Royal Enfield's 650 twins: Milwaukee and the World

Royal Enfield's INT650 and Continental GT 650 are yours to ride Saturday in Milwaukee, Wis.

Milwaukee is next up on the Royal Enfield 650 Twins launch tour, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, June 1, hosted by Royal Enfield at The Cooperage, 822 S. Water St., Milwaukee, Wis.

The launch includes demo rides on the new INT650 twin and the Continental GT 650 cafe racer. 

(Motorcycle endorsement on license required to ride — and don't forget your riding  gear.)

Each of the launch sites emphasizes the individual strengths of the location. In Milwaukee that will include local distilleries, food trucks and, of all things, demonstrations by the Division BMX Stunt Team.

Then stay in town (or come back) for the Fifth Annual Brewtown Rumble Vintage Motorcycle Show, presented by Royal Enfield Sunday, June 2 on South Fifth Street from Virginia Street to National Avenue, in front of the Fuel Cafe, 630 S. Fifth St., Milwaukee.

From Milwaukee the 650 Twins launch tour moves on to Toronto, Ontario, where Royal Enfield plans "a total town takeover of Acton, Ontario" Saturday, June 8.

With "the blessing of the residents," Royal Enfield will take over the streets for the day with demo rides of the 650 Twins and rides on a "mini dirt track" aboard the Royal Enfield Himalayan adventure motorcycles.

From Toronto the tour goes to:

Denver, Colorado, Saturday, June 15.

San Jose, California, Saturday, June 22.

Brea, California, Saturday, June 29.

San Diego, California, Sunday, June 30.

Click on the links for more information and to get updates on the tour. (Note there has been one change: The June 22 event will be at San Jose, California instead of at Monterrey.)

I had hoped to be at the Milwaukee launch event, but a miserable head cold has sent me home to Florida to recooperate instead. I hope those who make Milwaukee have a blast.

At the moment, Facebook says 188 people have RSVP'd for Milwaukee, but 1,500 are interested! 

Milwaukee is the headquarters of Royal Enfield North America. Its 1914 headquarters building is one of the historic buildings in this cool riverfront neighborhood. Check out my story on it to catch the flavor of the Old Third Ward.

Of course it doesn't look like that anymore. Here's my take on a 2017 visit to the building, and you can really see why the color of its brick buildings gave Milwaukee the nickname "Cream City."

Sunday's Brewtown Rumble is a ride-in vintage motorcycle show of bikes predominantly 35 years old, and older. It also features a pin-up show.

And if all that isn't enough, the world class Harley-Davidson Museum is just a short distance away at the intersection of Sixth Street and Canal Street.