‘Gorgeous’, I said to myself, the moment I first laid my eyes on the Shotgun 650 Motoverse Edition at the Motorverse 2023. Will the production version look just as good, I wondered. A month after that Ed flew to Los Angeles to ride and came back so impressed that he termed it as the most promising ‘650 twin’ yet. So I was quick to jump at the opportunity of riding the motorcycle in India. Having used the Super Meteor 650 for a good amount of time, I was impressed by it but it has its shortcomings, especially in our riding conditions. I was curious to see if the Shotgun 650 fixed them. The short answer is – yes!
The Shotgun 650 for me is the best looking ‘650 twin’ and I quite like the single-seat layout. There’s gloss finish to the paint on most places, including the engine, and while keeping it clean might feel like a task at times, it gives the Shotgun 650 a distinct charm and premium appeal. It also garners quite a bit of attention from the onlookers although there are times when people mistake it for a customised Super Meteor 650. If I were to nitpick, the twin exhaust tips are a bit outward facing and you need to be mindful of that while filtering through small gaps in the traffic. Overall, the Shotgun 650 is a job well done, though, and I am excited to see what custom motorcycle builders come up with at the Motoverse 2024, using this motorcycle as the base.
It’s when you get in the saddle that the difference between the Shotgun 650 and Super Meteor 650 becomes apparent. The handlebar on the former is flatter and does require you to stretch your arms a bit when sitting upright. The footpegs are rear-set compared to the Super Meteor. The best position to ride this motorcycle is by slightly crouching forward which also goes well with its sporty characteristic. The 795mm seat is quite accessible even for shorter riders.
The 648cc air/oil-cooled parallel twin engine features the same state of tune as the other ‘650 twins’ with outputs of 47PS and 52Nm. The abundant torque helps in quick acceleration, especially when you want to close gaps in the city traffic. The refinement levels are also more or less the same as the Super Meteor, and you are not bothered by vibrations unless you rev it to the redline. The gear shifts also feel a lot more slicker compared to the other ‘650 twins’.
What really gives the Shotgun 650 its sporty appeal, though, is its handling. It is based on the Super Meteor’s frame albeit with a 35mm shorter wheelbase. It even gets the same Showa upside-down forks at the front and twin shock absorbers at the rear, but the latter has 11mm less travel on the Shotgun. Given its sportier intent, the suspension has been set up on the firmer side yet never feels overly uncomfortable over our not so smooth roads. I was quite impressed with the Super Meteor’s handling and responsive front end, and wished it had a sharper rake to make things interesting. With the Shotgun 650, that wish came true and as expected, I had an absolute blast riding the motorcycle on all kinds of roads, be it city, highways or the twisties. Despite weighing 240kg, I could filter through the city traffic as easily as I could on the Hunter 350, the smallest Royal Enfield motorcycle on sale currently, which is quite impressive.
The low 140mm ground clearance is both a bane and boon for the Shotgun. On one hand, the centre of gravity is lower than the Interceptor and Continental GT, making it an agile handler. On the other hand, the lean angle is limited and you’d scrape the footpegs a lot sooner than you’d do on the other ‘650 twins’. That said, a set of stickier tyres should unlock a new level of the Shotgun’s handling prowess. Braking hardware is the same as the Super Meteor but I felt the bite, especially from the front disc, was a lot better on the Shotgun, which gave me even more confidence to further push the motorcycle.
With prices starting at Rs 3.59 lakh ex-showroom, it is almost just as expensive or affordable (whichever way you like to see it) as the Super Meteor. In the end, it boils down to what you prefer. If you want the more relaxed ergonomics for long distance touring, go for the Super Meteor, but the Shotgun feels a lot more suited as a daily ride. It is a lot easier and comfortable to ride and the added sportiness is a bonus. On top of that, it also feels the most premium and well built among the ‘650 twins’, with the Super Meteor coming in a close second. The Shotgun 650 then, appeals to both your head and heart and a quick test ride should be enough to convince you of that!
