Comparison of Triumph Thrust 400 and Royal Enfield Continental GT 650: Price, Technical Details, and Key Features Head-to-Head
Comparison: Triumph Thruxton 400 vs Royal Enfield Continental GT 650
The Triumph Thruxton 400 and the Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 are two popular café racer motorcycles, each offering a unique blend of performance, style, and character. Here's a detailed comparison of these two iconic bikes.
Performance
The Triumph Thruxton 400 boasts a 399cc parallel-twin engine, producing approximately 54 PS and 32 Nm of torque. It's designed to deliver a lightweight café racer feel, although its lower displacement means it may not match the outright power of larger engines.
On the other hand, the Continental GT 650 is powered by a 647.95cc air-cooled twin-cylinder engine, which produces 47.4 PS at 7250 rpm and 52.3 Nm torque at 5150 rpm. This engine offers strong mid-range torque, making it suitable for both city riding and highway cruising.
Weight and Size
The Thruxton 400 is a more compact bike, with aggressive café racer ergonomics and a lower seat height, making it suitable for nimble urban riding. Its dry weight is approximately 180 kg, which, while lightweight, may affect highway stability. The Continental GT 650, however, has a kerb weight of 214 kg, which is heavier but still manageable for its category. It has a larger fuel tank capacity of 12.5 liters compared to the Thruxton's smaller tank.
Chassis and Suspension
The Thruxton 400 features a trellis frame, typical of Triumph’s classic styled café racers, providing a solid yet lightweight structure. The Continental GT 650, meanwhile, uses a steel tubular frame designed for stability and balance, optimized for comfortable highway cruising and cornering. Both bikes use telescopic forks up front and twin rear shocks, but the Continental GT's suspension is tuned for comfort balanced with sporty dynamics, while the Thruxton's setup leans towards sharper handling.
Brakes and Features
The Thruxton 400 typically comes with disc brakes front and rear (single discs) with ABS in newer models, offering decent stopping power for the 400cc class. The Continental GT 650, on the other hand, features front and rear disc brakes with dual-channel ABS, providing better braking assurance for higher speeds and weight.
The Thruxton 400 also features all-LED lighting, ride-by-wire throttle, traction control, USB charging, and a slip-and-assist clutch, while the Continental GT offers modern refinement in engine build for reliability and smoother power delivery.
Price and Verdict
The Thruxton 400 is generally less expensive than the Continental GT 650, reflecting its smaller engine capacity and simpler tech. The Continental GT 650 starts at approximately Rs 3.26 lakh (ex-showroom, India), while the Thruxton 400 is priced lower due to its smaller engine and limited availability in some markets.
If you're seeking a powerful yet affordable café racer with contemporary conveniences, the Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 is generally the better pick. For lighter weight and agility in an iconic café racer style but with less power, the Triumph Thruxton 400 holds appeal.
Additional Notes
The Continental GT 650’s engine and chassis make it more suitable for longer rides and highway cruising, with a top speed around 170 kmph and confident cornering feel. Fuel economy for the Continental GT 650 ranges between 22-33 kmpl depending on riding conditions, which is reasonable for a 650cc air-cooled bike.
In terms of user appeal, the Royal Enfield offers a strong value proposition for a 650cc café racer with modern standard features, while Triumph’s Thruxton 400 may attract purists looking for classic Thruxton styling with smaller displacement.
*The Triumph Thruxton 400 and the Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 are both motorcycles that are popular for their café racer style, with the Thruxton offering a lighter, nimble build for urban riding, while the Continental GT is designed for stable highway cruising with stronger mid-range torque.* In terms of additional features, the Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 offers modern standard features like better braking assurance with dual-channel ABS, superior engine reliability, and smoother power delivery, making it a good choice for those seeking a powerful 650cc café racer.
