10 things to like about the Royal Enfield Continental GT

The 2015 Royal Enfield Continental GT as seen in an eBay ad by Royal Enfield of Fort Worth.
(This dealer typically includes more than 40 photos in their ads; you really get a good look.)

No one asked me, so here are 10 things I like about the Royal Enfield Continental GT and 10 things I don't love. It will be interesting to revisit this list in a few years and see if my judgments still make sense or whether this Royal Enfield has joined the rest of the stable as an all-time "classic."

Ten things I like about the Royal Enfield Continental GT:

1. Tidy. Light. Lithe.

2. Pretty engine/gearbox. Don't paint it black!

Original 1965 Royal Enfield
Continental GT cafe racer.

3. Clever way the ample fenders are kept visually short by black extensions.

4. Tank is not too big, not too small.

5. Seat and its back hump look sleek yet comfy.

6. Kick start!

7. Center stand!

8. Obvious historical link to the 1964 original.

9. Great brakes.

10. Superb gas mileage.

Ten I don't love:

1. Everything else on the Interstate is SO much bigger.

Muffler looks too big.
Aftermarket items are popular.

2. The mammoth license plate holder offends. (But it doesn't look as large as it used to be in these photos of the 2015 model.)

3. The muffler looks too big, although I'm getting used to it. Aftermarket!

4. Yellow rear shocks, even on red GTs. Paint 'em?

5. Boxy swing arms a bit inelegant. Live with it.

6. Undistinguished side panels beg for personalization. Ideas?

7. Fully realized cafe racer design discourages personalization. Hmmm.

Is license plate holder
smaller for 2015?

8. Doesn't really need a tach. A barometer would be just as useful. A quibble.

9. I'm not fond of digital mileage readouts but they are better.

10. Plenty of scoot but needs more speed for U.S. roads.