Modern RETRO
OLD IS GOLD. BUT IT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE REAL gold – it can be fake gold, wearing a shiny suit that from 10 yards away looks similar to the real thing. In biking, Triumph has been the master of faux classics. Kawasaki tried with the W650 and W800 and were very good, dreadful brakes aside, and now has a foot in the 70s/80s club with its Z900, as well as Suzuki and the Katana. Ducati has the odd special (Paul Smart edition), and Moto Guzzi succeeds by still producing the bikes it always has… And now we have three of the oldest names, but new faces behind the badges: Norton, Royal Enfield and the new boy, BSA. Or is that the old boy? I’m confused.
In a group test, talking price would traditionally come at the end. But thanks to Royal Enfield and its Indian-based economies of scale, this element is almost more important than how the engine feels or the handling. The Interceptor 650 shook the industry when released in 2018, offering a mid-sized, good-looking retro bike at about £6500, two grand cheaper than anyone else. Once they were actually in showrooms, the rivals stood no chance. It is still the cheapest, at £6239 for the model here, brand new, on the road, with warranty and breakdown. Next is the Gold Star at £6800, plus on-the-road charges of £300 to £350 (why the hell isn’t it just included? What next – charging for mudguards?). Finally, the Triumph Speed Twin 900 is £8795 on the road. That’s quite a difference and frankly, for many of us, the decision-making would stop here, or head towards second-hand deals. We can defend certain prices with quality and economies of
