How retro is the Classic 650 twin?

Do you see similarities between Royal Enfield's first parallel twin motorcycle, and its newest? (From The Gun magazine of the Royal Enfield Owners Club UK)

 I've had my say on whether the new Royal Enfield Classic 650 twin looks like the original Royal Enfield 500 twin of the 1950s. 

It doesn't. 

But that's my opinion, and I may be alone. 

The Gun magazine of the Royal Enfield Owners Club (UK) compared photos of the new twin and the original in its February/March edition. The magazine concluded this: 

"The Original 500 Twin (above) and the new 650 Classic seen at the Milan Show. The seat and the mudguard support, the frame loop, even the mudguard all look very like the Original." 

The magazine is undoubtedly right about those elements. Both motorcycles evoke nostalgic appeal today although, keep in mind that the original was thoroughly modern in its day. 

But look. I didn't say the new 650 twin looks bad. (It does look a little tight in its jeans, though, doesn't it?)

Here, again, is what I wrote:

"The Classic 650 caters more to modern tastes, with gearbox and motor encased together. Cylinders are canted forward and the side covers slant firmly forward. The Classic 650 is tightly packaged. Its solo seat is tucked in, without springs. From some angles the big, unit powerplant seems to bulge with barely contained muscle."

I accept the new Classic 650 twin as retro. And, as I said, that makes it the most interesting 650 twin to me personally.  Because, if I am honest, retro is the reason I ride Royal Enfield.

To me, though, the Classic 650 looks to recall a more modern era. Maybe -- probably, in fact -- that's smart. Ideas of beauty have evolved.

Here's a case in point. Look at the 1953 500 twin The Gun used in its comparison. Dignified, isn't it? Old fashioned, of course, but there's nothing out of scale or outlandish about it, is there?

Nothing looks out of place.

Well, swell, but that's not how the Royal Enfield 500 twin looked when it was first introduced, in November, 1948. It was unusual looking at the time and today would be called an outright ugly duckling.

The Royal Enfield 500 twin as introduced in November, 1948.

The massive unsprung front fender was utilitarian, perhaps, but not a thing of beauty. One critic wrote that it "spoilt the lithe lines of the rest of the machine." It sure did.

The engine, viewed from an unflattering eye level, also seemed too big for the bike. The rear fender, slim from the side view, looked fat in the three-quarters view.

Speaking of everything being in its place, customers must have wondered about the wisdom of housing the ammeter, light switch and ignition key in the side air cleaner box, where they could not be seen by a mounted rider!

The 500 twin had to evolve to become a looker. The Classic 650 twin is more evolved still. It's not its twin, but it might very well be a descendant of the original.