Royal Enfield Continental GT vs Hero Splendor Pro Classic Sarcasto-Comparison

Royal Enfield Continental GT vs Hero Splendor Pro Classic Sarcasto-Comparison:
Rivals or Dwarf?


Verdict: Continental GT is altogether in different league compared to the Splendor Classic Pro
Royal Enfield Continental GT
Hero Splendor pro Classic
Type
Single Cylinder, 4 stroke, Air cooled
Air Cooled, 4 - Stroke Single Cylinder OHC
Displacement
535 cc
97.2 cc
Max. Power
29.1 bhp (21.4 kW) @ 5100 rpm
6.15 kW (8.36 Ps) @ 8000 rpm
Max. Torque
44 Nm @ 4000 rpm
0.82 Kg-m (8.05 N-m) @ 5000 rpm
Bore x Stroke
87mm x 90mm
50.0 x 49.5 mm
Fuel Supply
Keihin Electronic Fuel Injection
Carburetor, Side Draft, Variable Venturi Type with TCIS
Compression Ratio
8.5:1
9.9:1
Starting
Electric & Kick
Kick start / Self start
Ignition
Digital Electronic Ignition
DC - Digital CDI
Gearbox
5 Speed Constant Mesh
4 Speed Constant Mesh
Clutch
Wet, multi-plate
Wet, multi-plate


Royal Enfield came out of their conventional bikes and showcased the Continental GT somewhere around Sept13 which was great bike for the India bike enthusiasts. As an Indian customer someone would had never seen real Café racer till then. The Continental shares the similar power plant from the Royal Enfield's fazed out Lightening which was once upon most powerful bike from Royal Enfield stable. Continental tried to make a lot of buzz in the market after it was launched but as usual Indian buyer go with their traditional faith on the bikes and continued buying the 50 year old model the Royal Enfield BULLET.

Well sometime passed by and then the India’s largest two wheeler manufacturer decided to give the youth of the country an affordable and stylish Café racer in Feb14. Cleverly Hero made use of their CD Dawn parts to build a Café racer with some additional parts like the rear seat, tail lamp, short handle bars and chrome mirrors (first time on Hero bike). The Splendor Pro classic is build on the Splendor platform which share the same engine. Pro classic has no optional pillion seat as the Continental GT, Hero fails to understand that the Pro classic is a mimic of the big bikes like the Continental GT which offer lot more than just a Café racer style. A Continental GT buyer doesn’t care about the pillion rider as he has a spare vehicle at home, but a Pro Classic buyer would need a pillion seat.

While on the driving side the Continental GT has a real grunt and feels like a big bike when you pull the throttle, the engine sound slightly better that the Royal family but the bike lags on engine refinement. On the other hand the Pro Classic is a conventional engine from Hero which they have been making from decades now, the bike is easy to ride and zippy in the city rides but would be unstable under wind blasts on the highway due to its weight.

On the price side the Continental GT is placed on whooping 1.94lakhs against the 50.5K Cafe racer from the India’s largest two wheeler manufacturer.

Our verdict on the two, Continental GT is an affordable half a litre bike currently available in India with its fair pricing, we expect on the upcoming bikes from Royal Enfield to put more efforts on the refinement aspect of the bikes engine. On the Pro Classic there's nothing new in the bike except the looks, its meant for the learners and not for pros. We fail to understand the mindset of Hero motors with the Pro Classic on road.


Related BikeComparos: RE Himalayan Vs Thunderbird,