were the first twin-cylinder models from the originally British brand in over 50 years. With 48 PS – sufficient for an A2 licence – the parallel-twin was regarded by the majority of customers in its home market of India at the time as being powerfully engineised and represented the top of the range.

However, as early as 2017, Eicher Motors CEO Sidharta Lal announced that the company had selected models from its range which it intended to develop into more powerful and more expensive products. The needs of the domestic market are increasingly aligning with those of the high-volume markets in Europe and North America. To this end, at EICMA 2026, the Indian manufacturer presented the latest iteration of its air-cooled twin-cylinder engine, with which it aims to establish a presence in higher displacement segments and power future flagship models in its range. Initially, the engine will be fitted to two models, both of which represent different variants of the same model platform.

The Indo-British manufacturer is undoubtedly targeting the most important market segment with the Himalayan 750. Ten years on from the Himalayan 411 – which was also air-cooled – the engineers have adapted its formula for a modern touring enduro. A company press release describes the new flagship of the model range as “uncomplicated” and “retro with modern technology”. At the same time, the touring enduro, with its 19-inch front and 17-inch rear wheels, possesses “touring DNA”. The fork’s travel measures 190 millimetres. The bike also features full LED lighting, a 4-inch TFT display, cruise control and cornering ABS. At the heart of the Himalayan 750 is the newly developed parallel-twin engine. As with its smaller sibling, this engine utilises air and oil cooling. The twin’s displacement is 743 cubic centimetres. Maximum torque stands at 63 Newton metres, whilst the spec sheet lists a peak power output of 55 PS.

Royal Enfield Continental GT 750

Foto: Royal Enfield/Nigel Harniman

The sister model, the Continental GT 750, is set to go one step further, although Royal Enfield has not yet released precise figures for it. Royal Enfield had already given a preview of the engine and model at EICMA 2025 in the form of a Cup motorcycle. The message was clear: the production version, unveiled at this year’s edition of the leading Milan trade fair, is set to be the sportiest variant of the new twin. According to the Indo-British manufacturer, the new café racer features a ‘more powerful version’ of the new 743cc twin-cylinder engine, making the model ‘Royal Enfield’s most powerful production motorbike to date’. To bring the bike to a halt, the front wheel is fitted with a Bybre braking system featuring two brake discs, just like on its more substantial touring enduro sister model. As with the Continental GT 650, the engine is housed in a classic tubular steel frame; the twin rear shock absorbers and the front telescopic fork are also classic features. This traditional set-up is emphasised by the retro design, which will be available without fairings and, optionally, with a half-fairing. The next stage is already in the pipeline: the Interceptor range will also feature a model with the new 750cc twin, though it may be some time before this arrives.