Royal Enfield INT650: A good bike for a new rider?

It's a Royal Enfield INT650 and its name is "Edwin."

Dacia, of California, wrote asking my opinion of the 2020 Roytal Enfield INT650 twin.

She's a new rider, and just bought the motorcycle, which she named "Edwin."

"I wanted something that I knew was not going to immediately break down (so I could take my time learning how to work on it), was easy to use (bells and whistles are not for me right now), and that was unique and comfortable for me," Dacia wrote.

She was looking for reassurance that she had the right motorcycle. What would you tell her?

Here's the reply I sent:

What a lovely motorcycle, and I will not hide the fact that I am jealous.

On the other hand, I do not miss the months of learning when I was a new rider. I was scared sometimes, uncomfortable often and felt clumsy always.

Of course, I was riding on an old Royal Enfield Bullet. You have the brakes, smooth gearbox and power to be more confident on the road. As one rider in my beginner motorcycling class explained, adequate power is not a waste: you don't have to use it. It's there when you need it. It actually makes riding easier.

This sets you up well. Often other traffic will expect a motorcycle to accelerate to where it wants to be, and get out of the way. You can do that when you want. Take the initiative and clearly demonstrate your plans, so the cars know what to do. Don't leave them in doubt.

On the other hand I've only recently come to realize how making tight turns and U-turns means going slow. A saying: fast riders are not fast IN corners. They are only fast OUT of corners.

Don't feel you have to race through corners to keep up. If you add speed in a corner the motorcycle will think "oh, now I can sit up and go straight," which means you won't turn as tight as you need to.

One other little bit: when waiting at a stop sign to turn onto a big street, the guy behind you might honk. Drivers don't realize how loud and piercing their horns are to someone who is not also inside a car, so this will be unsettling.

Keep calm and don't be rushed into turning out into traffic until you are ready: you can not afford to get your timing wrong when merging with traffic, whereas Mr. Big Horn behind you can bull his way in if he likes.

As a woman, I think you may have an advantage. It's unusual enough to see a woman riding on the front seat of a motorcycle that drivers might (might) cut some slack in traffic. I hope so.

Basically, my advice is ride, ride, ride. I was a commuter, so I had to ride twice a day. I think that was good for me. One old-timer told me it took 4,000 miles of riding to get comfortable on a bike.

Here's my review of the Royal Enfield INT650.

I quoted from various other reviews I liked in this item.

I've written about women riders, but none yet (you will be the first) on 650s. Here's my story about one woman I thought had the right attitude.

All best,

David in Fort Lauderdale