Royal Enfield’s ‘Thunder and Lightning’ special editions bring added equipment

Royal Enfield has released a pair of special-edition motorcycles that bring extra equipment to two of its core models.

The Thunder Edition Continental GT 650 and the Lightning Edition Interceptor 650 both come equipped with a variety of features that are normally part of Royal Enfield’s motorcycle accessories range but are added as standard equipment instead.

The Thunder Edition Continental 650 – priced from £6,659 – comes with removable soft panniers, a dual touring seat, compact engine guards and a short fly screen, as well as machined bar-end mirrors. A machined oil filler cap is also included.

The retro-styled Continental 650 is powered by a two-cylinder 648cc engine with 47bhp and 52.3Nm of torque, coupled to a six-speed gearbox. All versions come with a digital instrument cluster, too, while Royal Enfield claims that it’ll return 67mpg combined.

The Lightning Edition Interceptor 650, meanwhile, makes use of the same engine as the Continental 650, but has a more upright riding position for a more user-friendly experience. The special-edition model – priced from £6,459 – includes the same range of accessories as the Thunder Edition, with an aluminium sump guard also included. It’s also available in a number of colours, with highlights including ‘Canyon Red’, ‘Ventura Blue’ and ‘Orange Crush’ single tones. A chromed version is also available.

Both motorcycles also feature chassis which have been developed alongside Harris Performance at Royal Enfield’s UK technology centre.